Ah, the workplace! A hotbed of personalities and inevitably, romance will result. I've been working for four years now and I've seen this happen (and also been involved in one or two myself).

The first thing to remember, is to keep a clear head. The person you are attracted to may be the best thing since sliced bread, but you also have to work with them and sometimes may even have a reporting relationship with them i.e. you answer to them or they answer to you.

The best case scenario for workplace relationships would be two people in different departments. They are separated for most of their working life and could very well almost be in different companies, depending on the size of the workplace. Even better if they are on the same level i.e. both are managers or both are junior employees.

If your beloved happens to be in the same department, that's OK. My current employer, while not exactly encouraging of workplace romances, does not stand in the way of true love and will ensure there is not a reporting relationship between the two. Personally, I would struggle with reporting to someone I was romantically involved with. I know myself and I expect to be indulged and spoiled while in a relationship, and there's no way I could prevent that expectation from spilling over into the workplace. I couldn't bear to be told off and there would be sulking at home as a result! Would you want your beloved to be in control of your career as well as being so important in your personal life? It's practically a recipe for disaster. Even if you were both professional and beyond reproach, others in the workplace may have the same view and remember that perception is reality.

Even if I was on the same level as him, I would probably want a lot of distance just because seeing too much of someone just doesn't do it for me. A bit of mystery is always a good thing in a relationship! Also, some people are just plain annoying to work with but may make excellent lovers.

Another thing to consider is the office gossip. Office gossip is unavoidable. Often you'll find that what started off as 'I saw X and Y at a restaurant having lunch' ends up as 'X and Y are having it on behind the water cooler during lunch'. Office gossip is usually vicious and can be detrimental to any relationship. To avoid being the daily topic of discussion, keep the romance under wraps for as long as possible. Maybe consider announcing it only just before your wedding! Anyway, all the sneaking around

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