86% Say Remote Work Fuels Office Romance: Zety Survey Reveals How Technology Shapes Virtual Love

Love is in the air—or maybe on Slack. As professional boundaries blur in the era of remote work, workplace romance has taken on a new dimension. With Valentine’s Day quickly approaching, the latest findings from Zety’s Modern Workplace Romance Report explores the evolving dynamics of workplace relationships in the digital age.

Surveying over 1,000 U.S. employees, the data sheds light on how remote work, virtual communication tools, and shifting professional norms are sparking new connections—and challenges—among colleagues. 

Key Findings:

• 79% of employees admit they’ve had a long term workplace romance – 15% have had more than one.
• 41% of those who have had a workplace romance say their most recent relationship was with a supervisor or manager.
• 86% say remote work has made it easier to form romantic connections in the workplace, with 94% believing emojis and GIFs help facilitate office flirting.
• 51% frequently notice romantic tension or flirtatious behavior between colleagues during virtual meetings.
• 91% admit to using flirting or charm to advance their career or gain favoritism.

Workplace Romance Experiences & Opinions

Relationships at work are more common than ever, with a significant number of employees revealing their involvement in office romances: 

• 79% of employees admit they’ve had a long term workplace romance - 15% have had more than one.
• 46% say their most recent romantic partner at work was a colleague or teammate, while 41% admit their relationship was with a supervisor or manager.
• Of employees that have had a romantic encounter with a colleagueat a work-related event or party, 59% say it was a one-time thing and 34% say it developed into a more serious relationship.
• Employees are nearly 3x more likely to believe that serious relationships (54%) between superiors and subordinates are acceptable compared to one-night stands (18%).

What This Means: Specific guidelines addressing workplace romances, especially those involving power imbalances, can help maintain a respectful and fair environment in a professional manner.

From Slack to Spark: The Role of Technology in Workplace Romances

Technology is reshaping how workplace relationships begin and thrive, especially as digital tools bridge the gap between colleagues in remote and hybrid settings. From emojis to dating apps, tech has become the new matchmaker in professional spaces. According to the survey:

• 86% of respondents believe remote work has made it easier to form romantic connections with colleagues.
• 94% believe emojis and GIFs facilitate flirting in virtual workplaces.
• 62% have initiated a romantic or flirtatious message to a colleague via a remote work platform (ie. Slack, Teams, email) – 27% have received this type of message and 6% have experienced both.
• 71% know a colleague who has used a dating app to initiate workplace romances – 26% know multiple colleagues who have done this.

What This Means: The rise of remote work and virtual communication underscores the importance of setting clear expectations for interactions in digital spaces.

The Complexities of Digital Love

The digital age has transformed workplace dynamics, creating new avenues for romance—but also new pitfalls:

• 79% of employees have accidentally sent romantic or flirtatious messages to the wrong colleague or group chat – 16% have seen it happen.
• Virtual meetings aren’t all business – 51% frequently notice flirtatious behavior or romantic tension between colleagues, and 42% occasionally observe it.

What This Means: As digital tools become central to workplace interactions, employees and employers alike should be mindful of the fine line between casual connection and professional decorum.

Social Dynamics: Love, Power, and Team Tensions

While 86% of employees believe workplace romances positively impact team dynamics, data shows they clearly bring challenges that can disrupt professional relationships and create tensions within the workplace:

• 91% of respondents admit they’ve flirted to advance their career or gain favoritism.
• 69% have experienced favoritism or inappropriate perks resulting from workplace relationships, and 24% have witnessed this.
• 55% of those in workplace romances say their colleagues or supervisors directly expressed concerns or disapproval – 37% say they indirectly changed their behavior or attitude.
• 96% of those in workplace romances actively tried to keep their relationships private, reflecting ongoing concerns about perception and professionalism.

What This Means: Workplace romances can strain team dynamics, making transparency and fair treatment crucial to maintaining trust and morale.

What Employers Need to Know

It’s crucial for employers to understand the opinions and perspectives of employees when it comes to workplace romances. Clear policies are essential in managing these relationships and their potential impact:

• 94% of employees say their company has explicit policies addressing workplace romance
• The majority of respondents believe serious relationships (53%) and casual dating (51%) in any dynamic should be reported to HR.
• Many also feel that friends with benefits (43%) and one-night stands (22%) should be reported to HR.

Despite potential risks and repercussions, 71% of employees say if a colleague expressed romantic interest in the future, they’d be open to exploring it. 

What This Means: A strong, well-communicated policy can create an environment where employees feel safe navigating personal relationships without compromising professionalism.

Methodology

The findings presented were obtained by surveying 1,095 workers in the U.S. on January 13, 2025. Participants were asked about their observations and behaviors around romantic relationships in the workplace, responding to various question types including yes/no questions, scale-based questions gauging agreement levels, and questions that permitted the selection of multiple options from a list of answers.