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Katharina's avatar

I had never thought about how much this would have affected me back in the day. My now husband and I starting dating in December 2019, so right before the pandemic hit. It blows my mind to think how different my life would have been if we hadn't been able to slowly get to know each other in the office. I am an introvert through and through so I needed this slow burn of casually getting to know each other before even going on a date with him. Mind blowing!

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Libby Sander's avatar

I love this Katharina, thank you for sharing. Around 50% of the workforce are introverted, so this is an important and very relatable point.

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Bryan Froud's avatar

I feel workplace relationships were already on the decline before WFH, Zoom and COVID-19. With #MeToo, increased awareness of domestic violence, and a greater focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), office romances seem to be more scrutinized than ever.

It seems HR departments are discouraging them outright to avoid potential conflicts, power imbalances, and legal issues.

Perhaps the shift to remote work is just accelerating a trend that was already in motion?

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Libby Sander's avatar

Hi Bryan, certainly and it is a very problematic issue.

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