Does your office have a policy against inter-office dating? If so, chances are it’s being followed very loosely…at least if CareerBuilder.com’s latest survey is any indication.

According to CareerBuilder.com’s annual office romance survey - released just in time for Valentine’s Day – 40 percent of workers have had an office romance.  Consider how many hours people put in at the office (and throw in overtime, lunches and happy hours), and it’s hardly surprising that so many people have dated co-workers. 

At the same time, it doesn’t seem like the possible repercussions of office romances gone bad are of much concern in today’s workplace, as 72 percent of respondents reported that they didn’t feel the need to hide their relationships.

Which makes me wonder: Do office dating policies even exist at all anymore?  Anyone who’s ever seen “Fatal Attraction” Common logic might tell us such policies are necessary to avoid any workplace hostility that could stem from an office romance gone bad.  After all, 7 percent of workers who dated a colleague had to leave their job due to their romances.  And then there are those rare but no less alarming instances where it gets downright messy. (I’m looking at you, Kwame Kilpatrick. Hey, there, don’t look so smug, Mark Everson.)   

But not only are attempts to ban inter-office dating difficult to enforce and potentially raise legal questions, I also wonder if such rules encourage sneaking around. (After all, the heart wants what the heart wants…) Not to mention the argument that allowing for a little office flirtation can serve as a pleasant distraction – even a morale booster – for employees during what is an especially stressful time in today’s workplace.

So then how can companies avoid the negative repercussions of a romance gone sour aside from a companywide outing to see “He’s Just Not that Into You”?  Here are a few alternatives:

• Entrepreneur.com’s David Javitch suggests management and HR work closely together to anticipate problems and set up solutions, such as providing sensitivity training for all workers about what constitutes sexual harassment; or establishing a policy that doesn’t allow supervisors to date their direct reports.
• Vault.com advises implementing a “higher complaint” office where workers can “take their complaints on a confidential, non-discriminating, and discrete basis,” so conflict can be handled from a management perspective.

What about you? What’s worked at your office? And do you agree that attempts to quell inter-office dating do more damage than good?