6 Ways To Spark An Office Romance

As a dating coach, people come to my blog every day and ask me this question: "David, there's this great person that I want to date who works with me. How do I see if we might connect and still keep my job?"

Dating in the workplace is very tricky because you don't want to jeopardize either of your statuses in the company. You also don't want to create any bad blood between you and a fellow co-worker if it doesn't work out.

Now, I'm not saying it can't work. There are a lot of people who have fallen in love with co-workers. You just need to know how to approach it the right way, and how to "feel out" the situation to avoid putting either of you in a precarious situation. What Is Mobile Dating? Should I Try It?

Approaching a co-worker socially must be done somewhat differently — and more carefully — than approaching someone with whom you don't work. With that in mind, here are my six steps to determine whether (and, if so, how) to ask out your fellow co-worker:

1. The casual lunch. Start off by having lunch with him and a group of other people in the company cafeteria. Get to know him in a group setting with no pressure. This way, he gets to know you and what you're all about in a very casual way.

2. The group happy hour. Get a group of co-workers together and go out for happy hour one day after work. Now that you've already spent some time together, going to a happy hour is a great way to get to know each other outside of the work environment. Being outside the work environment will also give you the opportunity to do a bit of flirting with the interest. This will be a good way to see if he's also flirting with you.

3. The cool attitude. The key to liking someone at work is not to let them know it. You want to be able to casually get to know each other. During the happy hour, notice with which people they are hanging out most. Are they paying extra attention to you? Are they flirting with you? If so, then proceed to number four. Ladies, You Need To Watch Out For These Online Dating Red Flags

4. The playful text message. Text him one day and ask him what he's doing for lunch. Be playful and tell him that you really need to get out of the office, and that you couldn't think of anyone more fun with whom to have a lunch escape.

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Make it casual. You've already hung out with him in a group setting at lunch and at happy hour. This is your chance to be alone with him and to find out more about him.

This is also his chance to get to know you better. Keep in mind, though, that this is not a date. It's just two co-workers having lunch. If this lunch is successful, then proceed to number five.

5. The email banter. Start sending some emails to him during the day. Keep them funny and light. For instance, you could him them about an office rumor you heard and say that you wanted to tell him about it first. You could also pass along a funny email that your friend forwarded to you and tell him that you're forwarding it to him because you know he'll appreciate it.

If he responds positively, you'll probably end up IM’ing back and forth periodically during the day when you're bored. If this stage is successful, then move on to number six.

6. The date. On a Wednesday or Thursday, casually find out what he's doing that Friday night. Tell them you are going out with a bunch of your girlfriends, and that it would be great if he came with some of his guy friends so you could all hang out together. Once again, this is very casual ... but it is also the final telltale sign so you can decide whether or not to ask him out on a date.

Watch carefully how he behaves while you're all out together. If he's making a special effort to hang out with you, then you're in! What Happy Couples Have In Common [VIDEO]

We're all adults. You never know where you are going to find someone you like. There are no impossible situations. So, the next time you find someone at work that you're attracted to, follow these six easy steps so that you can see if they are also interested in you without worrying about what life at work will be like if they aren't.

Explore the possibilities . . . you never know what may happen!