As more women and men spend time together at work, dating in the workplace is more and more common. After all, if you work a lot, it’s not always easy to meet people outside of work. However, there are many pros and cons to that romantic strategy.

Pro: Great place to meet and establish a relationship.
Work can be a good place to meet someone and establish a relationship before you actually date. Spending a lot of time with a person in an environment without romantic pressure can be a great way to really get to know someone on neutral ground. It can be a good place to learn about who someone really is, their life story and what their goals are. It’s also an easy place to hang out casually.

Pro: Dating could make work better and build a support center.
The early stages of dating can be an exciting and happy time. Coming to work may be more interesting, and your good attitude could become contagious around the office. Furthermore, when things might not be going perfectly at work, dating could give you an extra level of support from someone who understands what is going on. If your job is especially busy or time consuming, a coworker might have an easier time understanding when you need to put in extra hours.

Con: Someone is always watching.
Every office has a gossip (usually more than one), and no matter how secretive you might try to be, someone is likely to notice that you’re acting different and rumors could spread. This is unavoidable; if possible, you should be open about your relationship to keep rumors to a minimum, but remember that you still probably won’t escape them. Relationships could also inspire jealousy—someone may have a crush on your significant other or may feel that you have an unfair advantage politically because of who you date.

Con: Too much together time.
Sometimes people just need space, and if you work with your significant other, space could become more valuable than ever. Most people prefer not to spend every moment together, but if you work side by side or even in the same office, you’ll see a lot of one another. Even company functions will be different. If you date a coworker, be aware of the need for personal time.

Con: If things go south…
If things end, work could become awkward and more difficult, particularly if they don’t end very well. Knowing a coworker in such an intimate way can be strange, and severing that relationship can make things even stranger. You might also have to face a situation where you see your ex date or flirt with another coworker, which could put you in the jealous spot. It might make professionalism more of a challenge.

Many couples meet at work and have successful relationships. However, before you begin one, carefully weigh the upsides and possible downsides.