Valentine’s Day has come and gone, but romance prevails in workplaces across the country. With as many as eight million Americans entering into a workplace romance each year, Cupid appears to be a permanent fixture in the cubicle—and on the assembly line, the shop floor and just about everywhere else America works.

Spherion’s Workplace Snapshot survey recently took a look at workplace romance, and made some interesting discoveries about job security, secrecy and relationships that lead to the altar.

One reason workplace romances continue to endure has to do with time. When you consider that about half of our waking hours are spent at work, where else would you be as likely to meet a love interest? Not to mention the fact that meeting someone at work may be easier than the bar or nightclub scene. But before you begin wondering if that new coworker might be your soul mate, consider these points.

• Risk versus reward.
  According to the Spherion^® survey, 41% of U.S. workers think openly dating a coworker would jeopardize their job security or advancement opportunities. Before taking the leap, be sure to take a look at the benefits versus the risks. Your current job may be just that–a job–that is less important to you than finding a life partner. Or, it may be an important stepping stone in your career path that you aren’t willing to risk. 
• Company policy, corporate culture.
  More than half of U.S. workers say their employer has no policy regarding workplace romances and nearly a third say they’re not sure, according to the Spherion survey. Only 16% said their employers have such policies. Before you consider dating a coworker, find out whether your employer has a policy—and try to determine whether your company’s culture is generally accepting of coworker relationships or frowns on them. This stance can also differ greatly between individual business units, departments or even managers.
• It’s no secret.
  More workers who have had a workplace romance said it was conducted openly (41%) than secretly (35%), although with gossip being a reality at work, even if you think you’re discreet—chances are the word is out. In today’s world of blogging, YouTube and Google, the line between public and private is increasingly blurred. Unfortunately, becoming a target of gossip in these or other venues has the potential to affect your career advancement and job security.
• Have a heart. 
  While a romantic or flirtatious relationship with a coworker may make your heart sing, be sensitive to the perceptions of those around you and remember that the workplace is—first and foremost—about work. It’s no place for intimate personal discussions, fights, flirting or public displays of affection.
• Wedding bells ring. 
  Among those who have had a workplace romance, 30% say it involved dating for several months, 15% dated for several years and one-quarter made the trip to the altar, according to the survey. And it’s easy to understand how that could happen—since such relationships are built on familiarity and trust, each understands the other’s career pressures and responsibilities, and such couples often have similar goals in life.

As the saying goes, love is blind. Given some of these considerations, however, it might be best to keep your eyes open.