A famous newspaper that is known to contain ads and gossips more than actual news had an interesting article of late.
The article started with a question as to how would you like it if you had someone who would be constantly supportive, your agony aunt or a punching bag at work? A spouse without having to marry!!
Few things sound dramatic when you give a name to them. It might be as simple as having a supportive colleague; but look at the term. Office Spouse!! The term Spouse brings in lot of packages with it - Nuptial agreement, promises to love each other in sickness and health, be loyal and honest until death..err...job hops do us apart!
Can we claim a no harm being friendly with colleague relationship as a "spouse" type? This very word is going to draw flak and make people wary of a healthy relationship at work. So yeah! you definitely would be bound to like one person more than others in the group. Like minded people would like to steal few minutes to go for a walk and talk on topics they could relate with.
There could be situations where in you could work better with a person having similar working styles than in isolation. Its all team work and productivity. Sometimes you need a person who is going through the same pain of working in a stressed environment and could relate with your verbal diarrhea. You need someone who knows the working of the organization and the frustrations of working with some people who you both know can be a pain. Should one give just a controversial name to it? I find it out rightly hilarious.
These sort of friendships among colleagues are everywhere and its a no harm thing. Tagging it with a ridiculous word as these could be extremely misleading and could lead to complications. Well why not? one would think twice before taking a walk with a colleague; lest others dont start speculating and send wrong signals!!
Imagine, the work place would be then a boot camp.
I hear ya!
ReplyDeleteWe are really on the Express Highway, aren't we? Soon we will have Office Lovers, just for that little sexual releases - or sex breaks! I remember watching a Woody Allen movie long ago, in which he and Diane Keaton (?) steps into a something like a Phone booth and shuts the door; lights blink on the outside, electronic beeps go off and out they step in 10 secs, the job over.
ReplyDeleteB, all is fair in media world ! they don't think about consequences.. all they want is to attract people by their words...
ReplyDeletethey say pen is mightier than sword!!
good or bad.. it sure is mightier..
The TOI conducted a lit fest recently. The twitter world inadvertently ( I think ) gave it a tag... TOIlet fest !
ReplyDeleteI rest my case.
It's complicated !
ReplyDeleteThe baggage of such words or phrases are meant to lead you down the path to where they want you ending and then they revel in the state you get in - accusing , and abusing you.
ReplyDeleteWell with out the fence of morality it is each one to oneself dosen't really matter for others but only the very immediate people who will be touched by the good or bad they frolic with.
may be when someone shares more with colleagues than spouse then?..there are many things which separate a souse from a friend, and if one follows them, none could point a finger.
ReplyDeletethe rule of the game is not to take anything personal.
ReplyDeleteits all what we do in a herd..right?
The term is ridiculous, but I know of a lady who took this phrase literally. Her behavior towards her "good friend" was quite atrocious, and it translated into some plum promotions down the years.
ReplyDeleteIt could complicate matters for even genuine friends. It is a bizarre term frankly.
:) on a other note reminds me of Alison , we started work together for the IT company, and same project and we had so many arugments etc that they use ot tease us as being man-wife but we were a good team .. and it made us good friends and we shared a lot, discusses etc etc it was like a family ..
ReplyDeleteanyway back to the post yeah tagging is wrong as I had just come from india then and i use to avoid her sometimes but soon i got used to it all... it depends also how you take it :)
Bikram's
Ridiculous!! It sure is going to lead to complications!!
ReplyDeletePerceptions! The words obviously do quite matter when used so lightly. I have seen girls who do not communicate with male colleagues fearing these complicated associations that might hook them up.
ReplyDeleteYour view on this is very right! I agree, such a term will make simple things complicated and ugly!
ReplyDeletepeople who are interested will anyways cont. to do so. But people who are genuine will get the stares of doubt and simple friendships will be taken in wrong manners after the introduction of such a term!
I guess i lil bit of conservatism is always healthy and needed to keep things pure and simple!
Good one! :)
A lot of time spouses fight in real life....
ReplyDeleteAs it is people love to make a mountain out of a molehill.. and now with such hilarious terms in place.. I wonder how many healthy relationships will be mutilated for no fault of thiers...
ReplyDeleteOffice spouse:/? New vocabulary I believe.I get lot of information here.
ReplyDeleteGautam,
ReplyDeleteThanks.
Balan,
Oh! :-) Interesting scene. Yeah what irks me misleading people and poisoning mind by media
Ramya,
It seems so Ramya. They really dont think about the consequence. They are hypocrites. The same newspaper published sometime in August about Why one must think thrice before going got an Office spouse.
Kavi,
Hahaha :)
Anil,
Exactly Anil. The same paper carried a story on why you must think thrice before having an office spouse. Sucks!
Renu,
Then its a matter of their own private lives. Who cares what they want to share with each other when it happens out of work!! If it happens in office premises its a violation of standards of personal conduct which will be dealt with. That still doesnt mean they are Spouses!!
Sorcerer,
Right. But not everyone is as mature to think that way
Rachna,
Oh! Hmm that would have been embarrassing when it was revealed.
Bik,
No! this can cause complication.
Shilpa,
Yes
Ashwini,
Exactly! and this only aggravates.
Shesha,
Yes. Why create unnecessary trouble.
A,
Yeah, but how is it related to what I said in my post?
Meety,
Yup! Imagine the damage.
chitra,
Apparently yes. Funny isnt it?
It's complicated .
ReplyDeleteIf i remember right this was my comment.
It sounds funny to me than misleading.
ReplyDeleteCan we have a college spouse too? I need one & preferably someone from the opposite sex. :P
Yeah we do have some of those live at office. Helps alot to keep senses straight.
ReplyDeleteKavita,
ReplyDeleteYour comment is very much there :)
Nethra,
Go get one girl :)
Holy Lama,
Yup :)
Unlessi am illinformed,in Japan they have this concept of office wife.
ReplyDeleteOh!!! Interesting :)
ReplyDelete