American men who are still searching for a Valentine should start to look for love away from the office. According to a recent nationwide telephone survey conducted for AOC by Opinion Research Corporation, 6 out of 10 (59%) of American working women, even if they were unmarried or unattached, would not date a co-worker.  Only 37% said they would date a co-worker and 3% don't know or have no opinion on the subject.

Men, on the other hand, are pretty evenly split on the question.  Nearly half of employed men (47%) would date a co-worker if they were not married or unattached, while the other half (48%) think love should be found outside of the workplace, and 5% don't know or don't have an opinion.

This survey on attitudes toward Dating in the Workplace is part of AOC's ongoing "Profiles of the American Worker(R)" series which summarizes the opinions, attitudes, and behavior of employed Americans concerning workplace issues.

For this survey, full and part-time workers were asked the following: "Assuming you were unmarried or otherwise unattached, would you date a co-worker?"

Men are less willing than almost a decade ago

Fifty-three percent of America's working women in 1993 who were not married or attached said they would not date a co-worker, while only 36% said they would date a co-worker, 7% said it depends, and 4% didn't know or refused to give an opinion.

Whereas men surveyed in the year 2000 were pretty evenly split over the topic of dating in the workplace, men in 1993 were a bit more willing to date a colleague.  According to the 1993 AOC poll 59% of men were willing to date a co-worker if they were unmarried or unattached, while only 36% said the would not be looking for love at work.

The current results are based upon telephone interviews with a representative sample 690 adults, 18 years of age and older, who are employed either full or part time.  Interviews were conducted by Opinion Research Corporation's Caravan between January 20 and January 23, 2000.  The margin of error is plus or minus 4%.  Differences between men and women are statistically significant at the 95% confidence level.

With more than 100 offices worldwide, AOC is currently a world leader in the placement of temporary and permanent accounting and finance personnel.

For complete survey findings or further information on the "Profiles of the American Worker" series, contact Samantha Cummis, Public Relations Department, Accountants On Call, Park 80 West, Plaza II, Ninth Floor, Saddle Brook, NJ  07663; 201-843-0006.