"Maybe you first bonded over shared workplace frustrations. You gradually started finding each other every lunch break and synchronizing trips to the coffee machine. Eventually they become a confidant for venting about your real life outside of work. They become your work spouse. And if you find yourself strolling the greeting card aisle sometime today, you may even feel compelled to get this person in your life a trinket for celebrating the most romantic day of the year. Turns out, there are options available."
"A card to show appreciation for your work spouse on Valentine's Day might seem like a sweet gesture. But if you have an actual spouse or partner waiting at home. . .they might think differently. "Im sorry," one TikTok creator posted after spotting the card in the wild, "but the argument that would ensue if my partner came home from work with one of these cards from his colleague on Valentine's day.""
Colleagues can bond over shared frustrations and regular routines, evolving into close confidants often called "work spouses." Retailers now sell greeting cards and trinkets aimed at celebrating these workplace pairings on Valentine's Day. Such tokens can express appreciation and camaraderie between coworkers. However, receiving a Valentine from a colleague can trigger jealousy or conflict if a real spouse or partner interprets the gesture as inappropriate. Social media reactions show that responses range from amused acceptance to anger, underscoring tensions around boundaries, perceptions, and workplace intimacy.
Read at Fast Company
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