Nearly 40 per cent of employees admitted they have dated a co-worker at least once over the course of their career, with 17 per cent doing it at least twice. The analysis of more than 4,200 surveys of full-time US employees found that 30 per cent of the workers have dated someone above them in the company hierarchy, while 16 per cent admitted to dating their boss.

Researchers found that women were significantly more likely than their male peers to date someone higher up in their organisation, BusinessNewsDaily reported. Most office romances are actually spawned in social settings, according to the study. Running into each other outside of work, happy hours and at lunch were among the most popular catalysts for dating co-workers.

The top five industries that lend themselves more to office romances than others were leisure & hospitality followed by information technology, found the study by online job site CareerBuilder. Financial, health care and professional & business services were also among the industries where office romances blossom the most.

Jobs play a key role in relationships even for those who aren't dating a co-worker. The research found that more than a quarter of employees are influenced by what their love interest does for a living. In addition, 6 per cent have had someone break up with them because their job required too many hours at the office, they didn't make enough money or the person didn't like their line of work.