A Valentines Story: 56% of Employees in Panama have Fallen in Love at Work

According to Konzerta’s “Match at Work” study, 56% of people in Panama have fallen in love at work. Furthermore, 77% of those who had this experience say their feelings were reciprocated, compared to 23% who say they were not.  The percentage of professionals who fell in love at work is 5 percentage points higher than in the 2025 study, when 51% reported it.  What happened to these feelings? 35% of the talents indicated that they had a romantic relationship with that person from their work; 24% said that they went out or had dates on some occasions; 14% mentioned that they lived together for a while; 17% revealed that they started a family; and 10% indicated that they got married.

“Work is not just a space for professional exchange, but a social ecosystem where relationships naturally flourish. Fifty-six percent of professionals say they have fallen in love with someone in their workplace, and 17% have even started a family with that person. Given this reality, Panama leads the region with 64% of organizations already implementing specific policies regarding romantic relationships. Most of these policies do not prohibit relationships but rather promote transparency as the foundation for healthy coexistence,” said Jeff Morales, Marketing Manager at Konzerta. 

59% of employees who reported having a romantic relationship at work kept it secret; 38% kept it partially public, meaning it was known only to some of their colleagues; and only 3% said it was completely public, known to most or everyone in the office.  41% of employees stated that the romantic relationship had a positive effect on their job performance, while 59% felt the opposite.  How did it positively affect them?  33% of the employees experienced improved motivation; 26% noticed a reduction in their work-related stress; 11% indicated that the relationship provided them with emotional support; another 11% reported increased productivity; and for 7%, increased job satisfaction.

To a lesser extent, for 4% it fostered collaboration; and for another 4%, it promoted a more positive work environment.  In contrast, among those who felt the relationship negatively affected them, 34% reported that it affected their reputation; 22% experienced tension with their work team; 11% had difficulty making objective decisions; 11% reported a lack of professionalism; another 11% faced emotional conflicts; and another 11% suffered frequent distractions.  On the other hand, 35% of workers say they received information from their organization on how to manage romantic relationships at work, the highest percentage in the region after Ecuador (3%). This is followed by Peru with 26%; Argentina with 20%; and Chile with 16%. 

Match at Work is a Konzerta study involving 5,006 workers and human resources professionals from Panama, Chile, Ecuador, Argentina, and Peru. The research explores romantic relationships in the workplace and their impact.