A new study commissioned by Orgatec, an international trade fair for workspace and contract solutions, has revealed that friendships, flirting, dates, and relationships are part of everyday working life for many employees, with one in three people dating at work.
The social function of offices is highlighted by the findings of a YouGov study based on a representative sample of the German population. The nationally representative survey of more than 2,000 participants shows that connections extending beyond the professional context are widespread in the workplace.
A total of 40.88 per cent of respondents reported having flirted with colleagues, with 47.33 per cent of men and 34.75 per cent of women admitting to doing so. Around one-third of the study participants, or 33.11 per cent, who were already in employment had been on a date with someone from their working environment.
Just under 29 per cent had entered into a romantic relationship with a colleague at some point in their working life, while 15.86 per cent of respondents met their current or a former partner in a professional setting.
Personal connections are particularly likely to develop in situations that lend themselves to casual interactions. A total of 40.24 per cent of respondents identified company events and after-work get-togethers as the settings with the greatest potential for flirting, followed by break rooms at 27.67 per cent and typical workplaces at 24.61 per cent.
34.67 per cent of employees considered seating areas with corner sofas and lounge furniture, while 34.44 per cent considered outdoor workspaces or terraces, and 24.06 per cent considered communal tables and shared desks to be particularly conducive to interacting and socializing.
These areas also play a key role in fostering team spirit. 65.65 per cent of respondents stated that informal meeting spaces such as lounges, coffee stations, or communal areas have a strong or even very strong influence on team cohesion and interpersonal relationships.
The survey results indicate that interpersonal interaction is a key component of everyday working life and that it is closely linked to workspace design. The study noted that, with people spending a significant part of their lives at work, it’s natural to forge connections, form friendships, and sometimes even develop relationships in this context. Despite the increasing popularity of remote working and hybrid models, the physical workplace remains a key location for face-to-face encounters.
In addition to their role in fostering interaction, informal zones, open-plan spaces designed to facilitate communication, and flexible room layouts also promote creativity and team dynamics. As a result, workplace design is becoming an increasingly important element of business strategy.
Orgatec will explore the role played by today’s working environments and how they can actively encourage communication, collaboration, and human contact at the next edition of the event in Cologne from October 27 to 30, 2026, for which the theme will be “From rooms to relationships: designing spaces in an ever-changing world.”
The trade fair will demonstrate how functional environments can be transformed into areas that facilitate genuine human connections, strengthening collaboration and feelings of belonging, and how adaptive solutions can ensure these spaces are able to respond to future needs in an era of constant change.
As a key platform for business and innovation, Orgatec encourages dialogue, knowledge sharing, and new perspectives on workspace and contract solutions. Leading companies, planners, designers, and international experts will present holistic concepts that intelligently combine form, function, and use.
This data is based on an online poll conducted by YouGov GmbH on behalf of ORGATEC (Koelnmesse GmbH). A total of 2,079 people were surveyed for this study in March 2026. The results are representative of Germany’s resident population aged 18 and over.