公司老板Joe找员工Sam和Lucinda谈话。

Joe Tan: Hi Sam, please take a seat. Good morning, Lucinda. Please sit down. How are you both this morning？

（Together） Sam and Lucinda: Good, thanks.

Joe: I asked you both to come in this morning because there’s been rumors floating around that you two are involved in a personal relationship. Now I know these kinds of things can be sensitive, but I do feel we have to discuss it.

Joe开门见山，说找他们两人谈话，是因为公司里有传言，there has been rumors floating around……说Sam和Lucinda在谈恋爱。

Lucinda: Yes, the rumors are true. Sam and I are in love!

Sam: It’s true, I feel the same way about Lucinda!

Joe: Well, let me be the first to congratulate you! Falling in love is great and I’m very happy for both of you.

S: But？

J: Well, our company does have some guidelines for internal relationships.

Lucinda和Sam两人都承认，they are in love. 他们确实在恋爱。Joe首先向他们表示祝贺。但随即承认，公司在员工谈恋爱方面有guideline指导原则什么guideline呢？

L: The company frowns on co-workers dating each other, right？

J: Let’s just say such relationships are not actively encouraged.

S: But why？ We are in love!

J: Well, there are many reasons, but one of the main downsides to interoffice relationships is that they can be a big distraction from work. Other employees can sometimes see such relationships as unfair. The end result can be jealousy, hurt feelings and a loss of productivity for the company.

Joe解释说，公司之所以不鼓励公司员工之间的恋爱关系，最主要的原因是干扰工作。其他员工会觉得不公平，最后造成a loss of productivity for the company. 公司生产力的下降。

L: But in today’s modern working world, I feel like there is very little opportunity to meet people. Bars are smoky and loud. Internet dating can be very scary……it seems like I spend most of my time working at the office, so isn’t it natural to find a co-worker as a partner？

S: I have to agree. Lucinda and I work on the same projects so we have a lot in common. I even think our productivity has increased as a result of our relationship.

Lucinda说，她觉得，酒吧烟雾弥漫、人声鼎沸，网上交友又不安全，既然一天到晚待在公司，在办公室找对象不是很自然吗。Sam说，他们两人是同一个项目组的，we have a lot in common. 说到这儿，老板Joe是不是理屈词穷了呢？我们下次继续听。

Sam和Lucinda在公司谈恋爱，被老板Joe找来谈话。Sam和Lucinda保证，两人的恋爱关系不会影响工作。让我们听听老板Joe是怎么说的。

J: I understand your position completely. And let me say: our company doesn’t have a blanket ban on interoffice relationships. We are just concerned about possible ramifications. When you first fall in love, of course you don’t think about what would happen if you broke up, but let’s face it...break-ups are very common. Have you considered what it would be like if the relationship didn’t work out?

Joe说，公司并不一律禁止内部的恋爱关系，a blanket ban一概而论，全部禁止。但他 同时提醒他们，万一两人吹了，该怎么办。Joe说，Break-ups are very common. Break-up意思就是恋爱关系的中断。

L: That’s true. It would be very awkward to work with an ex-boyfriend every day.

S: But there must be some way we can continue dating and working together. We are adults after all.

J: Yes, I think there are ways you can continue a relationship while working together. Relationship experts say the first rule when co-workers decide to date each other is to plan an ’exit strategy.’

Lucinda承认，万一两人吹了，会十分尴尬，但是Sam表示，总该有个让恋爱工作两不误的好办法，毕竟大家都是成年人。Joe告诉他们，专家说了，跟同事谈恋爱，首先应该想好 ’exit strategy’. 退出战略。

L: Exit strategy?

J: Yes. What would you do if the relationship isn’t successful? You should think about that. I think the biggest issue is that if it doesn’t work out, you still have to face that person every day...and that can be tough.

S: I think you’ve given us some good points we should talk over. Let me assure you that Lucinda and I will be as discreet as possible around the office.

Joe所说的exit strategy退出战略，其实就是想好后路的意思，万一吹了，该如何彼此面对。Sam保证说，他和Lucinda一定会尽量注意影响。

J: One option is for one of you to transfer to a different department so you can still work together, but not in such an intimate way.

L: Yes, that’s a possibility we should think about. Let me also say that we recognize that when we are working, the job comes first. There will be no drop in productivity, I can guarantee that!

J: Well, I think you both are handling this situation in a mature way. Let’s just take it from here and see how it goes, OK? Thanks for talking with me and being honest and open. I really appreciate that.

S: Thanks, boss!

Joe建议说，Sam和Lucinda其中一人不妨考虑换个部门工作。Lucinda再次保证，不会影响工作，Job comes first. 一切以工作为重。谈话结束前，Joe称赞两人处事成熟，Let’s just take it from here and see how it goes. 意思是走一步看一步吧。