Getting Married Soon? 30% of Your Coworkers Don’t Want to Hear About It.

June is wedding season — that means a lot of brides- and grooms-to-be are very focused on the details of impending nuptials. In a recent Monster.com poll, we asked people how they felt about hearing a coworker’s wedding plans — through a cube partition or across a table in the break room. And nearly a third said, “Enough, already!”

We asked, “Do you like it when engaged coworkers talk about their wedding plans at work?” And here’s what you said:

• Yes; I enjoy hearing about other people’s wedding plans. 18%
• Sometimes, but these conversations can get annoying if they go on too long. 53%
• No; I think that people should keep their work and private lives separate. 30%

Total respondents: 1189

The message is clear — if you’re asking random colleagues for their opinions on wedding invitations or place settings, you’re probably going too far. Of course, it’s normal to develop friendships with people we spend eight or more hours a day with — but be careful not to confuse proximity with intimacy. And when you’re in the workplace, it’s always wise to keep non-work-related conversation limited to 10- or 15-minute breaks. You don’t want to develop a reputation as a slacker!

(For tips on coping with inappropriate colleagues, read “Office Friendships: Beware of Workplace ‘Frenemies.‘”)

On a related note, we also asked, “Did you invite, or would you consider inviting, current or former coworkers to your wedding?”

•  Yes: many current and former coworkers are my closest friends. 24%
• Yes: I have a few friends I would invite. 37%
• Maybe: it depends on whom I’m working with at the time. 19%
• No: I don’t really have anyone I would invite. 9%
• No: I don’t think it is appropriate. 11%

Total respondents: 830

Charles Purdy, Monster.com’s senior editor, advised, “Whether you’re inviting your boss for ‘political’ reasons or your best buddy who just happens to be your colleague, you can avoid hurting the feelings of coworkers you don’t invite by making a clear distinction between your workplace relationships and your social relationships — that means having wedding discussions and distributing invitations, and so on,  outside of the workplace.”

What do you think about mixing weddings and the workplace? Share your thoughts in the Comments section — and share your ideas for future poll topics!

 Image: FreeDigitalPhotos.net