One of the most unfortunate aspects of coworker dating relationships is that they usually come to an end. The end of relationships tend to be emotional and painful for one, if not both parties. This can be especially difficult to deal with if you have to see each other everyday at work.

1. Don’t do it at work. If you’re going to break it off, at least save it until off-duty hours. Your lunch or coffee break is not the time to let them know that it is over. Neither one of you will likely be very productive for the rest of the day, if you do that.
2. Leave job performance out of it. Whatever your reasons might be for breaking off the relationship, make sure that you do not bring their job performance into the conversation at any point. No matter how heated the situation gets, that is one topic you don’t want to use to add fuel to the fire. It could very easily end up burning you in the end.
3. Don’t share your reasons. It would certainly be acceptable to let your coworkers know that the two of you are not dating. They will eventually figure it out anyway. However, there is no reason for you to tell them why the relationship ended. Company rumor mills can easily turn your words into something you never intended.
4. Keep it cordial. For both your sakes, and the sakes of your coworkers, agree to treat each other with the same civil manners that you would treat any other coworker, after the break up. You may not feel like being friendly, but there is no need to be rude or to make everyone else uncomfortable around the two of you.
5. Avoid day-after contact if possible. Emotional wounds can easily be re-opened and bruised by the simple sight of the person who caused the injury, for some time afterwards.  Give the other person some extra space, if you can, for a day or two following the break up.
6. Don’t do it just before your reviews. Regardless of what relationship there may or may not be between the two of you, as relates to company reviews and promotion, it would probably be best to avoid a break up just before scheduled employee reviews. It can avoid any accusations of influence in the process by either party.
7. Don’t start dating another coworker. If you’re going to dump one coworker, don’t immediately start dating another one. This is just asking for trouble on the job. Jealous is a common problem after relationships end. You don’t want to have to deal with that while you’re at work.
8. Wait for the weekend. If you work Monday through Friday, try to avoid ending the relationship during the middle of the workweek. Save it for when they’ll have some personal time off to deal with their emotions before they have to go back to work and face you there.
9. Be prepared for the tension. Don’t fool yourself into thinking the break up won’t change the atmosphere at work. It is bound to do that, at least for a while. Accept it, and give it all time to calm down.
10. Don’t discuss it with other coworkers. The last thing your ex will want to see is you whispering with a group of coworkers about what happened. There is no need or benefit of sharing the details of the break up with other coworkers. Keep it to yourself.

There is not a good way to end a relationship, especially with someone whom you are going to see everyday at work. Trying to follow the tips listed above, may help it from becoming worse than it needs to be.

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