| Author |
Message |
    
Richard Morris
Citizen
Username: Rm27839
Post Number: 1
Registered: 2-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, February 23, 2006 - 2:23 pm: |     |
Have you all heard of this concept? Vault Inc., a career research and consulting company recently did a national workplace survey which found that 32% of office workers say they have an “office spouse”. Here is an excerpt of an article from Macleans:
“A good office spouse can read your mind and your mood -- almost as well as your real husband or wife. It's someone who senses when you've been cornered by the office close-talker at a corporate function and need to be rescued, or knows when you could use a 10-minute breather to help forget about the boneheaded comment you just made at an all-staff meeting. It's the one person in the sea of cubicles you trust with the personal things in your life that don't come up naturally around the water cooler.
In fact, your office spouse likely knows a few things about you that your marriage spouse may not. It's inevitable, considering the amount of shared experience. He or she has been around for every office "had-to-be-there" moment -- which, by the way, saves real spouses from having to listen to all your whining about office politics they know little, and usually care even less, about. The office spouse, on the other hand, gets it. "Sometimes I don't want to see anyone else during a day and yet turn to my office wife at lunch," says Dave. "She's someone who I can laugh, cry or get pissed off with about something at work."”
I live in the Maplewood vicinity and know that most of us spend almost more time at work than at home, so an office spouse could help alleviate some of this lack of attention from our real-life spouse.
I work at CNN and am working on a piece for Paula Zahn Now about this new phenomenon. We are looking for married individuals who have an office spouse and would be willing to be interviewed with 'both' spouses: real-life and office.
If you would be willing to speak with us about your situation, could you email me at producercnn@yahoo.com.
Thanks,
Richard
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mem
Citizen
Username: Mem
Post Number: 5804
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, February 23, 2006 - 2:26 pm: | |
Lol!
I have an office spouse, an office son and an office sister. The office sister and I are slightly on the outs right now, but that'll change (just like real sisters) if I stay in this job. |
greenetree
Supporter
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 6777
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, February 23, 2006 - 2:31 pm: | |
I don't have an office spouse in my current job and I really miss it. I've usually had one. In fact, a few years ago, my office husband got very obnxoxious with me when he was in a bad mood and I had to remind him that I was not, in fact, his wife or girlfriend and that I didn't have to cut him any slack. He apologized.
He did not bring me flowers as that would have been inappropriate.  |
MBJ
Citizen
Username: Mbj
Post Number: 159
Registered: 10-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, February 23, 2006 - 2:31 pm: | |
I like the idea of an "office spouse".
Really gets the imagination going. |
Dobler88
Citizen
Username: Dobler88
Post Number: 96
Registered: 7-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, February 23, 2006 - 2:44 pm: | |
I have an office spouse, but she's female (and my real life spouse is male, fyi). That makes it interesting,no?
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Bajou
Citizen
Username: Bajou
Post Number: 32
Registered: 2-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, February 23, 2006 - 2:48 pm: | |
As an assistant I am the office spouse. I know more about my boss then I knew about my ex husband. Except for the physical aspect of course.
I know when he is in a bad mood and what to say to destress him. He is a quiet person and would never go in front of a camera with this. I know when his family or friends have a birthday. What kind of lunch he wants on what days. I talked him into starting to drink green tea instead of coffee. He is top top management and I people come and tell me what they need to talk to him about and if I think it is a good day for that topic. I spend 10 hours a day working closely with him which is not something I would want to do with my real spouse.
So yeah I am an office spouse but I also have a commuter spouse who is the buffer since he knows everything about my personal and business life and I know all about his.
Bajou |
Oldstone
Citizen
Username: Rogers4317
Post Number: 588
Registered: 6-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, February 23, 2006 - 2:48 pm: | |
i have an office/platonic friendship wife. i'm all that her real life hubby isn't. she wins and he and i both get what we want/need from a great lady. |
Oldstone
Citizen
Username: Rogers4317
Post Number: 589
Registered: 6-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, February 23, 2006 - 2:50 pm: | |
oh, but i'm not married in real life. yuck.  |
doulamomma
Citizen
Username: Doulamomma
Post Number: 1096
Registered: 3-2002
| | Posted on Thursday, February 23, 2006 - 2:56 pm: | |
When I worked in an office I had an office spouse - he was so convinced that he was going to be with me when I went into labor with my first child that I discovered he was picking lunch spots near a hospital just in case!
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Amateur Night
Citizen
Username: Deborahg
Post Number: 1766
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, February 23, 2006 - 3:16 pm: | |
wow! I want one of these! |
ril
Citizen
Username: Ril
Post Number: 484
Registered: 6-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, February 23, 2006 - 4:21 pm: | |
My office husband got laid off last year. Work just isn't the same without him. we've met for drinks/dinner a few times since then, but I get the sense his real wife isn't so thrilled... |
Bajou
Citizen
Username: Bajou
Post Number: 33
Registered: 2-2006
| | Posted on Thursday, February 23, 2006 - 4:28 pm: | |
yeah I am not married either...which I attribute soley to my office and commuter spouses, to my dogs (on or off leash) my cat, my fish, definetly my kids and possibly, maybe, if I really get farfetching...ME.
I do have two great kids tough...and actually a pretty darn decent exhusband We have been happily divorced for 15 years.
LOL
Any other not so lost souls out there.
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ess
Citizen
Username: Ess
Post Number: 1171
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, February 23, 2006 - 4:29 pm: | |
I have had an "office spouse" in the past. We were both married, yet we were able to work together and confide in each other and we became very good friends. He even met my husband.
My husband had an office spouse.
Now he is my ex-husband and she is his girlfriend. |
Pippi
Supporter
Username: Pippi
Post Number: 1810
Registered: 8-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, February 23, 2006 - 4:32 pm: | |
ouch
that might be the reason to not engage in office marriages |
Cynicalgirl
Citizen
Username: Cynicalgirl
Post Number: 2378
Registered: 9-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, February 23, 2006 - 4:35 pm: | |
I had one before I relocated. Even helped him through his MBA papers. Vaguely have one now, but he's a bit of a Morman. He says "yes, dear" to many of us as this sort of thing is a known joke/necessity.
It's weird stuff, really. I find men are carefuller about not crossing the line (which moves) than are women when both sides are married. |
The Libertarian
Citizen
Username: Local_1_crew
Post Number: 1591
Registered: 3-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, February 23, 2006 - 5:08 pm: | |
i call mine my office beeyatch! |
Kibbegirl
Citizen
Username: Kibbegirl
Post Number: 377
Registered: 5-2003
| | Posted on Friday, February 24, 2006 - 8:13 am: | |
This is hilarious! My husband had the same assistant for many years. When he left a gig, she packed up as well. I always teased that she was his "office wife". I even worked with her at one point! She is a terrific family friend and was at the hospital the night our son was born! She no longer works for my husband for as she put it "I'm getting a little old to still answer his phones", but we all are still close. |
Bajou
Citizen
Username: Bajou
Post Number: 48
Registered: 2-2006
| | Posted on Friday, February 24, 2006 - 5:54 pm: | |
Hi Libertarian:
What does she call you....
Bajou |
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 12634
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Friday, February 24, 2006 - 5:59 pm: | |
My best office spouse was a shop spouse, as we were bicycle mechanics. I was 20, and he was 22. We stood side by side most of the day. We watched each other through our peripheral vision and handed tools to each other before the other even asked for them! We were that well attuned to each other's needs. We went out to beer or dinner occasionally and sometimes met on weekends. I miss him and would be very happy if I found him somehow. Google hasn't been any help.
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Morrisa da Silva
Citizen
Username: Mod
Post Number: 369
Registered: 12-2003
| | Posted on Friday, February 24, 2006 - 7:18 pm: | |
I see a new movie in the making Tom - Brokebike Mountain. |
ess
Citizen
Username: Ess
Post Number: 1189
Registered: 11-2001
| | Posted on Friday, February 24, 2006 - 11:21 pm: | |
Morrisa, I SO wish I had thought of that. |
monster
Supporter
Username: Monster
Post Number: 2210
Registered: 7-2002
| | Posted on Saturday, February 25, 2006 - 3:09 pm: | |
Wouldn't I first have to get a job (with an office) to have an office spouse? |
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