Thirty-six percent of workers in the United States say that they would consider dating a co-worker if they were single, down from 42 percent in 2005 and 39 percent in 2006 and 2007, according to a survey by the staffing firm Spherion.

Men (43 percent) are more likely than women (28 percent) to say that they would consider dating co-workers.

However, the fear that a workplace romance could jeopardize one's career appears to be eroding alongside interest in doing so, according to the survey. Thirty percent of respondents said they feel that openly dating a coworker would jeopardize their job security or advancement opportunities, down from 41 percent in 2007.

"We believe that an increasing number of employers have begun to acknowledge the potential for and existence of workplace dating and have put measures in place to properly manage these relationships," says John Heins, senior vice president and chief human resources officer at Spherion.. "This includes training workers, providing guidelines and written policies. As a result, workers view on-the-job dating as less damaging to their job security or career advancement as long as they follow the guidelines. When employers clearly communicate their policies and procedures and provide appropriate training, workers better understand what is expected and can make better decisions related to performance or conduct."

Of the 39 percent of workers who reported that they have had a workplace romance, 39 percent say it was conducted in the open, while 30 percent claimed they kept it a secret.