You probably know someone who met their partner at work. If workplace dating is common, why do managers cringe when asked their opinion on office romance?
Ask employees their thoughts on workplace dating and you will find the majority of people are ok with consenting coworkers dating. In fact, studies show that people often meet long term partners through friends, work or social activities. A workplace is a community. People tend to share similar values, interests and goals when they work closely together. People spend a significant portion of their waking hours at work with their colleagues. Add to these factors, the collaborative setting of many workplaces today and the potential for personal relationships to flourish seems natural.
So, if workplace dating is natural, why do managers cringe when asked their opinion on office romance? Typically, managers’ negative reaction is due to fear. Fear of liability. Managers have legitimate concerns about workplace dating. Some possible negative consequences include: Complaints from coworkers about favoritism. Toxic impacts of office gossip. Potential for conflict of interest. Loss of productivity due to distraction. Relationships broadcast on social media reflecting poorly on the company. Then there are more significant worries over what might be the fallout from a relationship ending badly including: Concerns about sexual harassment, violence or media scandal. Managers may even worry about losing good employees. Regardless of whether a relationship results in a long-term partnership or ends, one of the employees may choose to find work somewhere else.
There are no laws prohibiting dating or relationships in the workplace. But many companies opt for policies that ban or prohibit certain relationships. As we have discussed in this blog before, bans can be difficult to enforce. Setting guidelines for relationships in the workplace is a good business practice. This can be done through workplace policies. Some examples include requiring employees to disclose workplace relationships to management and prohibiting supervisor subordinate relationships. Another practical option is to manage situations on a case by case basis and use the workplace code of conduct to guide behavior in the workplace. The workplace code of conduct may cover issues such as conflict of interest, behavior in the workplace, social media activity and more.
Does your office have guidelines on workplace relationships? Share your thoughts below about managing an office romance.
