Workplace romances can be tricky to manoeuvre effectively. Many lead to long-term relationships and even marriage, however they can also lead to very uncomfortable working environments for yourselves and everyone in your office when they do not end well.
Office romances are inevitable. They might spend 40 hours a week with each other, get to know the other inside and out and love could begin to blossom. However it is very important to remind them that they are in a place of work and there are some policies and procedures which they must follow if this is going to continue and they want to maintain their jobs. After all, they are in a place of work and if their level of productivity begins to suffer, as is often the case when relationships turn sour, something must be done.
Here are some ways which will help business leaders handle in-office romances.
Create a Company dating policy
If employees know the company rules from the very start, then it is their problem if they are broken. A clear and concise dating policy is a great way to set out expectations regarding disclosure and conduct when in the workplace.
This can also be used to establish an employer’s defence if a harassment claim is ever raised.
Train management effectively on how to deal with office romances
Managers should have training to be able to deal with potentially sensitive situations such as this. Line managers should also be able to have more informal conversations with staff about office romances and encourage staff to notify management of this. Promoting open conversations helps to deal with any issues swiftly and efficiently.
Ban public displays of affection
Public displays of affection are not appropriate at work and can make others in an office feel uncomfortable.
Employers should intervene if they are made aware of a violation of this and all other policies.
Be alert on work social events
Although Christmas parties and work nights out are not really part of our lives at the moment, they will inevitably return at some point in time. These are the sorts of places where relationships start so it is a good idea to remind staff that company policy still stands at work social events.
Alternative arrangements
An office romance which ends badly could cause people to refuse to talk to each other, refuse to come into the office and even hand in their notice. Conflicts between ex-couples should be handled in the same way as any other workplace dispute. Whatever the issue is, organisations expect staff to cooperate professionally at work and therefore, if these issues do not improve managers should consider separating or relocating employees to defuse the situation.
Keep listening
If employees feel that you are easy to talk to and listen to their problems it is more likely that they will report anything that concerns them or they consider inappropriate. Make sure they know who they can contact in a confidential way to flag anything they feel they need to.
Not all office romances end in disaster, just look at Bill and Melinda Gates. However, it is always a good idea to be prepared for the worst case scenarios if they should ever occur.
What Next?
If you’d like further support with this area or creating a company dating policy, contact Kate Appleyard
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