Risky business of love

Is the office romance dead?

In light of the recent damaging publicity suffered by David Jones as a result of sexual harassment claims against its CEO, and against a legal framework that penalises organisations when they fail to protect their employees from unwanted sexual attention, are we about to see the end of the office romance?

Will organisations decide it’s simply not worth the risk to tolerate sexual activity between employees?

Good luck with that.

The realities of long hours spent at work, often in tight-knit teams, and a blurring of boundaries about where and when work gets done, and where work stops and socialising starts, means that workplace romances are inevitable.

This means that about 40 per cent of employees have had a workplace romance, according to US estimates, and up to 70 per cent, UK researchers have found.

Contrary to popular belief, most workplace romances are sincere and long term in nature, and therefore can be very rewarding.

So, is there a sensible way to navigate the realities of workplace romances while minimising risk to the organisation?

The answer, according to recent US research from the University of Memphis, is to acknowledge the risks associated with workplace romances and actively manage them.

SUPERVISING OFFICE ROMANCES

Risks:

Sexual harassment: Workplace romances are not typically the target of litigation. However, they can dissolve and lead to sexual harassment claims.

Unethical relationships: These have the potential to negatively impact on others (and) are either extramarital or direct-reporting supervisor-subordinate romances in which sex and power can be traded.

Unfair interventions: When management intervenes in a workplace romance there is a risk of being accused of unfair treatment by those involved in the relationship. However, where workplace romances cause disruption, and there is no intervention, co-workers perceive this as unjust. Management should not intervene in a workplace romance unless it negatively affects job performance.

Disruptive dissolutions: Breakups at work can be disruptive to participants’ and co-workers’ job performance.

Managing risks:

Written policy, ethics code, and a performance management system: Develop and enforce a written workplace romance policy that is clearly communicated to employees. This policy should be made part of an organisation’s code of conduct, and should be congruent with its values and culture. The policy should, at a minimum, state and justify the types of romance that are permitted or encouraged, discouraged (eg extramarital), and prohibited (eg direct-reporting supervisor-subordinate romances), as well as actions management will take if employees violate any of the policy terms.

Cost: To minimise the risk of liability for sexual harassment, organisations should prohibit direct reporting supervisor-subordinate romances and romances between senior and lower-level employees.

Benefit: It is recommended organisations permit romances between power-balanced employees, and monitor workplace romances regularly.

Training HR leaders: HR leaders should be trained on how to counsel employees who participate in workplace romances.