Should Employees Be Allowed to Date Each Other?
Dan Schawbel
LinkedIn Top Voice, New York Times Bestselling Author, Managing Partner of Workplace Intelligence, Led 80+ Workplace Research Studies
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As more and more companies adopt more relaxed policies on office romance, the question of whether or not employees should be allowed to date each other has become increasingly relevant. According to a survey by LiveCareer, 75% of employees have had a romantic relationship with someone they work with, 76% said there is nothing wrong with dating a colleague, and 71% said there is nothing wrong with dating a manager.
However, research from SHRM finds that 77% of those who have been in a workplace romance have not disclosed their relationship to their employer. This means that employers may not be doing a good job of communicating or enforcing their policies, or the policies themselves may not be clear.
There’s a reason why most companies are struggling with this — workplace dating is an inherently complex issue. And in the wake of the #MeToo movement, employers know they need to tread carefully to ensure they don’t create an environment where people are subjected to unwanted advances from their co-workers.
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The recent scandal with Boston Celtics’ head coach Ime Udoka illustrates this challenge. Although Udoka had a consensual relationship with a female staffer, it was deemed a violation of the franchise's code of conduct because the woman reported that he made unwanted comments toward her. He’s now facing a year-long suspension and significant financial penalties.
With clear communication and consistency in enforcing policies, workplace dating can be managed in a way that is beneficial for both the organization and its employees. But companies should carefully weigh the potential pros and cons of allowing office romances and implement appropriate policies to mitigate any potential issues that may arise.
In today’s article, I’ll discuss the benefits and drawbacks of having a more relaxed workplace dating policy, and I’ll offer some best practices for developing guidelines around this.
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1 年It is tricky, i would say and or no. No,in the sense that it brings in alot compromise and complacency at work epecially if one is a subordinate and the other one is a senior. Yes, if both of them have good career ambitions and have a high level disclipline at work.
Account Executive
1 年I wouldn’t ever date someone I am currently working with, but it’s not my business who does.
Supervisor at US GOVERMENT
1 年One's Personal Life is their Business! Not Employer unless it conflicts with Work Performance.
Owner/Operator CMI Resources Qualified Manager/ Private Investigator PI #28947
1 年This is definitely an interesting topic for discussion. I've done hundreds of investigations involving workplace harassment. I do believe a company should have a clear cut dating policy in place. So all employees know what is acceptable or not. I've seen so many issues arise when there is none in place. If someone wants to date a co-worker or boss, fine, just follow policy so there's no conflicts.
Co-Founder, Director Of Operations at Wentworth Executive Recruiting | Co-Founder, Arrangr.com | Author, A Mindful Career
1 年I wrote about this subject in a book six years ago. One in five (22%) married couples met at work.