Valentine's Day is quickly approaching, and couples from around the world are preparing for romantic celebrations. Relationships can begin in a variety of ways, but most often, similarities do need to be in place for success. What larger connection is there than having similar jobs or working for the same company? According to a CareerBuilder survey, 38 percent of employees have dated someone in their workplace. Since these relations are so common, it's important for human resources teams to lay out some basic rules to ensure connections don't get in the way of work responsibilities and obligations.
Anti-fraternization is almost impossible
People spend a lot of time at their office. In fact, full-time employees work an average of 47 hours per week, according to a Gallup study. This gives workers many opportunities to develop feelings for one another. Although some companies believe creating an anti-fraternization procedure is the best step, many more believe something that strict is unnecessary and unenforceable. Instead, HR leaders need to implement a more general policy to avoid charges of sexual harassment and workplace hostility, as well as polarization of the workplace due to workers taking sides, according to The Business Journals.
This breakdown should discuss protocol for office relationships, including those between peers or supervisors and their subordinates. HC Online suggested office romances be disclosed confidentially to HR executives as soon as the relationship looks like it will create conflicts of interest. This practice ensures equity and fairness within a company.
Education and communication are necessary
Employees should be made aware that the decision to implement a policy is not meant to punish people. Instead, it gives workers, managers and other organizational leaders an outline of how particular situations should be handled, especially if a common problem persists. Often, effective communication can diffuse most problems. Pair that with manager and employee training on the workplace romance breakdown and all members of a company will be fully knowledgeable about the policy, according to Bloomberg Business. Avoiding blowing situations out of proportion will help HR teams maintain their workers' trust to manage somewhat difficult situations.
How to create a workplace romance policy
Every company is different and will require unique elements for their office relationship procedure. With that said, here are some common tenants for current policies in the workplace today:
- Keep public displays of affection to a minimum, according to Entrepreneur.
- Check in with other employees to see if relationships are affecting the office.
- Workers may be asked to sign a document that spells out certain expectations and employee protections.
- Reiterate sexual harassment and favoritism policies.
- Create a response plan for relationships that affect the workplace.
- Develop procedure for handling complaints, investigations and corrective action.
It's crucial for companies and their HR teams to be aware of office romances to ensure they don't distract or negatively impact the workplace. Every business will implement their own kind of strategy, from strict anti-fraternization to no policy unless problems arise. With Valentine's Day on the horizon, this is the perfect time for organization leaders to begin thinking or drafting their own procedure for workplace relationships.