If Cupid strikes and you find yourself attracted to a coworker, these actions will minimize any possible damage to your career.
- Know your organization's written and unwritten policies
about romantic, sexual, extramarital, or dating relationships.
- Keep the relationship private and discreet until you
are ready to publicly announce that you are a couple.
- Behave discreetly in the workplace. Keep public
displays of affection off limits at work.
- Limit the number of people at work with whom you share
this confidential information.
- If your position and responsibilities require you to work together, attend the
same meetings, and so on, behave professionally at all times. You are
encouraged to be yourself, maintain and speak your continuing opinions, exhibit the same
skills, and conduct yourself in the same manner as you did
prior to the relationship.
- Discuss, as a couple, the potential impact of your
relationship on your work. (Will one employee have to leave a department or the
company? Will your organization respond favorably to your relationship?) Know
your company, and make a plan before the organization requests one.
- Be happy and build a successful relationship that adds value to the world; produces well-adjusted children, should you choose to have them; and that adds great value and happiness to your life all through the years.
Love, sex, and romance in the workplace will likely increase as time goes by. Expect these relationships; be prepared in advance. And, if the SHRM study participants provide figures that are typical of HR offices worldwide, get ready to attend a whole lot of weddings. (Which reminds me: what's your policy on people soliciting money for group gifts?)
What do you think? I'd really like to hear what you think about workplace sex, romance, dating, affairs of the heart, and other relationship issues. Are you doing any of these recommendations in your organization? How much of a problem are you experiencing in your workplace? Talk with us in the HR Forum.
