Impact of personal relationships in the workplace.

With the average British Worker spending over 3,515 days over their lifetime at work, it’s easy to see how personal and romantic relationships can develop between colleagues.

An Acas survey (2012) reported that three-quarters of respondents had considered embarkingon a romance in the office and more than half had had a relationship with at least one colleague

Personal relationships in the workplace, whatever their nature, can be perceived by others that there may be preferential treatment given to colleagues that are in a relationship. This is especially true where at least one person in the relationship has authority and is a decision-maker. This may not be the case in practice, but other colleagues are likely to think this is the case. It could also affect how a team or department function because people believe they know there must be some kind of ‘pillow talk’ relating to work. 

Company Policy on Personal Relationships

Whatever your businesses stance on workplace relationships it; it’s worthwhile having a clear policy on;

a)     Whether or not workplace relationships are tolerated

b)     If they are, how they are managed in the workplace

It’s worthwhile having a clear policy on what the Employer’s stance is, should a personal relationship develop between colleagues.  You have to protect the interest of your business but also appreciate your staff have a private life. 

Within the policy you would want to be clear about not affording preferential treatment to partners (or any other relationship for that matter),declaring the relationship where there could be an influence of authority in the workplace or perhaps agreeing where possible both employees would not work on the same project, team or department.

When workplace relationships turn sour

A factor that also needs to be considered when setting such policies is what happens if there are colleagues in a relationship that then turns sour? i.e. arguments, splitting up or the involvement of a third party?It’s due to the animosity that these factors can lead to that many Employers decide to have a policy which discourages romantic relationships between colleagues. That said, there is the fact that this could lead to valued staff members having to leave if it were to happen and the policy was in place.