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Office Romance: HR's RoleThe workplace of today is what singles bars were to the 1970's, a great place to meet a mate. Office romances are nothing new, but the frequency is. In our 24/7-work world where people spend more time at work than they do anyplace else, it's no surprise to find that intra-Joffice romance is on the rise. According to Office Click, a web-based professional service and networking resource for administrative personnel, 66 per cent of employees say they know of a relationship that developed on company time. The fields most susceptible to office romance are media and entertainment, followed in order by marketing/communications, law and consulting, reports the same study. However, other industries are hardly immune. Office romance can, and does, occur just about everywhere. This phenomenon can be problematic for human resource professionals. While HR is loath to step into what's widely perceived as a personal matter,the impact these relationships have on the workplace can force the issue. Office romances can be distracting and destructive, not only to the couples involved but also to colleagues. Offlce Click found that only 29 per cent of employees believe office romance is "perfectly appropriate and fun". That means nearly 70 per cent of employees feel otherwise, indicating that intra-office dating can lead to personnel problems. In addition, hurt feelings, bumpy patches and romantic interludes can all interfere with work. Although it's a sticky subject, one most HR professionals would rather not touch, the prevalence of intra-office dating makes the issue impossible to ignore. It's important to have a clear company-wide strategy so that there's no confusion. At many firms intra-office dating is forbidden. The companies are so unwavering in their desire to keep the workplace romance-free that when a couple begins to date, one or both are expected to resign. If caught dating, they are not reprimanded but summarily fired. Some companies not only don't mind office romance, but encourage it. Take Southwest Airlines. 1,600 of Southwest's 26,900 employees are married to each other. Many of these couples met and courted while working for the airline. Southwest is so pleased to have had a role in these pairings that it has dubbed itself the LUV airline and uses LUV as its ticker symbol on the New York Stock Exchange. Most companies will fall somewhere in between these extremes. But no matter where your company lies, you'll need to pen guidelines for employees, managers and the HR department so that when romances surface they're handled consistently. Most companies do not have formal written policies on the issue of intra- office dating; a mistake. Written guidelines not only help direct supervisors on how to "handle situations when they arise, but also serve as legal protection for the company. When penning policy, you'll have to straddle a fine line between too much and too little detail. Spell out what the company considers appropriate and inappropriate behavior. Take nothing for granted. What might seem like common sense to you may not be to others. The more concrete you can be the better. On the other hand, there is such a thing as too much information. You don't want so many disciplinary actions listed that managers lose the important power of discretion. Choose those offenses most likely to negatively impact the workplace and be clear about what repercussions those behaviors carry. For each one indicate whether it merits a reprimand, a re-assignment or a dismissal. By clearly tying together cause and result, you'll compel managers to take strong action and protect the company legally in certain extreme cases. There are three areas where office romance can blossom into major problems for the company: Adulterous Affairs - This may be among the most awkward, and one many HR professionals understandably shy away from. And that's probably the best way to handle a delicate situation that is more personal than professional. However if you work for a company with headquarters in certain parts of the world, such as Japan and some Arab nations, you may find that you'll have to delve into this uncomfortable territory. For many foreign firms, adulterous intra-office liaisons are grounds for immediate termination. On site - Intra-office romance can become a problem when relationships are overt. Amorous interludes can distract and disturb other employees. While there's probably not a direct role for HR in the handling of small interactions, HR should talk to managers about quashing any overt displays of affection that others find either irritating or non-professional. Supervisor/Subordinate - This kind of romance is potentially the most damaging to the company. When these kinds of romances fade, complex legal issues can arise as subordinate employees can claim they were pressured into relationships with their supervisors. Offlce Click found that these kinds of relationships also have the biggest impact on the workplace because they are the most likely to lead to resentment among co workers. When colleagues see employees dating managers they develop an impression of favoritism, justified or not. Prolonged, the study found that this leads to a general mistrust of management. Some companies have policies in place, which call for the removal of one the two employees from the work unit. Not a bad idea but there are two caveats. One, that the company is big enough to accommodate a transfer to a different department. And, two the employee is willing to make the transfer. Other companies forbid these relationships out-right, something that helps curb legal risks for the company, but infringes on individuals personal choices. Many more deal with these arrangements on a case-by-case basis. The upside of this solution is that it gives flexibility to decision-makers. The downside is that it may make the company vulnerable to legal action should relationships be handled inconsistently. How to deal with this can and should vary, depending upon company culture. However, handle it you must. It's an area you ignore at the company's peril. HR's role isn't to stop intra-office dating. Even if your company policy discourages it, human nature will win out, at least now and again. However, that doesn't mean you should throw up your hands. There's a role HR professionals can play in shaping and communicating acceptable behavior on company time. Courtesy: Google News If you want to contribute an article (share your views, experiences and thoughts) write in to us at info@123oye.com send us your jobs / career related articles. We promise to give you a chance to put your thoughts across to our visitors. |
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