Valentines Day--Love is in the Air, But What About In the Workplace?

February 09, 2021
Press Release
Read time: 3 mins

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

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Kathryn Klopfer, Marketing Communications & PR Manager
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Valentines Day--Love is in the Air, But What About In the Workplace?

MILWAUKEE, WI (February 9, 2021) – Valentine’s Day is near and love is in the air! But what about love in the workplace?

Because we spend so much time at work or with our co-workers, it is not surprising that we meet romantic partners, and sometimes future spouses, at the office. But consider the pros and cons of office relationships:

Pros

  • The office is full of people with similar interests.
  • Co-workers who like each other can provide support during busy or stressful times.
  • Romantic partners at work have more time together and may even be more productive.

Cons

  • Romance carried out at work can impact the entire workplace.
  • Personal time off may increase when employees need a break in the relationship or when co-workers experience stress as a side effect of a broken romance.
  • Manager-employee relationships may end in legal troubles, as issues of favoritism and questions about the “welcome-ness” of the relationship may arise.

Issues can arise with workplace romances and there is valid reasons for concern. Should employers attempt to limit relationships from occurring in the first place?  

MRA offers suggestions to consider for reducing the risk of workplace relationship tension:

  1. Develop a nepotism philosophy that fits your organization’s culture. You may want to prohibit family members from direct reporting relationships, but a complete ban on hiring any family members could run afoul of some state discrimination laws.  Without a clear business need for such a policy, a blanket prohibition on hiring family members would be unlikely to hold up to legal scrutiny.
  2. Conduct training on harassment or offensive behavior policies. Make sure all employees know the company’s attitude regarding harassment, and the steps to follow to report a problem.
  3. Ensure managers and supervisors understand the potential liability if they are involved in a workplace romance.
  4. Develop a policy that prohibits individuals who are dating to be in the same department or have a direct reporting relationship.
  5. Place reasonable limits on fraternization between managers and supervisors and employees. Employees should never feel coerced into social situations that make them uncomfortable with someone to whom they report, or anyone else in authority.
  6. Encourage disclosures of relationships so the organization can take proactive steps to minimize problems.

Managers and supervisors should understand the complexities of this issue, and employees should know what to do if a romance—their own or a co-worker’s—is affecting work performance.

As employees get ready to order flowers and chocolates for Valentine’s Day, MRA recommends employers take a moment to review their policies, update as appropriate, and make sure you are responding effectively to claims of harassment, fraternization, and retaliation to help ensure love is in the air for all involved, employers, employees, co-workers and more!

 

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About MRA—The Management Association: Founded in 1901, MRA is a nonprofit employer association that serves 4,500 employers, covering more than 1 million employees worldwide. As one of the largest employer associations in the nation, MRA helps its members thrive by offering comprehensive HR services, talent management, learning and organization development opportunities, and total rewards planning. MRA helps organizations build a successful workplace and powerful workforce. Headquartered in Wisconsin, MRA has regional offices in Iowa, Illinois, and Minnesota. To learn more about MRA, visit www.mranet.org.