Workplace Romance: Is “Love Contract” the solution?

Love can blossom in most extraordinary circumstances, and here we are talking about situations where people spend major part of their time with each other, sharing experiences, emotions, grievances; in short everyday affairs. So it is not unnatural that a special bond can develop, even at the workplace. Though neither it is unethical nor immoral, it brings along with it many complications, both for the employer and the employees.

• There can be situations which can be perceived as signs of favoritism by co-workers, especially if the professional relationship is that of an immediate supervisor.
• If in future the relationship turns sour, the subordinate can claim the relationship was not consensual and can file a case of sexual harassment.
• Also, the working environment can be turned hostile by any of the involved parties, in case they break up.
• The supervisor can be fire the subordinate without any cause.
• Even if they are not in direct reporting environment, still one might have some say in the performance evaluation of the other.

With the growing number of unfortunate incidents resulting from romantic liaisons happening in today’s workplace, most specifically in IT industries, it is only fair for an organization like Intermediaries Technologies Ltd. to take all the precautionary measures to minimize their liabilities.

A love contract not only states that both the employees are in a romantic relationship which is consensual, but also puts on paper certain guidelines for expected behavior from the involved parties, such as refraining from display of affection at work.

The first and foremost point that needs to be taken care of by an organization while imposing this contract on employees is that they should sign it with their full consent, and should be given enough time to go through all the clauses of the agreement before signing. Unlike what happened in Intermediaries, where both Jagruti and Pritam were asked to sign the document by the GM(HR), who gave enough hint to Pritam that his promotion depended on this, and that if he refuses to sign it, one of them has to resign, opportunity should be given to the employees to sign this contract at will. They also should be given a chance to hire an attorney, if required.

Also, such a contract/policy should be widely disseminated in the organization, and should be incorporated in the employee handbook etc. Some sessions can be organized educating the employees about the policy and why is it required. It should not be just enforced.

At times, it may create uncomfortable and awkward situation between the employees. Displaying certain affection or sharing a special bond at workplace does not necessarily mean point to a romantic relationship. But in most cases we assume it to be so, and this can sometimes be embarrassing for the concerned people. In this case, when Pritam is entering the office of GM (HR), Jagruti is altogether being indifferent to him, and tries to avoid him. He also takes a chair not immediate to Jagruti. This shows that both of them are not comfortable in making their relationship public. But the organization, by the virtue of its power over their employment, forces them to accept the relationship by signing the document. This can be purely unethical on the part of the organization, as it is using its power as an alibi to interfere in the personal lives of its employees.

Instead of such a forceful agreement, the policy can explain that the employees have an obligation to tell the HR department about the relationship. Also, instead of threatening them of being fired from their jobs, alternatives can be made available, like change of jobs within the organization, accepting positions in which neither of them is in direct reporting relationship. It should be clearly stated that their personal relationship should in no way affect the work or the firm. In case of any disputes, it should be solved through arbitration.

In this case, if Pritam would have been promoted and transferred to an onsite location, there would have been a remote possibility of him being professionally involved with Jagruti, so that would have solved the matter automatically.

With all this, I want to conclude that employees should be given space to breath and should not be buried under the weights of numerous irrational contracts, which neither have a clear and definite purpose, nor are they implemented in their true sense.