Dating in the Workplace

A generation or 2 ago, dating in the workplace was frowned upon. People had clear professional and personal life demarcations. However, given the intense pace at which the corporate world is moving, it is no wonder that companies find themselves in a tricky position when it comes to workplace relationships.

"Dating " at work does not come in black and white. On one hand you may have a successful marriages which started because the couple worked together and on the other hand there are instances of sexual harassment, bad publicity for all that are concerned. So where to draw the line? What should the company do to protect its image in the corporate world? Is introducing the Love Contract really the answer? The company claims that a contract of this nature protects the interests of all those involved. But what about the other side of the coin.. Isn't publicizing your romantic involvement detrimental to your career? One area that can get tricky is the relationship between the subordinate and the boss. This situation presents a number of professional and personal challenges for the 2 individuals. Even if the couple do their best to be as professional as possible, it is impossible to escape the scrutiny and the gossip. Rumors of favoritism and unprofessional behavior are bound to go around. Yet another potential problem is your image at work. When you declare your relationship, you risk being perceived by employees and colleagues as flirty, impulsive, foolish, unprofessional, unreliable or even worse. And what happens when the relationship ends. Yes, the love contract may protect the company but what about the employees involved? Working with an ex may be difficult and awkward by itself without the added pressure of the whole organization talking about it.

It is no wonder then that many couples prefer to keep their relationship private. The love contract is useful in many situations no doubt but from an employee's prepective, it is really worth going public??