Are Workplace Romances Ever OK? What People Really Think

According to the study authors, workplace romances can be a positive in that they instill permeability and flexibility within work-life borders, could even create higher morale and teamwork, and might just lead to healthier, more satisfied employees. On the other hand, these romances could hurt productivity, lead to lower levels of psychological well-being, and exacerbate gendered dynamics in the workplace. As the #MeToo movement has shown us, there's also the potential of power imbalances (i.e., inappropriate dominance between supervisor and employee) or potential incidents of harassment (i.e., when your co-worker won't stop making moves on you, and now the work environment feels like an uncomfortable or even hostile space).

Here's what the findings showed: People who'd themselves been involved in a workplace romance cited an improved relationship, spending more time together, and practical advantages as benefits of the situation. People who weren't involved in the romances cited positive benefits like the improved moods of their co-workers, decreased stress in the work environment, and enhanced performances.

As for the negatives, respondents who were involved in workplace romances included damaged co-worker relationships, awkwardness, scrutinization, and co-workers' negative perceptions of them based on their involvement with another employee or superior. Observers who weren't involved in the romance also noted that the relationships damaged or prevented interpersonal relationships in the workplace and instigated negative feelings between people in the workplace holistically: This included loss of boundaries, issues of unfair treatment (i.e., if your boss is dating your peer, who do you think is gonna get all the cool projects and promotions?), and communication-related problems. People also noted consequences for the company as a whole, including quicker turnover, poorer performance, and scheduling issues.

Source: Mindbodygreen.com

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