Workplace Romance

Given the amount of time a person spends at work, the office is the most likely venue for partners to connect, where relationships are forged, and where significant others are established.   However, workplace romance can be disastrous and an employer should have the right to prohibit workplace relationships. On About.com in an article titled “Tips About Dating, Sex and Romance in the Workplace”, Susan Healthfield mentions that in a Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) Workplace Romance Survey, employers cited the following as their issues with workplace romance: The possibility of sexual harassment claims, disharmony caused by relationships that go sour, the possibility of low morale among other staff members that are exposed and may disapprove of the relationship, and the risks associated with loss of productivity by dating co-workers and other staff.
One potential problem of an office relationship is its potential impact on productivity. Having a significant other nearby at all times may make it more difficult to stay focused on work-related tasks. Even if a person resolve to stay focused, chances are they will spend a few extra minutes a day chatting with the significant other, time which they could spend doing something useful. This may mean that someone will have to compensate by staying at work a little bit longer. If the relationship is having a significant negative affect on work performance, it may lead to termination.
Perhaps the most serious consequence of workplace romance is sexual harassment. Workplace romance has the potential of exposing the firm to such charges. In legal terms, sexual harassment is any unwelcome sexual conduct on the job that creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive working environment. Forms of sexual harassment include: (1) quid pro quo harassment, such as offensive sexual innuendoes, physical contact, sexual remarks and inquiries, demands for sexual favors to keep a job or obtain a promotion and (2) hostile work...