Love in the Workplace OK with Co-workers as Long as There Aren`t Any Negative Vibes

A recent study done by Ryerson University investigating co-worker’s beliefs about workplace romances has revealed most colleagues are okay with office romances as long as the workplace is not negatively affected.  Co-workers do not want productivity to be affected and do not want a negative work environment.   

Approximately 100 employees participated in the survey.  The participants were either in full or part-time studies at Ryerson University.  Most of the participants had observed at least one workplace romance.  

Most of the romances noted in the study involved two single employees (75%) in a peer-working relationship (76%) in the same department (65%).  

The relationships lasted for an average of 20 months.  

The participants felt that certain workplace romances should face action by supervisors, these instances included: when performance of co-workers was negatively affected, when the work environment was negatively impacted, and when negative emotions affect the work environment which was previously unaffected.  

Participants felt when it was a manager and an employee involved in a relationship then a manager should interfere.    

Nina Cole, an associate professor in the Ted Rogers School of Business Management, says that workplaces should implement a general policy.  The policy would tell the organization that workplace romances are okay, but that it should not affect workplace productivity.  

A similar study was done about workplace romances in 2005 by the Society for Human Resource Management and the Wall Street Journal.  The study found that 40% of employees at some point in their career had engaged in a workplace romance.   

Read more here

Posted by: suhujitha on 2010-02-10 14:58:04

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