Given the amount of time we spend at work, it’s no surprise that people connect and sometimes form relationships with their colleagues. That can sometimes lead to unforeseen complications in the work environment.
In the BusinessWeek article, “How Employers Should Handle Workplace Romance,” Karen E. Klein shares excerpts from her conversation with attorney Mark Kluger, who specializes in labor and employment practice.
Prepare yourself with his “dos and don’ts” for handling workplace romance:
- Don’t have a policy prohibiting workplace romance: Not only can it come off as invasive to your staff’s personal lives, it can inadvertently contribute to workers lying and sneaking around, if they don’t adhere to the policy.
- Don’t feel you have to step in when co-workers get involved: You only need to make it a workplace issue, if it becomes a distraction for the parties involved or others on your staff. For example, sexual banter between a couple can make other employees feel uncomfortable in the workplace, creating a hostile work environment.
- Don’t overreact. Most situations can be handled with effective communication.
- Do step in if a relationship occurs between a supervisor and a subordinate: Kluger notes that any supervisor who is romantically involved with a subordinate is immediately vulnerable to claims of sexual harassment. Even employees outside of a relationship can take legal action, suing for sexual favoritism.
- Do be aware of your responsibilities in terms of dealing with sexual harassment in the workplace.
- Do provide sexual harassment training for staff, especially managers.
- Do purchase employment practices liability insurance: Without it, Kluger says small firms can be wiped out by employee lawsuits and attorney’s fees, even if they’ve done nothing wrong and win their cases.
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