Look before you leap when it comes to love in the workplace

With Valentine’s Day upon us, those looking for love may not need to look any further than their workplace. A survey on the Acas website has found that three-quarters of employees have considered a romance in the office and more than half have actually embarked on a relationship with a colleague. As common as it is to find love at work, any such decision should be treated with caution and Valentine’s Day is the perfect time for employers to reconsider their policies where workplace romance is concerned, advises employment law firm Lester Aldridge.

A relationship with a colleague is unlikely to warrant any disciplinary action unless there are specific restrictions within the organisation that ban relationships between staff, however businesses should consider a policy that requires a relationship to be disclosed. Many employees hide the fact that they are in a relationship, particularly if one is more senior, and many issues for the employer can arise as a result, such as the following:

Confidentiality may be breached Businesses will clearly always have confidential information, be it trade secrets or information about clients. Keeping this information private is key to protecting the interests of the business. This could be compromised by two people sharing information that is confidential to a particular team, deal or client. Such a breach of contract could result in disciplinary action being taken against them.

Behaviour at work Inappropriately conducting a relationship at work, for example, unsuitable behaviour in the workplace or during working time, could well result in disciplinary action being taken against the individuals involved. Employers also need to be cautious about the implications of when a relationship goes wrong. There is always the possibility of employee grievances and even sexual harassment claims that could arise, especially if a break-up has been particularly bad.

A ‘no romance’ policy may not be necessary, but a policy that requires employees to disclose a workplace romance can be very beneficial to the employer as well as to staff. From an employer’s perspective, the risks can be effectively managed and from an employee’s perspective, the policy will clarify their position should romance be in their sights.

For further information on the services provided by Lester Aldridge, visit lester-aldridge.co.uk/. To read the full article on romance in the workplace, go to acas.org.uk/index.aspx?articleid=4070.