Here's What People Really Think About Workplace Romances

With all the time spent together, it seems almost inevitable that romantic sparks will at times appear among co-workers. The problem is that workplace romances can stir up issues of gendered discrimination and questions of power. To fully understand these nuances, a recent study1 published in the Journal of Psychology examined how millennial employees respond to and perceive romance in the workplace and, in tandem, the positive and negative effects of these relationships. 

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.

Unsurprisingly, people who were themselves involved in the romantic relationship were more likely to cite benefits and positive effects, while the uninvolved co-workers didn't recognize any positive effects and often mentioned unfair treatment due to these romances. Hierarchically it was perceived that people in workplace romances gained work advantages due to their relationship. Even when the relationship was between two peer co-workers, boundaries and conflict spillover was more of a concern. (If your two co-workers start dating and then get into a huge fight, team meetings become a lot more complicated.)

Interestingly, men were almost twice as likely as women to report that there were no negative effects due to a workplace romance. Women, on the other hand, were much more likely than men to experience negative consequences from their romantic involvement at work. 

#MeToo revelations caused a myriad of organizations to review their sexual harassment policies. While many organizations don't think banning workplace romances is the answer, many employers are now becoming more aware that it's imperative to address anything improper before it transpires, such as a romantic relationship in the workplace where power dynamics could be at play. (If you're dating your boss, it might be a lot harder to stand your ground in relationship conflicts—after all, they control your professional success.)