Romance in the office – it happens! According to a survey by ADP Canada, one Canadian professional in three has had a romantic relationship at work. What do you do in this situation? Do you hide it, like 45% of people who found themselves in this situation, or on the contrary talk about it openly? It all depends on your situation.
As a general rule, it is best to be honest about your relationship with a colleague. It is
unlikely to remain secret for very long: rumours may arise or you could be surprised in a compromising situation. It would be better if the information comes from you.
If it’s a little affair…
Nothing requires you to tell everyone all about it at the outset, especially if you don’t
think the relationship will last. You can hide it for the first few weeks, until you see where it takes you. But be careful, your colleagues are more perceptive than you think and could quickly suspect something, so you will have to make a decision quickly.
If things get serious…
Do you see a future together, consider moving in with each other, or even getting
married? No more hiding anything! Inform your superiors first, or if you begin with your colleagues, don’t wait too long before going up the ladder – your superiors should not hear about the relationship from anyone else first.
The case of a relationship between a subordinate and superior…
This is the most complicated situation, because it can cause jealousies. Even if the
subordinate is particularly competent and would have won promotions or interesting
projects anyway, other members of the team may think this is preferential treatment. It is important to avoid rumours from the outset by talking about the situation with a
manager, or even directly with human resources. Chances are that one of you will be
transferred to another department to avoid any problems.
Learn about the company’s policy
Some employers have policieshttps://ici.radio-canada.ca/premiere/emissions/bien-entendu/segments/entrevue/124439/amour-travail-relations-collegues-chantal-lamarre-guillaume-corbeil-nicolas-chevrier specifically dedicated to managing romance at work. There can even be penalties if your relationship impedes the smooth running of the business, for example if you become less effective or if your personal stories become a distraction for your colleagues. Make sure you don’t break the rules and find out if there is a specific procedure in place to inform your company.
Some rules to follow
For everything to go well, the important thing is to stay professional no matter what. For example:
– Avoid displays of affection (kissing, cuddling, etc.) at work.
– Don’t send personal emails from your work email.
– Don’t involve your co-workers in the relationship, for example taking them to task
if they disagree.
– Don’t talk about personal matters at work.
– If you break up, leave your emotions at home.