Office Romance Considered Worth The Risk Even In The #MeToo Era
Despite over 70% of workers in Hampshire and Surrey believing an office romance would negatively impact their working life and job security, 74% said, in theory, they would have one if the opportunity arose and 51% admit they are currently or have previously been involved with a colleague.
Even more surprising is that 37% of respondents that have had an office romance admitted to being intimate within the office itself!
The Recruitment Lab, a local recruitment agency in Aldershot, surveyed over 200 employees across Hampshire and Surrey to investigate their current attitude to office romance. Further results showed:
- 72% of respondents said an office romance would be a lot of fun.
- 66% thought colleagues would frown upon an office romance.
- 47% thought colleagues would be jealous of their office romance.
- 45% said they would keep their office romance a secret and tell no one.
- Only 4% said they would send a Valentine’s card to a colleague this year.
- Just 3% would tell their line manager or HR manager about their office romance.
- 58% of respondents said their employers had no policy on office romance in place.
Commenting on the survey results, Simon Royston, Managing Director of The Recruitment Lab said “….On the one hand we have a corporate world apparently adjusting to the #MeToo era, yet the survey shows nearly 60% of respondents believe their employer had no policy on office romance in place and over 30% did not know if a policy even existed…”
“…With nearly three quarters of employees not adverse to an office romance despite the possible negative repercussions and many suggesting they have previously or are currently involved with a colleague, organisations still have work to do in this area. They need to ensure a policy is in place, and if necessary, communicate it to their workforce. For those looking at this for the first time the initial challenge is devising a policy to police office romance so that relationships do not become an abuse of power and that unwanted attention and behaviour is stopped immediately. Thereafter it is a question of what stance an organisation takes over a relationship between consenting adults in the workplace….”
When asked about romance in the workplace, respondents comments included:
“…It’s not good for work, but it’s a lot of fun…”
“…I met my husband in 1986 when I joined the company he already worked for. We have been happily married since 1990 and still work together…”
“…Office romance, GREAT, should be compulsory for everyone…”
“…I once had a romance with a work colleague working in a store. We eventually married and had 3 children…”
“…I’m happily married, but a bit of window shopping in the office is always fun…”
“…I think it is inevitable people have office romances given how much time we all spend in the office…”
If you would like to know anything further about our survey or would simply like to express your own thoughts and opinions do not hesitate to contact Simon through The Recruitment Lab website.