One out of four employees says they have been involved in an office romance. Expect to see less of that in the future.
The current Harvey Weinstein #MeToo environment is changing the way businesses think about office romances and employees are thinking about each other.
“Most affairs do begin with co-workers. I think this whole #me too moment is really bringing to light that we need to stop seeing our workplace as a dating pool,” says relationship expert Dr. Viviana Coles.
The trend has been toward discouraging relationships at work. In 2013 42% of workplaces developed rules in their employee manual with new directives about interpersonal relationships, compared to 25% in 2005.
“When it comes to trying to find a suitable mate, finding somebody in your office is often convenient, but it’s not necessarily going to be the best match,” advises Dr. Coles. When those relationships turn sour, as they might, not only are two people’s personal lives affected, but the office can be thrown into a tempestuous uproar.
While society explores the boundaries of our newfound propriety, the best advice is to focus your heart elsewhere than work.