While working in a physical office is on the decline due to the pandemic, one aspect of the way we used to work is on the rise: the office romance.
Indeed, 50% of workers say they have had a crush on a colleague and 34% say they have been involved in or are currently involved in a workplace romance, according to new data from the Society for Human Resource Management. That is a rise of seven percentage points from last year.
"During a period where we're spending
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With the office coffee room indefinitely closed and meeting relegated to Zoom, it might come as a surprise that nearly two in five workers have been asked on a date by someone they work with, and one in four have asked a colleague out on a date, SHRM found
COVID-19 has done little to staunch office flirtations: SHRM found that 25% of U.S. employees either began a new workplace romance during the COVID-19 pandemic or have continued an existing workplace romance that began prior to the pandemic. Nearly one-quarter of U.S. workers have a "work spouse," and 45% say they have felt romantic feelings toward this individual.
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While 78% of employees said their employer does not require that they disclose a romantic relationship, employers should make their policies around workplace romance clear, Taylor says.
"As the culture of our workplaces continually grows and evolves, it's in the best interest of employers and HR professionals to consider implementing guidance or update existing workplace-romance policies," he says.
With virtual harassment on the rise and remote communication becoming more casual among coworkers, it’s pertinent that employers keep the well-being of their employees top of mind.
"HR professionals have a responsibility to protect employees from favoritism, retaliation and incidents of sexual harassment," Alex Alonso, SHRM’s chief knowledge officer, said in a release. "Ultimately, HR should encourage both honesty and professionalism to keep working relationships — and workplaces — running smoothly."
