Office romances are on the rise among younger employees

When employers rolled out RTO policies, they prepared themselves for pushback from employees. What they may not have anticipated is unintentionally playing match-maker for their in-person workforce — particularly their young talent.  

Thirty-three percent of younger millennial and Gen Z workers said they would be open to dating within the workplace, compared to only 15% of older millennials, 27% of Gen X and 23% of baby boomers, according to a report from SHRM. And while a potential uptick in office romances may seem harmless at first, it could spell trouble for companies hoping to keep their environments drama — and most importantly, risk — free. 

"Workplace relationships create a fair amount of exposure as an employer that can be very difficult to mitigate and control," says Chris Williams, employment practices liability product manager at insurance company Travelers. "I don't mean to sound anti-romantic, but that's a very real concern."

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Fortunately, most U.S. workers currently in a relationship at work said that it has had a positive effect on their experience. SHRM's data found 85% said it improved their mood at work, 83% said it increased their motivation as well as their sense of belonging and 81% said it helped them feel more connected to the organization. Eighty percent even said a workplace romance bettered their work-life balance. 

Even after the relationship ended, 62% of employees continued to work with their ex. However, there are still drawbacks. Ten percent admitted to leaving a job due to a breakup and 22% said they stayed at jobs they didn't like because of a relationship. And those are the best case scenarios, according to Williams — sometimes the repercussions can be much more severe.

"If an employee pursues a romantic relationship with a co-worker and that pursuit is unwelcome, that could result in a sexual harassment claim," he says. "If two employees are engaged in an office relationship and one party terminates the relationship and the rejected party doesn't take kindly to that rejection, that can also give rise to a sexual harassment claim."

But employers should think carefully before they impose a ban on office relationships altogether. In fact, 64% of employees agreed that there should not be a formal policy that prohibits them from dating colleagues, but 78% said employers should provide guidelines on how to handle workplace romances. 

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"Some employers may require a Love Contract, which essentially states the relationship between the two employees acknowledged is consensual and that they're going to remain professional in the workplace," Williams says. "Another approach is having a culture within the workplace that doesn't tolerate sexual harassment, and where they ensure there's a written policy on sexual harassment that is provided to all employees which outlines the consequences if they don't follow it." 

There are still instances where the regulations will have to be stricter, according to Williams. Relationships between higher authority and their subordinates, for example, should always be closely monitored and even discouraged regardless of the circumstances. But an open and transparent culture could, for the most part, keep both relationships and workplaces healthy.

"As an employer, you cannot control every interaction between your employees, so there's always a risk even with policies and training in place," Williams says. "But at the same time, some people go on to meet their spouse at work, so it's really a balancing act."