How to Handle Office Romance in Today’s Climate

No matter how you look at office romance, it’s a lot more gray and murky than people realize. According to CareerBuilder’s latest survey, dating in the office has hit a 10-year low, with 36 percent of workers reporting dating a co-worker. This number is down from 41 percent last year and 40 percent in 2008.

Rosemary Haefner, CHRO at CareerBuilder, said, “Office romance is experiencing a dip and whether it's impacted by the current environment around sexual harassment or by workers not wanting to admit the truth, the fact remains that office romance has been around forever and will continue to be," said Rosemary Haefner, chief human resources officer at CareerBuilder. "To avoid negative consequences at work, it's important to set ground rules."

What Does This Mean For You?

Today’s climate has many workers (and employers!) questioning what’s acceptable and what is not, and employers that can proactively address these questions will avoid legal and HR issues that can arise from a romance gone sour. Employers should make sure to have a policy on dating in the workplace and train their HR staff to handle all aspects of office romances.

Check out steps you should take to prepare your company to prevent or remedy sexual harassment in the workplace.