Management 13th Edition by John Schermerhorn,Daniel Bachrach

Exercise 18

MAKE DATA YOUR FRIEND
Some employees sign "love contracts" saying office relationships won't interfere with their work.
Policies on Office Romances Vary Widely

T he press is quick to report when a top executive or public figure runs into trouble over an office affair. But the fact is that employer policies on office relationships vary. One survey finds the following.
24%-prohibit relationships among employees in the same department.
13%-prohibit relationships among employees who have the same supervisor.
80%-prohibit relationships between supervisors and subordinates.
5%-have no restrictions on office romances.
New trend-"love contracts," where employees pledge that their romantic relationships in the office won't interfere with their work.
Small business caveat-it's hard to separate dating and married couples in small business settings. The CEO of a 30-person e-commerce firm says, "At one point, exactly one third of the whole workforce was married to or dating a co-worker."
YOUR TAKE
Do you know anyone who has been involved in an office relationship What is your thinking on this issue Is this an area that employers should be regulating Or should office romances be left to the best judgments of those involved After all, it's their private business-isn't it