February… The month of love. Ah, love! But what’s it got to do with it? Work, I mean.
Well, a lot actually. So much so that we are dedicating our February newsletter to discussing love and relationships at work. What could go wrong? So. Many. Things.
When I train or coach. I can often be heard saying a version of “Don’t date people you work with”. Although the version I deliver may be a little blunter, depending on my audience. And I say this not because I am against love, marriage and partnership, but because I have seen it go so wrong, so many times, when employees date, marry, or (you know) at work.
Now, I’m ready for some of you to come at me. “I’ll have you know, Kristi, that I met my partner at work and we have been together for 25 years.” Good for you, Jack. That is the rare exception. And I would bet that, while you were working together and, in a relationship, there were still trying times that were different and harder for you than for those employees that weren’t in partnerships with their co-workers.
Here’s the heart of it, when employees enter into a romantic relationship with a co-worker, those workplace relationships get even harder. Is it possible for a workplace relationship to be successful and not impact work or others in the workplace, sure it is. But still hard.
I worked at a place many moons ago that implemented a “Consensual Relationship Policy”. This was before the #MeToo era, and they were really ahead of their times. And I still believe that these policies are great in theory and may deter what you don’t want but also are not super protective. Enter Jess. Look out for her article below.
And aside from romantic relationships in the workplace, we’ve got all kinds of other relationships that can cross lines, invade boundaries, or otherwise go wrong. (Man, how negative do I sound). Never fear, Erin is here.
I would encourage you to read my amazing teams articles this month for helpful insights into Relationship policies and management, having a best friend at work, and keeping your team engaged when workplace relationships are going wrong (Elizabeth has your back below).
Now, let’s try to be positive. There are fun things that you can do with Valentine’s Day around engagement. Reach out to us if we can help brainstorm those with you. And, you can always call us if it goes sideways. We’ve got you. And Happy Month of Love!
-Kristi