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Office Dating Policy Options

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We are a mid-sized company in Ohio setting up our policies. We are owned by a husband-and-wife team, so are wondering what options we have when creating the office dating policy.

It is very important for your company to have office dating policies in place so that you can monitor and guide your employees and their actions if they start dating. While many companies agree that having employees that like to spend time together can improve their quality of life and their overall outlook, many companies also recognize the potentially hazardous legal effects and the long-term social effects that can occur when two people in the same office begin dating. Other employees can feel wronged, isolated and that they are being treated unfairly. When you create your policies for the company, you can be as flexible as you want. You can also be as specific as you want. Think of it as setting the law for your microcosm. Being that the owners of the company are in a relationship, they might not frown on inter-office dating as much as some companies do. However, they might also be well aware of the privileges that may be given to someone that is in a relationship.

In general, you have a number of options, including the following:

Have no policy. Let your employees do as they please and handle any dating, jealousy, and fairness issues either on their own or with you as a mediator. Your employees may appreciate the fact that you’re letting them organically make their own choices, but be sure that your company has a policy in place regarding sexual harassment if you let it all go.

No dating. This type of policy is strict and forbids inter-office romances. Many employees might feel imprisoned and bitter by such a policy, so speak with your owners and fellow employees prior to imposing such a strict rule. Your employees may also cause problems by hiding relationships in the future.

No dating between managers and subordinates. Manager and subordinates cannot date if they are in the same department. The other employees will likely appreciate this policy, as it is fair and ensures that no subordinate will have special treatment over another.