An Office Romance Can Be Detrimental to Your Career
“Proceed with caution if you’re tempted to have an office romance” says infidelity expert Ruth Houston, who was recently quoted in a Christian Science Monitor article on workplace romance and office affairs.
(PRWEB) February 22, 2005 -- “Proceed with caution if you’re contemplating
having an office affair or workplace romance” says infidelity expert Ruth
Houston, who was recently quoted in a Christian Science Monitor article on
office romance.
Experts say that over 70% of single employees will
become romantically involved with someone on the job at some point in their
career. Research shows that people are more likely to date a coworker than
anyone else. Today’s workplace has becomes the new “singles bar.” The workplace
has also become the #1 place for married men and women to meet affair partners
and conduct extramarital affairs.
“As tempting as it may be to date
someone from work, the risks far outweigh the rewards” says Ruth Houston,
infidelity expert and author of Is He Cheating on You?” Houston was recently
quoted in a article in the business section of the Christian Science Monitor
entitled To Date, or Not to Date by Randy Dotinga. Further expanding on her
comments in that article, Houston discusses some of the negative aspects of
office affairs.
Legal Complications
An office romance can cause you
legal problems as well as public embarrassment” points out Houston. Especially
if your .workplace lover becomes involved in a corporate scandal. “You could be
named as an accomplice, or hauled into court as a government witness,” says
Houston, citing the examples below:
• U.S. District
Judge Barbara Jones, the judge in the trial of ex-WorldCom chief executive
Bernard J. Ebbers, ruled that star witness Scott Sullivan can be questioned
about his marital infidelity because it speaks to his character for
truthfulness.
• Book publisher Judith Regan may be
forced to testify about her affair with Bernard Kerik who withdrew his name from
Homeland Security nominee in the midst of numerous allegations of personal and
professional improprieties.
• Testimony from three
former mistresses helped put Nathan Chapman away for 7 ½ years for defrauding
Maryland's state pension fund system and looting his three publicly traded
companies.
These are only three of the most recent examples of how an
romance may become public knowledge, much to the embarrassment of those
involved. In addition, males in supervisory positions who have office affairs
with female subordinate run the risk of becoming the subject of a
sexual-harassment suit if the woman later claims to have been coerced or
pressured into the relationship for fear of her job. For that reason many
companies now forbid romance between bosses and subordinates. Others companies
require persons involved to sign consensual relationship agreements – also known
as “love contracts” - which state that the relationship is
voluntary.
Career Complications
”Aside from legal issues, workers
tempted to date their bosses should worry about whether a relationship will hurt
their careers”, said Houston in the Christian Science Monitor article.
"If it ends badly and you were involved with someone in your direct
chain of command, very nasty things can happen," Houston says, especially if
your boss is married. "No matter how hard you work, some of your co-workers will
always be convinced you got your raise or your promotion as a reward for sexual
favors, rather than that you worked hard and earned it."
Below, Houston
further expands on some of the day-to-day and long-range career complications
that can result:
• Envious co-workers may become
jealous and attempt to sabotage your work.
• Your
productivity or the productivity of those around you may
suffer.
• You could become the subject of office
gossip
• If your office affair results in preferential
treatment with regard to work assignments, raises, promotions or company perks
your co-workers will resentment you.
• A series of office
romances will earn you a reputation as someone who tries to sleep their way to
the top.
• You may be transferred to another department or
even required to leave the company, especially if you are a woman. When an
office affair becomes a problem, it’s usually the woman who is penalized.
• It could create an awkward situation when the romance
ends, and the two of you still have to work together.
• If
you end the relationship and the other person is vindictive, they can sabotage
your career in ways you can’t even begin to imagine.
• A
disgruntled lover can negatively influence the kind of work assignments, raises,
and opportunities for advancement you receive.
• Your
coworkers’ assessment of you perceptions of your performance may be
lowered.
• No matter how good you are, there will always be
speculation as to the “real” reason for your job advancement.
How to Keep
Your Office Romance on a Professional Level
“My advice regarding office
romance and workplace affairs is to avoid them, if at all possible, since the
risks greatly outweigh the rewards,” says Ruth Houston. “If you’re currently
involved in a workplace romance, or you’re tempted to become involved in one
despite my warnings, the guidelines below will help you keep things on a
professional level.”
• Know your company’s policy
regarding office romance.
• Never get involved with someone
in your direct chain of command.
• Confine your romantic
attachments to someone who is a peer, rather than someone above or below you in
rank.
• Never get involved with in a workplace affair if
you or the other person is married.
• Never underestimate
the power of the office grapevine. Try to keep your office romance a secret, if
you can.
• Keep it low key – don’t flaunt the fact that the
two of you are romantically involved.
• Avoid public
displays of affection – it’s highly unprofessional.
• Don’t
gossip about your love life.
• Do not exchange embarrassing
or ostentatious flowers, cards or gifts. (Small , discreet, tasteful gifts are
okay.)
• Do not allow your workplace romance to interfere
with productivity – yours, your partner’s or your
coworkers.
• Do not use company e-mail to send passionate
or suggestive love notes to each other.
• Do not leave
X-rated voice mails on each other’s phones.
• Don’t show or
request favoritism regarding work assignments, raises, promotions or company
perks.
• Do not use company funds to entertain your
partner.
• Refrain from overt sexual behavior on the
job.
• Never engage in sex on company property. (That
includes stair wells, supply closets and company parking
lots.)
• Have a back-up career plan in case things take a
negative turn. Be prepared to find another job.
About Ruth
Houston:
Infidelity expert Ruth Houston is the author of Is He Cheating on
You?- 829 Telltale Signs, a comprehensive guide which documents practically
every known sign of infidelity. She has been quoted in the New York Times, the
Toronto Sun, the New York Post, Cosmopolitan, the Christian Science Monitor, the
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Marie Claire and numerous other publications here and
abroad. She has also been a guest on over 100 radio and TV talk shows in the US,
Europe, South America, and the Caribbean, including Good Day New York,
TalkAmerica, Telemundo, BBC, The Breakfast Club, Caracol Radio Network,
ClearChannel, the Mike Gallagher Show, and 1010WINS.
To interview Ruth
Houston, please call her at 718 592-6039 or email her at e-mail protected from
spam bots For more information on infidelity, visit http://www.InfidelityAdvice.com
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Source : http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/2/prweb210865.htm