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The following letter by Helen Whitten was published in People Management 31.8.06 entitled 'Let love blossom' . This was in response to the article 'Working Ardour' on office relationships that appeared in People Management on 10.8.06, see www.peoplemanagement.co.uk:
The "Working Ardour" article made me wonder how realistic it is for companies to have policies that try to prevent office romances. Love is where it falls - you can't always choose a neat and tidy place; it seems to choose you. With people working long hours, making relationships outside work can be difficult. As a coach many people tell me that they are too tired at the end of the working day to have the energy to go looking for love. With a falling birthrate and many more single people it seems to me that organisations should be supportive of romance for the health and wellbeing of the individuals concerned - and also our society. If a genuine professional or regulatory reason exists where an actual or perceived conflict of interest between the private and professional lives of a couple might occur, then there should be a mechanism to enable the couple to make a confidential disclosure of the relationship to a senior manager or compliance officer. Where relationships are discouraged, dishonesty is bound to occur, and the chances are that the organisation risks losing or alienating two talented people. An organisation can realistically expect is that the couple concerned will act professionally and with discretion. Beyond that I would say it is none of their business. Helen Whitten, Managing Director, Positiveworks Limited |
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