Close Menu
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    • Our Story
    • Partner with us
    • Reach Us
    • Career
    Subscribe Newsletter
    HR KathaHR Katha
    • Exclusive
      • Exclusive Features
      • Research
      • Point Of View
      • Case In Point
      • Dialogue
      • Movement
      • Profile
      • Beyond Work
      • Rising Star
      • By Invitation
    • News
      • Global HR News
      • Compensation & Benefits
      • Diversity
      • Events
      • Gen Y
      • Hiring & Firing
      • HR & Labour Laws
      • Learning & Development
      • Merger & Acquisition
      • Performance Management & Productivity
      • Talent Management
      • Tools & Technology
      • Work-Life Balance
    • Special
      • Cover Story
      • Editorial
      • HR Forecast 2024
      • HR Forecast 2023
      • HR Forecast 2022
      • HR Forecast 2021
      • HR Forecast 2020
      • HR Forecast 2019
      • New Age Learning
      • Coaching and Training
      • Learn-Engage-Transform
    • Magazine
    • Reports
      • Whitepaper
        • HR Forecast 2024 e-mag
        • Future-proofing Manufacturing Through Digital Transformation
        • Employee Healthcare & Wellness Benefits: A Guide for Indian MSMEs
        • Build a Future Ready Organisation For The Road Ahead
        • Employee Experience Strategy
        • HRKatha 2019 Forecast
        • Decoding and Driving Employee Engagement
        • One Platform, Infinite Possibilities
      • Survey Reports
        • Happiness at Work
        • Upskilling for Jobs of the Future
        • The Labour Code 2020
    • Conferences
      • Rising Star Leadership Awards
      • HRKatha Futurecast
      • Automation.NXT
      • The Great HR Debate
    • HR Jobs
    WhatsApp LinkedIn X (Twitter) Facebook Instagram
    HR KathaHR Katha
    Home»Exclusive Features»Office romance: Should HR play cupid or devil?
    Exclusive Features

    Office romance: Should HR play cupid or devil?

    mmBy Prajjal Saha | HRKathaFebruary 14, 20185 Mins Read3399 Views
    Share LinkedIn Twitter Facebook
    Share
    LinkedIn Twitter Facebook

    This Valentine’s Day, HRKatha tries to find out what HR heads should do when they learn about some office romance brewing. Should they let cupid win or guard the culture against it?

    What used to be a taboo and a hush-hush affair is now the new normal. The millennials have changed the work environment. Romancing at the workplace is part of the culture today.

    What’s the role of the culture custodians of the organisation—the human resources team—now? Should they turn a blind eye? Should they act on it instantly, nipping it in the bud? Or should they simply wait for a formal complaint to take action?

    It’s always a catch 22 situation for HR.

    Anil Misra, CHRO, Magicbricks.com is of the view that HR can’t be dogmatic about workplace romance anymore, as it has become even more common with GenY making up a majority of the workforce.

    “Some of the things that may have been considered unusual or obscene in the past have now become the new normal. That said, as long as the romantic relationship is within certain boundaries without interfering with the work culture, we should let them be,” he says.

    Healthy office romance results in better retention and may also convey that the employer is a caring one.

    It’s a fact that people spend a majority of their waking hours at the workplace, and therefore, office romance is pretty inevitable.

    Some of these relationships grow and develop into real, life-long ties, with people getting married to their co-workers. A recent survey mentioned that 31 per cent of workers who dated at work ended up getting married.

    This has its own benefits for organisations as well.

    HR can’t be dogmatic about workplace romance anymore, as it has become even more common with GenY making up a majority of the workforce.

    Amit Vaish, ?director & head-HR, Barclays says, “Such relationships result in better retention and may also convey that the employer is a caring one. An organisation that provides an enabling environment, where people find the space and independence they seek without compromising on the ethics and environment should be fine.”

    The acceptability of an office romance among employees has also gone up. People are mature enough these days to refrain from interfering in others’ lives so much. However, one cannot discount the fact that gossip-mongering hasn’t yet died.

    (LtoR) Sriharsha Achar, Anil Misra, Amit Vaish & Shefali Suri

     

    “Despite all the veils around romance in the office, if something gets into the grapevine, it may complicate matters,” says Shefali Suri, chief-human resources, LIC Mutual Fund.

    The situation gets even messier if one or both of the people involved in an office romance are already married. “In such a case, the least HR can do is have an open conversation or a personal counselling session to make them aware about the possible consequences of such a relationship—both at the personal and professional levels,” says, Sriharsha Achar, executive director & chief people officer, ?Apollo Munich Health Insurance.

    Despite all the veils around romance in the office, grapevine may complicate matters.

    HR cannot be restrictive to the level of entering the personal space of people. However, they do need to keep a check on such behaviour through well-planned policy frameworks. This is also important so as to prevent any favouritism that may arise due to relationships in the workplace, especially when direct reportees are involved.

    All the HR heads we spoke to, agree to the fact that it is the responsibility of HR to ensure that they sensitise people with regard to the right behaviours in the workplace.

    In case married people get into office romance, the least HR can do is have an open conversation or a personal counselling session to make them aware about the possible consequences of such a relationship—both at the personal and professional levelsVaish believes that HR should explain to people the power of positive relationships in the workplace and overall wellbeing.

    Misra, on the other hand, is of the view that sensitisation around acceptable behaviours is important so that no one takes undue advantage of the leniency.

    They all also agree that though HR cannot really keep track of romantic affairs in the workplace, they certainly will have to take strict action when someone raises an alarm.

    Besides that, all HR can do is ensure a strong policy framework and frequent reinforcement of POSH guidelines, so that one doesn’t get tricked into a workplace relationship that could turn sour later.

    While there’s not much HR can control about people’s personal choices, workplace romance is something that can impact the professional setup as well. And hence, HR will have to take a stand, at some
    point. Most importantly, when love is in the air, it can easily be sensed, but as Achar says, “HR should always keep a watch, but not go by hearsay.”

    #OrganisationCulture #RoleofHR Amit Vaish Anil K Misra Apollo Munich Health Insurance Barclays Barclays Bank LIC Mutual Fund Magicbricks Office Romance Shefali Suri Sriharsha Achar
    Share. LinkedIn Twitter Facebook
    mm
    Prajjal Saha | HRKatha

    Dr. Prajjal Saha, editor and publisher of HRKatha since 2015, leverages over 25 years of experience in business journalism, writing, and editing. He founded HRKatha to provide insightful analysis on the evolving workplace. With expertise spanning HR, marketing, distribution, and technology, Saha has a deep understanding of business dynamics. His authorship of the acclaimed Marketing White Book highlights his versatility beyond HR. A trusted voice across industries, his clear and thoughtful commentary has earned him a reputation for thought leadership, making him a reliable source of knowledge and insights for professionals navigating the complexities of the business world.

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    1 × 1 =

    Related Posts

    How Raymond stitched tradition to transformation

    June 17, 2025

    Why career progression no longer needs a managerial badge

    June 16, 2025

    The truth about lies: Why résumé fraud has become an epidemic

    June 13, 2025

    Social media is showing Indian workers what they’re missing—and they want change

    June 11, 2025

    QUICK HR INSIGHTS

    EDITOR'S PICKS

    How Raymond stitched tradition to transformation

    June 17, 2025

    Why career progression no longer needs a managerial badge

    June 16, 2025

    The truth about lies: Why résumé fraud has become an epidemic

    June 13, 2025

    Redefining recognition: Why the future of HR leadership lies with rising stars

    June 12, 2025
    Latest Post

    Why are Genpact employees unhappy?

    Compensation & Benefits June 18, 2025

    Employees at Genpact are far from happy. And they have many social-media users expressing support…

    Pizza Hut gets Nazia Abidi as CPO

    Movement June 18, 2025

    Pizza Hut has found a new chief people officer (CPO) in Nazia Abidi. She moves…

    Gujarat boosts housing infrastructure for Tata’s semiconductor workforce in Dholera

    News June 17, 2025

    To support India’s first semiconductor fabrication facility being built by the Tata Group in Dholera,…

    Malaysia to train 10,000 workers in emergency aid for high-risk industries

    Global HR News June 17, 2025

    Malaysia’s Ministry of Human Resources has announced a nationwide initiative to equip 10,000 workers with…

    Asia's No.1 HR Platform

    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram LinkedIn WhatsApp Bluesky
    • Our Story
    • Partner with us
    • Career
    • Reach Us
    • Exclusive Features
    • Cover Story
    • Editorial
    • Dive into the Future of Work: Download HRForecast 2024 Now!
    © 2025 HRKatha.com
    • Disclaimer
    • Refunds & Cancellation Policy
    • Terms of Service

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.