Workplace romance policies, behaviors, and reputational beliefs: experiences of employees from major US cities

Abstract

ABSTRACT The present study examined employees’ knowledge of their organization’s workplace romance policy and its relationship with their workplace romance experiences and beliefs. It also investigated differences in employees’ beliefs about workplace romance’s reputational effects based on their workplace romance experiences. Quantitative and qualitative analyses of self-reported responses obtained from a sample of 642 adults working across industries in major US cities yielded several meaningful findings. Namely, employees in organizations with (versus without) a workplace romance policy were more likely to have participated in and observed a workplace romance, were more comfortable with future workplace romance participation, and were more likely to believe workplace romances were common and affected professional reputations. Employees with (versus without) workplace romance experience were also more likely to report positive reputational effects of hierarchical workplace romances for both male and female executives. Based on reported findings, we offer evidence-based recommendations for policy development.