Why office romance is dying?

It’s often advised not to become romantically involved with a coworker, as it could lead to a whole array of awkward situations if the relationship goes sour.

And while almost a quarter of workers in UK are in serious relationships with people at work, a recent study has shown that workplace romances are becoming more taboo in the wake of sexual harassment campaigns such as the #MeToo movement.

Research conducted by Direct Line 

life insurance

 has discovered that almost 80% of human resources professionals believe that office relationships have become less acceptable in recent times.

Furthermore, almost one in 20 UK companies now ban workplace romances outright.

While the notion of dating a coworker may be frowned upon in many 

industries

, this hasn’t stopped many Brits. Around half of workers in the UK have admitted that they’ve been in a workplace relationship in the past.

On top of that, almost three quarters of those who’ve been romantically involved with colleagues have kept it a secret from their manager or the human resources department at their work.

According to the HR professionals who were questioned as part of the study, the growth of initiatives such as the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements has led to 78% of companies updating or reviewing their policies on workplace relationships in the past year, with 32% making changes.

Jane Morgan, business manager at Direct Line Life Insurance, explains how the conversations currently being had about sexual harassment has influenced people’s attitudes towards pursuing office romances.

“With this in mind it’s important that if you’re embarking on a new romantic relationship at work you double check your company’s policy, as even if you ‘think it’s ok’ your company’s policy may have recently been updated,” she says.

Relationship psychologist 

Susan Quilliam

 stresses the importance of understanding where to draw the line.

“It’s natural that people who work together may become attracted. But it can be challenging,” she says. “You need to read the signs and remember that the social conventions in a bar on a Saturday night don’t translate to the workplace environment, no matter how relaxed your office culture may be!”