INTHEBLACK November 2025 - Magazine - Page 54
WORK SMART
Love at work:
Handle with care
Love blooms in unexpected places,
including the workplace. When it
does, there is a right way for both
businesses and individuals to
manage office romance that
balances risk management
with personal freedom.
Words Megan Breen
54 INTHEBLACK November 2025
WHEN PEOPLE SPEND MORE TIME WITH
colleagues than family or friends, it is no
surprise that romantic relationships may
form at work. In one sense, this can be a sign
of a healthy and productive workplace where
people enjoy working together. In another,
it can lead to conflicts of interest, favouritism
or allegations of misconduct, especially
when they involve people from different
hierarchical positions.
While they can be tricky to navigate from
a business perspective, office romances
are not going anywhere. One survey states
that 80 per cent of employees have
experienced a workplace romance and
57 per cent of people would rather give up
their job than end one.
