Dealing With Romantic Relationships in the Workplace

Dealing With Romantic Relationships in the WorkplaceDealing With Romantic Relationships in the WorkplaceWhats love got to do with it? Quite a lot, actually. To answer Tina Turners proverbial question, current research on workplace romance was reviewed. If its just about sex, a dalliance, an extramarital affair, or a relationship to move an individual up the career ladder, co-workers and companies tend to frown on love relationships in the office. If a couple is genuinely serious about dating and building a relationship, popular opinion is more favorable. How Co-workers Reactto an Office Romance Amy Nicole Salvaggio, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Tulsa,conducted a studyof nearly 200 full-time workers in a variety of workplaces. Her findings indicated that most respondents do not mind seeing a romance develop between two unmarried colleagues. However, they do object to relationships in which one or both co-workers are married to someone else, and they al so oppose romances when the relationship is between a supervisor and a direct report. Andrea C. Poe, an HR freelance writer, also found in a Society for Human Resource Management white paperthat adulterous affairs were a problem in some workplaces. From data gathered from a Vault.com survey of several thousand employers and employees, she determined that inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace is common on company time and at company locations. Workplace Romance Policies Considering the amount of time most people spend working, where else is a couple to meet? Traditional places like church, family events, and leisure time activities dont present the same pool of candidates as they did in earlier times. The workplace provides a preselected pool of people who share at least one important area of common ground. People who work together also tend to live within a reasonable dating distance, and they see each other on a daily basis. So should romance be discouraged? In a 2017 SHRM survey, 57 percent of individuals responding said they engaged in a romantic relationship at work.In other surveys, 55 percent of the HR professionals who responded said that marriage is the most likely outcome of the office romances they experienced. Other studies have reported a higher level of productivityfrom dating couples at work. And yet, an SHRM workplace romance survey found that only 42 percent of companies have developed a gestaltal, written, workplace romance policy. The low percentage of policies and regulations that are in place are likely due to the unwillingness of employers to police workers and their relationships in the office. According to Dana Wilkie, an online SHRM editor, periodic surveys by SHRM show that 99 percent of employers with romance policies in place indicate that love matches between supervisors and staff members are not allowed. That percentage is up significantly over the belastung fifteen years. Many organizations forbid intimate relationshi ps even outside supervisory relationships. Thirty-three percent of organizations forbid romances between employees who report to the same supervisor, and 12 percent wont even allow employees in different departments to date. Romances Between Clients or Customers The SHRM research also found that some companies forbid hookups between their employees and clients or customers, and 11 percent forbid romances between their employees and employees of their competitors. HR and Management Concerns Respondents to the SHRM surveys who discouraged or forbade dating in the workplace cited concerns with potential sexual harassment claims, retaliation, claims that a relationship was not consensual, civil suits and workplace disharmony if the relationship should end. Depending on the discretion of the dating couple, gossip in the workplace can become rampant and disruptive. They also worry about losing valuable employees who might seek employment elsewhere if the relationship ends. Tips for HR Professionals Organizations walk a fine line between ensuring employee productivity and interfering in the private affairs of their employees. Powell, in the cited study, states, that policymakers in most organizations believe that workplace romances cannot be legislated away and should be ignored unless they present a threat to the individual, group, or organizational effectiveness. Decision makers in most organizations recognize that some form of managerial intervention is required when a workplace romance presents a serious threat to the conduct of work or group morale. As anHR professional, you also want employees to perceive your staff members as advocates for their well-being and high morale, not as the rule-making, interfering, systematizing arms of management. With both of these concerns in mind, consider taking the following actions. Provide Training About Work Romances Provide training for supervisors and managers about how to discreetly address overt sexual b ehavior in the workplace. You will also want the supervisors comfortable coaching the dating couple if the relationship results in lowered morale and productivity for themselves or co-workers. Additionally, Powells study of the literature found that workplace romances are particularly hazardous for gay and lesbian employees due to negative reactions to homosexual relationships in general. Supervisors will need to know how to address these issues should they arise. As a result, comprehensive training is recommended. Office relationships are often the focus of intense gossip, so supervisors need to know how to keep their ears open for damaging behaviors. Supervisors should understand the appropriate disciplinary actions they should take if a romance derails and disrupts the workplace as a result. If romance becomessexual harassment, supervisors should know what to do to take immediate action. As a result, comprehensive training should be implemented. One SHRM study found that only 12 percent of the surveyed organizations provided training to managers and supervisors regarding how to manage workplace romances. A good first step would be to advise supervisors and managers as to how they might discreetly address overt sexual behavior in the workplace. Broadcast Your Sexual Harassment Policy Have a formal, written sexual harassment policy that is posted, appears in theemployee handbook and is listed on all company policy documents. Thesexual harassment policy should addresshow a sexual harassment claim will be handled. Train all employees that the company has zero tolerance for sexual harassment. Provide information about the consequences of such behavior on their continued employment. At the same time, employees need to understand that it is OK to ask a co-worker out on a date. Harassment occurs when the employee indicates no interest and the unwanted attention continues. All employees need to understand where the line occurs. fruchtwein organizations ask emplo yees to sign a document indicating they understand and will abide by the sexual harassment policy. Develop an Appropriate Relationship Policy About Office Romance You may want to think about your organizationalcultureand the work environment you want to provide for employees. Are there certain romantic situations you want to prohibit or, at least,have a policy in placeto address? An example is a fraternization policy which you may want to consider. Make sure that your employees are aware of all the rules and policies regarding workplace romances. A policy that prohibits dating, sex, and romance entirely is not recommended. Any policy that is seen as overreaching or intrusive may encourage stealth dating. Policies are developed to guide employeesin creating a legal, ethical, harmonious workplace, not to control the bad behavior of a few. You might consider a policy that prohibits supervisors from dating any employee who reports directly to him or her. The policy may also state th at you expect staff members to behave in a professional manner while dating. Let your employees know that you expect that office romances, relationships, or affairs will be kept separate from the work environment. The organization will not tolerate sexual liaisons and sexual behavior at work. Spell out the consequences if the romance is negatively impacting the workplace. If Youre Involved in a Workplace Relationship If Cupid strikes and you find yourself attracted to a co-worker, these actions will minimize any possible damage to your (and their) career. Know your organizations written and unwritten policies about romantic, sexual, extramarital, ordating relationships.Keep the relationship private and discreet until you are ready to publicly announce that you are a couple.Behave discreetly in the workplace. Keep public displays of affection off limits at work.Know whether youre required to report a dating relationship to HR. Dont blindside your HR staff. They can help you with gossip control and with understanding whatis expected and appropriate in your workplace. Give them the opportunity to help. Limit the number of people at work with whom you share this confidential information.If your position and responsibilities require you to work together, attend the same meetings, and so on, behave professionally at all times. You are encouraged to be yourself, maintain and speak your continuing opinions, exhibit the same skills, and conduct yourself in the same manner as you did prior to the relationship.Discuss, as a couple, the potential impact of your relationship on your work. (Will one employee have to leave a department or the company? Will your organization respond favorably to your relationship?) Know your company, and make a plan before the organization requests one. Be happy and build a successful relationship that adds value to the world produces well-adjusted children, should you choose to have them and that adds great value and happiness to your li fe all through the years. Love, sex, and romance in the workplace will likely increase as time goes by. Expect these relationships you need to prepare in advance to handle them and their potential impact on your workplace. Did you enjoy this article? Youll want to sign up for the free HR newsletter now because you want to read all of the new articles as soon as they are available. haftungsausschlussPlease note that the information provided, while authoritative, is not guaranteed for accuracy and legality. The site is read by a world-wide audience and ?employment lawsand regulations vary from state to state and country to country. Please seek legal assistance, or assistance from State, Federal, or International governmental resources, to make certain your legal interpretation and decisions are correct for your location. This information is for guidance, ideas, and assistance.

How to Post on LinkedIn (and How I Got 100k impressions)

How to Post on LinkedIn (and How I Got 100k impressions) How to Post on LinkedIn (and How I Got 100k impressions) I have been able to graduallyboost my LinkedIn deutsche post ag impressions to100k+ a week with thousands of comments, and climbing, throughthree key lessons Ive learned. These are things you should know abouthow the LinkedIn algorithms works, as well aspsychologically what catches peoples attentionand compels them to engage with your post.An important thing to keep in mind is to not compare yourself with others when it comes to engagement. Everyone has different network sizes, so only compare your post views and engagement with what youve done in the past. Any progress is a successThese are things you should know abouthow the LinkedIn algorithms works, as well as what catches peoples attention psychologicallyMadeline MannLesson 1 LinkedIn rewards native contentNative content means thepost originates from that site- it is not content from elsewhere. For example, I postYou Tubevideos on LinkedIn and then months later upload those same videos directly to LinkedIn. Thevideos that are uploaded directly on LinkedIn get mora viewsbecause LinkedIn rewards users for developing content directly on the site and not posting links that encourage people to leave the site and go elsewhere.So if you want mora engagement, use LinkedIn Publisher instead of linking your blog, summarize an article as a post instead of linking to one, and upload videos directly to the platform instead of posting YouTube or Vimeo links.Thevideos that are uploaded directly on LinkedIn get more viewsbecause LinkedIn rewards usersLesson 2 Grab attention with LinkedInarticlesI recommend posting blog postsusing LinkedIns Write an article publisher.The most important thing is toensure your content is high quality, which often means the article isdetailed, includesspecific examples,screenshots, and has agreat title.The key to having an alluring LinkedIn article title is two-foldHave a number in it.Show that you have a unique perspective.Here isan examplethat meets these criteriaThisarticleincludes numbers and the unique perspective is that very few resumes get that many job offers in such a short amount of time.Here isanother exampleThis is anarticleI wrote to experiment with this naming strategy, and it quickly gained more engagement than my previous articles. The 1000 catches peoples attention, and the unique perspective is that I am the one reading all of these cover letters.Lesson 3 Craft a high engagement postLinkedIn allows you tocreate a post,which is similar to a status update or tweet on other platforms. This isthe best way to get quick visibility, because they give you a 1300 character limit to make a point, which is long enough to say something insightful, but short enough for people to consume it quickly and engage with it.Here are the top tips on how to create a high engagement post on LinkedIn1. People will only binnensee thefirst 3 linesof your post initial ly, and so youllneed a hookto entice them to click see moreHeres an exampleThis one enticed me to click because she said she had her best year (thats big) but thats contrasted by the first point where she said she was rejected. This mystery provokes people to see more.Here are several more examplesof how to hook your audience in the first 3 lines.2.Separate your LinkedIn post into smaller chunksinstead of large paragraphsWe are a skimmer society, people Here is the above post expanded with the ideal formatting3. Its important toconvey a perspectivein your LinkedIn postWhether you are sharing statistics, opinions, observations, or personal experiences, its best to tie it together with aSo what? statement.For instance, in the above example, the author lists failures she had in 2018- so what? She wraps up the post with a lesson Dont let rejection and disappointment deter you. By explicitly stating her point it makes people more comfortable with liking and commenting on the post since t hey know exactly what they are endorsing.Here are two more examples.Tie it together with aSo what? statement.The above post did very well, but there is actuallyone type ofpostthat time and time againperforms well above others, which I explainhere.4. Finally,put your outbound links in the comments of your LinkedIn postThis one feels funky for people, but its best to write your post with text only, and then leave a comment of your website/external link. Posts with link previews perform poorly, soonly include text and hashtagsin your post.Begin experimenting with these tips and keep a close eye to your posts number of views. Your progress will likely be gradual, so only compare your engagement to what YOU have gotten in the past. Over time you will hone your voice, grow your network, and uncover opportunitiesAdditional LinkedIn ResourcesTop 15 Job Search Experts to Follow on LinkedInHow to Connect with Someone on LinkedInLinkedInEasyApply WhatEmployersSeeWhenYou Apply on LinkedInLinked In Optimization toolMadeline Mann is an HR leader, speaker, and creator of Self Made Millennial, a YouTube Channel that provides rapid-fire, battle-tested career and job search advice. Author of Fill in the Blank Job Hunt Essential Email Templates for the Job Search, Madeline this year was named as a Jobscan top 10 YouTube Channel for job seekers, and a top 50 person to follow on LinkedIn. She currently leads Talent Development at Inspire, a Los Angeles based clean energy technology company.

How your Business Can Attract Top Talent

How your Business Can Attract Top TalentHow your Business Can Attract Top TalentHow your Business Can Attract Top Talent HerrenkohlYour company is small but getting bigger.You dont have a world-wide small companybrand yet. But you do need to find and hiregreat peopleif you want to keep growing. If this describes your business, here are some specific tips for leveraging your current resources to find and hire A-player employees.Turn every marketing event into a recruiting event. I work with clients to turn every sales and marketing event into a recruiting event. For example, some of my clients are franchisees who operate fitness and running stores. They organize group runs and marathon training programs to attract new customers. We turned ansicht events into recruiting events as well, and make sure that people who attend know about the employment opportunities these companies offer.What type of marketing programs do you use to find new customers? Make them serve double duty as recrui ting events.Develop a reputation for interviewing all the time. Develop a reputation as a company that is always interviewing job candidates. If your employees know you are always interviewing, they will be more likely to refer people to you. Reward them monetarily if you hire someone they refer.Develop a referral network. If you interview an individual who has good abilities but is not a fit for your company, refer them to other businesses that are a better fit. This helps you to build a network of small businesses that help one another to recruit good employees.Network all the time. You have to make time to network if you want to meet A-player employees.Get involved in professional associations. Sit on boards. Teach continuing education classes. Consider using social media. All of these are great ways to rub shoulders with good people and build relationships with them before you need them.Create a target list. In writing my upcoming book How to Hire A-PlayersFinding the Top People for Your Team Even if You Dont Have a Recruiting Department, I interviewed several executives who have a target list of A-players who work for competitors that they are trying to recruit. Put your own target list together. Call people, ask them to lunch, and tell them that you would be interested in hiring them if and when the time is right. Sometimes the direct approach is the best approach.Set recruiting goals for your managers.In small businesses, too often recruiting responsibility falls solely on the owners shoulders. Set recruiting goals for your managers.Develop a farm kollektiv of new potential employees. Require them to have a constantly updated list of potential candidates they can dip into if and when they need to hire someone. Make recruiting their responsibility as well as yours.Hiring TakeawayYou dont have to have an internal recruiting department to find and hire A-players.Be smart and leverage the resources you already have to find and hire the talent you need to dr ive growth and profits.Author BioEric Herrenkohl is the founder and president of Herrenkohl Consulting, a firm that helps clients build great sales teams. He is the author of the book, How to Hire A-Players (John Wiley Sons, April 2010.) To receive his free e-letter, subscribe at herrenkohlconsulting.