Kissing in the elevator
Is it legal to have something with someone from your work?
On the work floor, inevitably more happens than just working. Flirting, for example. And secretly kissing.
Well, during all those endless hours in the office, you really get to know each other. That's different from a random drunk beetle in the pub. You spend day in and day out chatting by the printer, sipping on who knows how many cups of weak coffee together, and besides, thanks to those remarkable outfits of your boss, you have plenty to gossip about. In short: enough fodder for a little blossoming romance. And for a bit of cheerful juice over that workday. It really breaks up your workweek, a little session in the canteen.
Numbers don't lie
According to a survey by staffing agency Unique, two-thirds of employees have done something with each other. Even if it was a fleeting kiss in the staff toilets after the annual team outing where the wine flowed abundantly; it happens, dear people. More than you think. Everywhere.
But the question is: do companies have codes of conduct that state such things simply aren't allowed? And... can you be fired if you end up in bed with a colleague? In most companies, the rule is: you can fall in love with a colleague just fine. After all, you can't stop that, and that's your own business. But if you start something that is more than a light one-night stand, you do need to report that to your supervisor.
Dismissal could always be a consequence if your boss really doesn't like it, but in most cases, a business discussion is simply held with the couple. One of the two lovebirds is, for example, transferred to another location within the company, so you don't see each other constantly from nine to five. And further: a boss won't care who does what with whom. As long as the work gets done and he never sees what happens in the elevator.
Now, in my case, there are almost only women working at the women's magazines. That saves a lot of trouble, I can tell you. But I wouldn't mind if my boyfriend (hospitality manager) worked one day less. Or skipped a staff party. I really don't forbid him to go. But if that Christmas party from his work ‘coincidentally’ falls on the same day as our romantic weekend in the Ardennes... Sorry not sorry.
FACTS
– 4 percent of Dutch employees have a steady relationship at work. Over 7 percent have even done ‘it’ with multiple colleagues.
– Most work couples can be found in the agricultural sector. Planting bulbs together creates a bond, right?.
– Usually, those flings with colleagues don't last too long: in 70 percent of cases, the work relationship ends or the excitement of the affair naturally fades away. And yes, then you still spot each other at the copier...
Source: NRC
Written by: Tessa Heinhuis
