This type of behavior is also known as workplace romance. Workplace romance is unprofessional and can have long-term consequences, including lower productivity, stress and anxiety for those affected, as well as higher employee turnover rates and costs to the company.
The good news is that this unprofessional behavior can be stopped without causing major damage to your company culture. Let’s explore how unprofessional workplace romance affects your work environment and how you can stop it from hurting your productivity:
Why workplace romance hurts your productivity
Unprofessional workplace romance can lead to stress and anxiety, which can negatively affect productivity. Work-related anxiety is a common problem. It can make you so nervous and stressed that you can’t focus on your job or do it well.
Workplace romance can also cause a drop in employee morale, which lowers productivity. When people feel stressed, they may also feel demotivated. If one or more team members experience work-related anxiety, they may avoid tasks that cause them emotional distress.
At the same time, when people are demotivated, they may also feel bored. The two states are often confused with each other. But work-related anxiety is often accompanied by boredom. When people experience both states, they may feel exhausted and unmotivated — neither the anxious nor the bored state is very productive.
What Causes Workplace Romance in the Workplace?
Workplace romance can occur between any employees of the same sex, but it is more common between employees of the same gender. This is because people of one gender are more likely to feel romantic feelings for other people of that gender.
Alternatively, however, it can also happen between employees of the opposite gender. There are a variety of causes for workplace romance in the workplace.
Some of the most common causes are:
– A less-than-professional supervisor: This is by far the most common cause of workplace romance. A supervisor who is unprofessional herself may cause employees to become infatuated with her.
This unprofessional behavior may include sharing personal information, flirting and/or sending inappropriate messages. When a supervisor engages in unprofessional behavior, it can set a bad example for her employees. Most people are influenced by their leaders, and when a supervisor is acting unprofessionally, her employees may learn to be unprofessionally unprofessional themselves.
A less-than-professional supervisor may cause employees to become distracted and make unprofessional choices, such as sharing information or sending personal messages.
– Flawed decision-making: When people are in a romantic relationship with someone at work, there is a risk of flawed decision-making. Couples may get caught up in the romance and not think clearly about their decisions. Some couples may find themselves making unprofessional choices because they are spending too much time together and not spending enough time on their own jobs.
– Discrimination: Unfortunately, some people have experienced discrimination at work and feel a need to show their sweetie that they are with someone in the workplace. These people may feel that they have to show respect to the sweetie no matter what the cost may be to their own careers.
Stop unprofessional workplace romance from hurting productivity
If you are struggling with unprofessional workplace romance in your workplace, here are some steps you can take to stop the behavior and avoid long-term consequences.
– Talk to a trusted friend: Whether you share your struggle with a friend or a colleague, talking to someone will help you process your feelings and make better decisions. You may want to talk to a close friend or mentor, a professional coach or a counselor.
– Talk to your supervisor: Even though a supervisor may be the cause of your romance, it is still important to talk to her and let her know that you are experiencing unprofessional behavior. This will allow you to take control of the situation before the unprofessional behavior gets worse.
– Take a break from the person: When you are in a bad mood, you are more likely to make unprofessional decisions. When this happens, simply take a break, go for a walk or do something unrelated to your work, such as cleaning your house or taking a nap. When you return to work, you will likely find yourself in a better frame of mind when it comes to making professional decisions.
– Stop and think before you act: When you are experiencing unprofessional behavior in your workplace, simply stop and think before you act. Ask yourself: “Is this the type of decision I want my company to know me by?” When you keep this in mind, you will find it easier to take control of your unprofessional behavior.
Fiveways to stop unprofessional workplace romance from hurting productivity
Here are five ways to stop unprofessional workplace romance from hurting productivity and maintain a healthy work environment.
– Act like an adult: Employees who act like children are often those causing unprofessional behavior. Adults are expected to be mature and professional, which means that they need to be dependable and trustworthy.
Adults must also be accountable for their words and actions. When people act like children, they are more likely to say and do things that are unprofessional. This does not mean, however, that employees need to be rude or disrespectful.
– Be respectful in your conversations: If you are in a conversation with an employee who is exhibiting unprofessional behavior, simply change the subject. It is never appropriate to gossip about your colleagues, their supervisors or company executives.
– Be accountable for your own actions: When you are in charge of your own actions and decisions, you will find it easier to control your unprofessional behavior. Accountability does not mean, however, that you need to be rude or become angry at another employee.
It simply means that you need to hold yourself accountable for your actions and decisions.
– Recognize when you are being unprofessional: Some people are unaware of when they are experiencing unprofessional behavior. If this sounds like you, simply make a note in your journal or notebook while you are experiencing unprofessional behavior.
Conclusion
Workplace romance is unprofessional, and it can have long-term consequences, including lower productivity, stress and anxiety for those affected, as well as higher employee turnover rates and costs to the company.
Fortunately, unprofessional workplace romance can be stopped. There are a number of reasons why this happens, but the most common cause is when people begin to develop romantic feelings for a colleague. When this happens, people may begin to act in unprofessional ways, such as sharing personal information, sending inappropriate messages and/or flirting with their colleagues.
Fortunately, unprofessional behavior can be stopped. All a person has to do is take a few steps to stop unprofessional behavior from hurting productivity and maintain a healthy work environment.