CONSENSUAL RELATIONSHIP AGREEMENTS

Consensual Relationship Agreements in Workplace

Consensual Relationship Agreements in Workplace

Thesis Statement

“When it comes to consensual relationships, ethical principles would come into play regarding the CRA would be the Organization Interest Principle”.

Introduction

Workplace romance was a serious problem for most employers for quite some time. According to the data on this subject, more than 80 percent of American workers have experienced "some type of romantic relationships at work". It is also important to know that most employers are aware of their employees a romantic relationship with another employee. Thus, the number of surveys featured Business Wire showed that some employers believe Office Romance has become a cliche, "a company-wide epidemic". For the most part, employers do not care about the happiness of its employees or the quality of the choices they make in order to find a suitable partner, romantic, rather, employers are worried about the "sexual harassment charges and the possibility of huge fines, settlements and legal fees," which sometimes accompany romantic relationship at work. Companies have recognized the existence and, indeed, the inevitability of office romance and the consequences which they tend to bring in a corporate environment, such as corporate favoritism, poor communication, lack of motivation, productivity and efficiency, as well as the above-mentioned sexual harassment (Bates, et al., 2006).

Discussion

The Use of Consensual Relationship Agreements in Workplace

Consensual Relationship Agreements create boundaries for workplace relationships and legally binds employees to behave in a professional manner. A majority of companies do not have any policy in place. The dynamics of the workplace was jeopardized because several people dated romantically. This caused a loss of productivity because there was nothing to ensure that favoritism didn't occur, or that employees maintained professionalism when dating in the business environment, and to procure documentation to protect employees in cases of resentment. Most companies now have policies against supervisors and managers engaging in relationships with subordinates; the CRA will acknowledge this union and take the decision of promoting the subordinate out of the hands of the supervisor or manager he/she is involved with. Management and subordinate relationships have been known to be disruptive of key positioning and of the ethical infrastructure that ensures the equal opportunity that is guaranteed to all employees through corporate policy. The Consensual Relationship Agreement also protects the employer and employees in sexual harassment claims, by providing documented proof of consensual interaction signed between both parties. Sexual Harassment has been one of the largest issues that employers face; but the CRA gives documentation of non-professional romantic relationships which exist within the workplace; and ensures that false or concluding claims are examined through documentation before decisions effecting personnel are made. The contract also helps to aid employees with false claims against them by providing documentation of the existence of a consensual relationship; which can point to reasons for resentment or to provide a motive to eliminate the romantically involved colleague from the workplace. The Consensual Relationship Agreement is thought of as the answer to workplace romance; it helps employers to document involvement ...