Consensual Relationship Agreements

Abstract

Consensual relationship agreement (CRA) at workplaces shields the companies against discrimination or sexual harassment lawsuits. CRAs are voluntary workplace agreements against workplace romances, and these agreements do not aim to humiliate human sentiments. It is believed that the discrimination, favoritism and harassment, by humans, cannot be restricted without entering into a paper contract. The aim of this paper is to argue the use of CRAs at my future workplace. The paper concludes, in response to the counter arguments that formulation of CRAs may tend to be detrimental for the organization, that organizations not in favor of forming CRAs are encouraging their employees to indulge into prohibited activities.

Table of Contents

Abstractii

Introduction1

Discussion1

Arguments- Use of Consensual Relationship Agreements2

Counter Argument- Use of Consensual Relationship Agreements3

Ethical Principles- Consensual Relationship Agreements4

Options to Address Workplace Romances5

Conclusion6

References7

Consensual Relationship Agreements

Introduction

The paper strives to understand the concept and use of consensual relationship agreement (CRA) at workplace. The CRA is a contract on paper for protecting the employees from any negative outcome of indulging into workplaces romances, or building love relationships at workplaces. The paper provides arguments for using CRA at my future workplace. Further, the paper aims to construct a counter argument against using CRAs at my future workplace. The ethical principles involved in using CRAs are also briefly discussed in the paper. Lastly, the paper strives to suggest an option, other than using CRAs at workplaces, to address workplace romance issues.

Discussion

The romance and love relationships, of employees, at workplaces are known as consensual relationships. The consensual relationship agreement (CRA) refers to the paper contract, specifically designed, to protect the employees from any negative outcome occurring from indulging into workplace love relationships. The negative outcomes may include employee discrimination, harassment or favoritism. The agreement also shields, the company, against filing of any discrimination, harassment lawsuits against the company (Alderman, 1995). However until today, people carry different views about signing the CRA at workplace. Many people are in favor of signing CRAs, at workplaces, and many people argue on the signing of CRA by every employee. Some people believe that signing of CRAs would be equally beneficial for the company, as well as, for the employee's performance.

Arguments- Use of Consensual Relationship Agreements

I consider the use of consensual relationship agreements (CRAs), at workplaces, as effective and necessary for enhancing the organizational, as well as, departmental and employee performances. As discussed in the case study, office romance is most likely to happen if the employees are working together for more than forty hours a week. The case study also states that around 11 percent of the employees were successful in dating with their managers, while others were successful in dating with other managers. The survey administered in the year 1995, estimated that approximately forty percent of the employees were found to be involved in some kind of love relationships, with their fellow employees, at workplaces. Likewise, it was also estimated that around seventy percent of the effective working organizations have not formulated any policies regarding the consensual relationships, formed by ...