Office romances aren’t new—why are they still so complicated?
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. It’s a scenario that has played out at companies for decades: Two colleagues meet. A romance blossoms.
Complications arise. The romantic relationship between Norfolk Southern Chief Executive Alan Shaw and the railroad’s chief legal officer is the latest in a long line of incidents that have tested corporate policies and caused headaches for companies internally. Shaw was fired late Wednesday after a board probe found the relationship with Nabanita Chaterjee Nag violated the company’s policies.
Nag was terminated as well. Neither responded to requests for comment. Employment lawyers like to say that love and lust in the office isn’t illegal—it is just usually not a good idea.
In the wake of the #MeToo movement, companies have tried to set clearer guidelines on relationships at work, though corporate advisers say many companies still struggle in how to effectively respond. Most employers restrict managers or senior executives from dating their subordinates, wanting to avoid power imbalances, but they are typically far more open to lower-level employees entering into relationships. The reason? Many people meet partners in the office.
A survey earlier this year by SHRM, an association for human resource managers, found that roughly 20% of workers have gone on a date with a co-worker in the past year. “It’s always going to be there. This is where people meet," said Deb Muller, chief executive of HR Acuity, a technology platform that helps companies track employee investigations and complaints.
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