To date or not to date a colleague?

Global fast food company McDonald’s, on Sunday, announced that it had fired its Chief Executive Officer Steve Easterbrook.

The multinational said it terminated Easterbrook’s contract for engaging in a consensual relationship with an employee, which violated its policy.

Easterbrook, in an email to employees acknowledged his mistake and said it was time for him to move on.

“This was a mistake. Given the values of the company, I agree with the board that it is time to move on.”
While most organisation’s discourage office romance, employees often choose to ignore the order oblivious of the consequences.

Based on a survey conducted job site Vault.com, Forbes demonstrated that office romance is alive and kicking.

The survey found that 58 per cent of employees have engaged in a romantic relationship with a colleague.

It also found that one in five employees have cheated on their partners with a colleague.

It further established that almost half (41 per cent) of employees don’t know their company’s policy regarding office romance. The study highlighted that companies do not effectively communicate such policies, if at all they exist.

Should you choose to date a colleague, human resource experts advice that you make it known. This is because dating a workmate secretly has been linked with unproffesionalism conduct such as favouritism. It also creates room for office gossip which may escalate to bad blood among colleagues.