What Are The Guidelines Around Workplace Relationships?

By Cheryl Petruk

Workplace relationships are common. There are many great examples of people who met on the job and are now happily married. Pam and Jim from The Office are a great example of this. But what about other types of romantic relationships?

The recent viral Coldplay concert incident shed light on workplace relationships, power dynamics, and the need for specific guidelines. Without specific rules in place, awkward, unwanted, and potentially bad situations could arise.

In this blog, we’ll discuss the following:

Are workplace relationships allowed?
What are the common rules on relationships in the workplace?
What is a power dynamic? How should power dynamics be handled?
What guidelines should employers put in place to manage workplace relationships?

Are workplace relationships allowed?

There are no laws in Canada that prohibit consenting adults from being in a relationship. Companies typically create internal policies to restrict or ban certain types of relationships in the workplace.

It's common for companies to allow relationships between employees at the same level or from different departments within a company. It's generally prohibited for managers to have relationships with their direct reports or for senior leaders to have relationships with subordinates due to the power dynamic, conflicts of interest, and possible favouritism.

What are the common rules for relationships in the workplace?

HR policies for relationships in the workplace are different for each organization. However, they usually include some or all of the following rules:

Employees must disclose romantic relationships: Employees are often required to inform HR if they enter into a romantic relationship, especially if one person supervises or manages the other.

No supervisor–subordinate relationships are permitted: Many companies prohibit or restrict relationships where one person has direct authority over the other’s performance reviews, promotions, pay, or job security.

Conflict of interest policies: Relationships that could create favouritism, bias, or unfair treatment are usually restricted to protect fairness in the workplace.

Professional conduct is expected at work: Couples are expected to maintain professionalism, avoiding public displays of affection or behaviour that could disrupt team dynamics.

Anti-harassment and consent: Clear rules emphasize that relationships must be consensual and free from any form of pressure, ensuring compliance with harassment and discrimination laws.

Reassignment or restructuring: If a relationship develops between employees in a reporting line, one person may be transferred to a different team or role to remove the conflict of interest.

The common theme throughout these rules is ensuring power dynamics are balanced, and one employee cannot use their influence over another because of their personal relationship.

What is a power dynamic? How should power dynamics be handled?

Power dynamics in the workplace are how power, authority, and influence are exercised among employees, teams, and leaders. It shapes how decisions are made, how people interact, and how conflicts or collaborations unfold.

Power doesn’t just come from job titles or formal authority. It can also come from expertise, access to resources, personality, or even social connections. For example, a romantic relationship.

Healthy power dynamics encourage fairness, respect, and collaboration, where leaders use their influence to support and empower others. Unhealthy power dynamics, on the other hand, can lead to favouritism, micromanagement, intimidation, or employees feeling silenced or undervalued.

When a manager enters a relationship with a direct report, a shift in power dynamics could potentially happen. For example, a manager could give their partner more favourable assignments or assist them with additional authority. Or if a relationship were to end, the manager could use their power to make a former partner feel uneasy or put undue pressure on them.

This is why employers should have clear guidelines to manage these dynamics as they relate to workplace relationships - to prevent people from unjustly using their power to influence others.

What guidelines should employers put in place to manage workplace relationships?

All employers should have a workplace relationship policy in place, whether you approve or disapprove of them. There needs to be a clear policy to ensure everyone knows the rules and expectations:

Create a clear policy: Develop a comprehensive workplace relationship policy that defines expectations, outlines disclosure requirements, and sets boundaries, particularly for relationships involving reporting lines.
Address power imbalances: Prohibit or restrict romantic relationships where one person has authority over the other’s employment decisions, such as hiring, promotions, or compensation, to prevent favouritism or abuse of power.
Require disclosure: Ask employees to disclose personal relationships so that HR or management can manage potential conflicts of interest and ensure fairness across the workplace.
Prioritize a safe environment: Ensure that all policies support a respectful, inclusive, and safe workplace culture, protecting employees from harassment, discrimination, or uncomfortable situations.

A final word on workplace relationships and power dynamics

Workplace relationships can be positive and meaningful, but they also bring unique challenges that employers and employees must carefully manage. Set clear expectations and guidelines that protect professionalism, fairness, and workplace safety.

Want to set up a workplace relationship policy? Reach out to AugmentHR, and we can help you with all your HR service needs.

Cheryl Petruk is a senior HR Consultant with AugmentHR, an HR consulting firm centered in Toronto serving North American clients. Cheryl provides strategic guidance to clients across various industries, offering tailored solutions in HR policy development, recruitment and retention strategies, employee relations, organizational design, and leadership development.