Pellau Magazine

I remember years ago when I started OJT the opening meeting was about rules in the workplace and one suggestion I live with even up to today is to avoid office relationships!

<p>A friend told me that when she started her job at a big</p>
<p>company, a family friend, who also worked there, pulled her aside to give her some advice.</p>
<p>Many people in their workplace had affairs, he said, and he&#8217;d seen lots of relationships break up. He&#8217;d kept his own marriage strong by following some rules, and he urged her to keep them too:</p>
<p>1. Never take a first step in flirtation, even in jest.</p>
<p>2. Never have more than one drink with people from work.</p>
<p>3. Never allow yourself to have a &#8220;special friend&#8221; of the attractive sex (sometimes called a &#8220;work spouse&#8221;) to whom you turn for particular support.</p>
<p>4. Unless it&#8217;s an unmistakably professional context, don&#8217;t meet alone with a colleague or client of the attractive sex. When a client calls with tickets for the baseball game, don&#8217;t go in a twosome.</p>
<p>Here are two additional tips:</p>
<p>5. Imagine your spouse/partner as audience &#8211; cc&#8217;d on the email, walking suddenly into the conference room. If you&#8217;d feel uncomfortable in that situation, you&#8217;ve crossed some line.</p>
<p>6. If you develop a close relationship with someone, get to know his or her family.</p>
<p>People sometimes assume that it&#8217;s straightforward to decide, &#8220;I'd never have an affair&#8221; &#8211; that it&#8217;s just a matter of good character and solid values. But temptation can sometimes arise over a very long period of time, and not look the way we expect. Gradually, slowly, a relationship&#8217;s nature changes. Or sometimes a very stressful or intense moment creates a sudden energy which, in the right environment, can lead to an affair.</p>
<p>Do you agree with these tips? Do you think they&#8217;re too restrictive? Would you suggest other strategies?</p>
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