Love contract - Pros and Cons

v Workplace romantic relationship may affect the performance of the employees. Employers may try to make sure personal relationship does not affect their performance through “love contract”

But relating performance with relationship is really superfluous. There are many situations where work place relationships motivate employees to put in a much more dedicated concentrated effort. In today’s ever increasing working hours, employees get little time to spend at home with their near and dear ones. So, couples working in the same organization can maintain a better work life balance compared to their counterparts.

Many organizations also are favouring this idea nowadays. In the organization where I worked, employees are awarded some bonuses if they marry someone within the organization.

v Another issue that employers may want to address is Favouritism. Favouritism exists in the workplace. But favouritism is not confined to love and sex. Family relations and office friends can also upset co-workers' sense of fairness and end up undermining the organization's performance. Such dilemmas are acute in a family business, when a founder who is choosing a successor must decide whether to favour his son or daughter or search outside for a better qualified manager.

But to avoid this organizations need not come up with a love contract. They can make sure through some HR policy that the promotion, recognition of a particular employee will not be decided by someone in close relationship with him/her. They can easily be put under different supervisors. If it is unavoidable then promotion, recognition be handled by a person or committee outside the command under which the subordinate works.

v But problem arises when one relationship ends and one party blames the other on sexual harassment. The name of the organization often gets involved in these situations which can carry serious legal – and financial - consequences. Love contract can be effective under such circumstances to safeguard the organization from legal issues.

v But organizations should keep in mind that no policy or contract was effective if it was forced on them. A proper communication should be made that the company is not against the relationships but the negative consequences of it. HR has to play an important role to develop this environment of trust. Just signing a contract will never overcome human feelings and impulses.