Human Resource Management & Workplace Essay

The U.S. Supreme Court has given employers "little choice" in the matter, Boyd explains. If a company "can prove" they took "reasonable care" in order to prevent or to correct inappropriate behavior, under the law they have (in many cases) "safe harbor" from punitive damages (Boyd, p. 332). The author states that sexual harassment training "…has evolved to become an ornate administrative display which has the appearance of concern…" but which in fact is "expedient in that it mitigates employer liabilities in any future court cases" (p. 332).

Charles a. Pierce, Professor of Management at the University of Memphis, offers another approach for HR managers in his article published by Human Resources Management. He asserts that "nearly 10 million workplace romances develop annually" in the U.S. And "about 40% of employees" have had a workplace romance (Pierce, et al., 2009, p. 448). The reasonable and logical point of Pierce's article is that there are better ways for HR managers to deal with workplace romances. Pierce lists 20 studies and the implications of those studies for HR leaders. Many of the studies took the "legal-centric" position that workplace romances lead to harassment lawsuits, hence the emphasis on harassment training. But Pierce explains that only 4% of HR professionals surveyed by SHRM reported that sexual harassment claims actually led to litigation.

Conclusion

Pierce (p. 457) also writes that because "more than 70% of U.S. organizations do not have a written policy on workplace romance," the first step in dealing with workplace dating is to develop "and enforce" policies that all employees must read and understand. The policy seems fair and reasonable and well thought out. The policy should explain: a) what types of romances are prohibited (supervisor-subordinate); b) what types are discouraged (extramarital affairs); c) what types of relationships are permitted or encouraged (romances between peers from different departments); and what actions management will take when violations are discovered.

If these policies had been in place in the workplace where I experienced an unfortunate turn of events, I would have abided by them and everyone would have understood what management expected and that the HR department was firm and clear in its policy position.

Works Cited

Appelbaum, Steven H., Marinescu, Ana, Klenin, Julia, and Bytautas, Justin. (2007). Fatal

Attractions: The (Mis) Management of Workplace Romance. International Journal of Business Research, VII (4), 31-43.

Boyd, C. (2010). The Debate Over the Prohibition of Romance in the Workplace. Journal of Business Ethics, 97(2), 325-338.

Mathis, Robert L., and Jackson,…