Majority of Indians think office romance bad for career:Report

When it comes to romance at workplace, many say 'I don't', as a poll by job portal Monster.Com has found that majority of respondents think dating a colleague can harm their career.
According to the job portal, 39 per cent of respondents believe romance at office can harm their career and they would never date a colleague, while 19 per cent believe its harmful, but they would date a colleague anyway.
Moreover, 15 per cent of respondents said that office romance is not harmful, but they would never date a colleague while 27 per cent of respondents answered its not harmful and they would date a colleague.

"... Classically an Indian chooses career over a casual fling but having said that there are examples of many Indians finding their soul mates at work," Monster.Com India/Middle East/ Southeast Asia Managing Director Sanjay Modi said.
Meanwhile, according to a separate survey by CareerBuilder.Co.In three in ten Indian workers have dated a co-worker.
The Monster.Com survey further said that respondents from the US were the most opposed to office romances. More than half (52 per cent) believe office romances are harmful and would never consider dating a colleague.

49 per cent of French respondents said they would throw caution to the wind and pursue a colleague anyway provided there is a mutual attraction.

Around 35 per cent believe office flings are harmless and would date a colleague, and only 24 per cent are wary of office romances and would not consider one.
Seniority plays a very important factor. Dating between employees at the same company, when either one works for the other or is in a more senior position, can be very controversial and many companies prohibit it.
According to SHRM (Society for Human Resource Management), when it comes to workplace romance, organisations are primarily concerned about real or perceived favouritism, potential for claims of sexual harassment, and potential for retaliation.
In the past five years, 40 per cent of organisations have received complaints of favouritism from co-workers of those involved in a workplace romance; nearly one-fourth (23 per cent) have received claims of sexual harassment, and 22 per cent have received complaints of retaliation, SHRM said.

Concerns about lowered productivity and about workplace romances being viewed as unprofessional decreased from 52 per cent and 58 per cent in 2005 to 29 per cent and 29 per cent in 2013, it added.