People spend a lot of time with their colleagues, making it inevitable that some working relationships may turn into romantic ones. However, they can pose potential risks to both employers and employees if, for example, they result in favouritism or unfair treatment, or if relationships between colleagues are conducted inappropriately or end badly. These risks are potentially greater if romantic relationships occur between a manager and a more junior staff member, particularly if they work within the same team or on the same project.

This factsheet looks at how employers can establish clear policies and procedures around relationships in the workplace, whilst respecting employees’ right to a private life.

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This factsheet was last updated by Lisa Ayling and Rachel Suff.

Lisa Ayling: solicitor and employment law specialist

Lisa is a lawyer with many years’ experience of contentious and non‐contentious employment law. As well as writing and editing employment law content for the CIPD, Lisa lectures extensively on employment law, including years as a senior lecturer and leader of the employment team at BPP University and on the LLM programme at Kingston University. 

Rachel Suff: Senior Employee Relations Adviser, CIPD

Rachel informs CIPD policy thinking on health and wellbeing as well as employment relations. She has over 25 years’ experience in the employment and HR arena.

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