Navigating Cupid’s arrow in your dealership

I’ve only met a handful of people who feel they can work with their spouse or partner. In my own business, I’ve loved having the opportunity to work closely with my wife, but I know it’s not for everyone.

As an HR manager or Dealer Principal, managing personal, romantic relationships within your team can be a delicate matter. While you want to respect personal lives, you also need to ensure that the workplace remains professional and free from any unnecessary awkwardness, discrimination or harassment.

The first step to managing these circumstances in the workplace is to establish a clear policy. This policy should set out what is and isn’t acceptable behaviour, including rules around public displays of affection, dating within the same department or reporting chain, and the obligation to disclose the relationship to management.

By setting clear expectations, you can help to prevent misunderstandings or confusion.

Being discreet regarding personal, romantic relationships between co-workers is also important. This means keeping the details of any relationships confidential and not discussing them with other employees unless those involved are open about it.

One of the most significant issues with personal, romantic relationships in the workplace is the potential for conflicts of interest. For example, if a manager is in a relationship with a subordinate or co-workers in the same department are dating, there can be perceptions of favouritism or unequal treatment. Moving one of the employees to a different department or team may be necessary to avoid any conflicts of interest.

Sexual harassment is often covered in onboarding and workplace behaviour policies, but sometimes it can stem from a previous relationship. Suppose an employee is experiencing unwanted advances or uncomfortable behaviour from a co-worker with whom they have had a previous romantic relationship. In that case, it’s essential to address the situation. This may include disciplinary action, separation of the employees, or other measures.

Finally, it’s empathetic and considerate to offer support to employees who may be going through a breakup – both inside or outside of your dealership. Personal, romantic relationships can sometimes end in heartbreak, affecting workplace productivity and morale. By providing employees with access to resources such as counselling or employee assistance programs, you can help them to navigate this difficult time.

Managing relationships between co-workers requires a delicate touch. By establishing clear policies, being discreet, addressing conflicts of interest and harassment, and offering support, you can maintain a professional workplace while respecting employees’ personal lives. People are people, and things will never run as smoothly as we hope, but when we have boundaries and guidelines in place, it can make it much easier to communicate a way forward.