Love is still in the air at India Inc workplaces despite work-from-home driving wedge

“Long hours are spent at work with a common goal set to be achieved. This results in a feeling of connection,” Dr Harini Atturu, a psychiatrist at Hyderabad-based CARE Hospitals.

Initially, this brings a lot of productivity, however, she said this leads to intimacy and ‘slips’ in the relationship in the long term. However, presently youth has less tolerance for each other resulting in quick divorce, she added.

“They are happy to maintain workplace romance as it is less hassle compared to marriage,” she added.

What do employees and HR think?

To spend more time with his girlfriend, Jaipur-based Prithviraj Singh (name changed), 26, recommended her to his firm for a job role within the same team in 2019. She joined the organisation the same month. However, things didn't happen the way Singh imagined.

“Employees usually discuss their workplace issues with their dear ones. But what if that dear friend is a colleague? The trust factor comes into play,” he told Moneycontrol, adding, “We usually fail to understand why everyone is discouraged from interlinking personal and professional lives.”

The pandemic came as a blessing in disguise for Singh and his love interest. With both living separately, the relationship boomed. “Work from home minimised the instance of politics at the workplace. We were still together the same way but more connected.”

Nevertheless, Singh’s relationship ended after two years of the successful romantic association because it was no longer a secret. “When it was revealed to the team through a colleague, we both thought of disclosing it to HR, however, the firm had a policy that only one can continue employment – even after marriage,” he said.

Singh said his girlfriend decided to leave but the process wasn't smooth. “We fought for over three months on this because she thought I wasted her career. It all ended afterwards,” he said.

Virtual interactions

The dominance of social media in people’s lives is also adding another dimension to workplace relationships.

At approximately 7.3 hours per day of screen time, Indians are using their smartphones for various purposes, but mostly for online messaging, social media, etc, a Redseer Strategy Consultants report said.

Another report by the dating application Tinder found that 47 percent of Indian singles feel more virtually creative in 2021 than in 2020. Around 68 percent of Gen Z Indians also felt that it was easier to make connections online and 67 percent agreed that meeting new people online was liberating.

“Falling in love without a meeting is now more prevalent than ever. The comfort with virtual interaction is a lot higher than the previous generations. Doubt that lack of constant personal presence will be an issue,” said Bengaluru-based Amit Sharma, an HR expert working at a multinational IT firm.

One of Sharma’s cousins has a “meme relationship” where the couple is funny on text but a little awkward in person.

India Inc and romance

The reported cases of termination due to non-disclosure of workplace relationships are fewer, especially among Indian firms due to various factors. 28-year-old Prerna Reddy (name changed) claims she was made to resign as she failed to disclose a romantic relationship with her junior.

“I was given a choice: To be fired and carry the baggage of not finding employment anywhere or resign ‘due to personal reasons’ to pursue a job at some other place’. I choose the latter,” Reddy told Moneycontrol.

Besides, firing due to workplace romance has negative connotations among the newer generation. Hence, though policies discourage romance in the workplace, it is not outwardly spoken about by employers. Experts believe this has more to do with the employer branding concept as post-pandemic the most flexible brand succeeds in talent attraction and retention.

In this, the “jugaad” factor finds its way. Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) recently launched the matrimonial portal for its employees in January 2023 and a couple got married the next month.

Similarly, Vedanta Aluminium’s ‘Spouse Recruitment’ policy enables employees to recommend their spouses for a job role at the company. But these can be categorised as talent retention policies.

But when everything is virtual, should HR be concerned about a workplace romance?

The way Vishal Sharma, head of HR – Asia at Aditya Birla Chemicals faces challenges of distraction at the workplace in a physical environment and issues of productivity and gossip, he believes HR will face the same in a virtual environment.

Advocating for transparency of disclosure, he said employees get protection in case of any untoward incidents or mud-slinging. “Movement like #Metoo tells us that there has to be some protection for all couples in case of fallout.”

Also, Sharma warns employees who believe in multiple relationships. “They need to be cautioned because this will lead to distraction and loss of productivity.” — something companies won’t like and tolerate.

For instance, Phaneesh Murthy was sacked by IT company iGate in 2013 for violating company policy by failing to report a relationship with a fellow employee who claimed sexual harassment and former CEO of McDonald’s Steve Easterbrook was fired over his consensual relationship with another employee.

Echoing Sharma's point, Sharan Gudipati, an HR expert and founder of Hire Phoenix Consulting, said it does not matter if romance is in virtual mode as long as employee productivity is maintained. “Hence, I don’t foresee any drastic changes implemented by HR,” he said.