Workplace Romance: Generational Attitudes, Policy Effectiveness, and Organizational Outcomes
Explore the dynamics of workplace romance, focusing on generational attitudes, the effectiveness of employee romance policies, and their impact on organizational outcomes. Discover insightful research topic ideas to navigate this complex issue.
QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE RESEARCH
Realyn Manalo
5/26/20253 min read
In today’s evolving professional landscape, workplace romance continues to be a contentious topic. While historically viewed as a potential source of disruption, recent perspectives suggest it may also serve as a catalyst for increased job engagement and satisfaction—depending on context. Despite global trends of professional boundary redefinition and changing social norms, the intersection of personal relationships and workplace dynamics remains underexplored in many organizational and cultural settings. As younger generations enter the workforce with different social expectations and openness to interpersonal connection, understanding how workplace romance is perceived, managed, and operationalized has become a pressing issue for human resource professionals, managers, and scholars alike. The complex interplay between relationship hierarchies, institutional policy, and cultural norms underscores the need to reassess how organizations balance employee privacy with professional conduct expectations.
Who Can Use These Topics
This research is ideal for students and professionals pursuing the following courses or strands:
College Programs:
BS Psychology
BSBA Human Resource Management
BA Communication
BA Sociology
BS Public Administration
Senior High School Strands:
Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS)
General Academic Strand (GAS)
Why This Topic Needs Research
This research addresses key gaps found in current literature:
Lack of empirical studies on cross-generational responses to workplace romance: While Murray (2022) offered valuable synthesis, studies have not yet explored how generational identity influences comfort, resistance, or engagement with romance-related policies in varying professional sectors.
Unexplored organizational narratives behind industry-specific perceptions: Although Chory et al. (2025) revealed industry differences in reputational risks, the underlying communication strategies and organizational messaging shaping these beliefs remain uninvestigated.
Underexamined HR policy effectiveness across cultural and economic contexts: Panigrahy et al. (2024) proposed policy interventions, but their empirical application in small businesses or in the Global South has not been tested.
Insufficient cross-cultural validation of workplace romance outcomes: While Abdalla and Agustina (2025) found positive outcomes in healthcare, it remains unclear whether other industries or national cultures experience similar performance boosts or face unique challenges.
Neglected employee experiences in legally conservative environments: Çatalkaya and Heper (2024) critiqued inconsistent legal interpretations, yet no study has captured how employees emotionally and practically navigate privacy breaches linked to workplace affairs.
Geographical limitations in workplace romance literature: Horan et al. (2024) focused on major U.S. cities. There remains a need to assess rural, class-based, and conservative communities where social and professional boundaries may be stricter.
Gender imbalance in narrative and impact analysis: Sukmahaningtyas and Syaebani (2024) centered on male perspectives, leaving female interpretations, coping mechanisms, and experiences of workplace affairs largely unexamined.
Feasibility & Challenges by Target Group
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References
Abdalla, P. A., & Agustina, T. S. (2025). The Effect of Workplace Romance on Job Performance Mediated by Job Engagement Among Employees: Case Study From PKU Muhammadiyah Hospital Surabaya, Indonesia. Golden Ratio of Human Resource Management, 5(1), 141-152.
Çatalkaya, D. U., & Heper, H. (2024, January). Romantic Relationships In The Workplace: A Critical Approach To The Turkish Courts’ Case Law On The Employee’s Right To Respect For Private Life. In Annales de la Faculté de Droit d’Istanbul (No. 74, pp. 155-182). Istanbul University.
Chory, R. M., Mainiero, L., & Horan, S. M. (2025). Workplace romance and career reputation effects across industries. International Journal of Business Communication, 62(1), 84-105.
Horan, S. M., Chory, R. M., Craw, E. S., & Mainiero, L. (2024). Workplace romance policies, behaviors, and reputational beliefs: experiences of employees from major US cities. Communication Quarterly, 72(2), 121-147.
Murray, A. (2022). Issues with romance in the workplace environment. Canadian Journal of Family and Youth/Le Journal Canadien de Famille et de la Jeunesse, 14(2), 41-50.
Panigrahy, N. P., Jena, L. K., & Priyadarshini, R. G. (2025). Straight from the heart and “out of mind”: strategies for managers to navigate workplace romance. Strategic HR Review, 24(2), 69-74.
Sukmahaningtyas, R. A., & Syaebani, M. I. (2024). Love Affair at Workplace: How Motif and Type Linked to Employee Work Behaviour in Male Employee Experience. Quantitative Economics and Management Studies, 5(4), 741-751.