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FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla., January 24, 2008 — Although many American workers will be searching for love this Valentines Day, fewer will be looking for it in the workplace than in years past, according to the latest Spherion® Workplace Snapshot survey conducted by Harris Interactive®. Just over one-third (36 percent) of U.S. workers would consider dating a coworker if they were single, a number that has steadily declined from 42 percent in January 2005 and 39 percent in January 2006 and 2007. Female workers in particular are less likely to consider dating coworkers, with only 28 percent stating so, compared with 43 percent of men.
“This year’s survey results are quite intriguing given the decline in both the consideration of and the perceived jeopardy of workplace romances over the past four years,” says John Heins, senior vice president and chief human resources officer at Spherion. “We believe that an increasing number of employers have begun to acknowledge the potential for and existence of workplace dating and have put measures in place to properly manage these relationships. This includes training workers, providing guidelines and written policies. As a result, workers view on-the-job dating as less damaging to their job security or career advancement as long as they follow the guidelines. When employers clearly communicate their policies and procedures and provide appropriate training, workers better understand what is expected and can make better decisions related to performance or conduct.”
Cupid’s Bow “On the Down Low”
When it comes to secrecy and office romance, of the 39 percent of workers who report having had had a workplace romance, 39 percent say it was conducted in the open, while 30 percent claimed they kept it a secret. Female workers were more likely to describe their romance as secretive, with 35 percent reporting this, compared to 25 percent of males.
Spherion Corporation (NYSE:SFN) is a leading recruiting and staffing company that provides integrated solutions to meet the evolving needs of companies and job candidates. As an industry pioneer for more than 60 years, Spherion has sourced, screened and placed millions of individuals in temporary, temp-to-hire and full-time jobs. Positions range from administrative and light industrial to a host of professions that include accounting/finance, information technology, engineering, manufacturing, legal, human resources and sales/marketing.
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