42% of UK Workers Admit to Cheating on Their Partner With a Colleague at Work. Of Those, 67% Claim to Have Had an Affair With Their Manager

LONDON, February 13, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --

Alan Price, group director of Peninsula said today "Cheating employees are putting more than just their relationships on the line, their careers could also be in jeopardy. The stain left on an employee's record as the result of a messy HR dispute could potentially limit their progression through an organisation, or even result in being overlooked for a position at a different company."

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Price continues, "Employees should take caution when considering romantic involvement, of any kind, with an employee from the same organisation; and be reminded of the potential strain it may cause for themselves, and other employees. Managers should be particularly wary of the consequences as they hold a position of responsibility and authority within a company; a factor that could be taken into account if a relationship turns sour and a HR dispute erupts into allegations of sexual harassment."

"You have to really consider the consequences of your actions. Exciting though the prospect may be to have an "office fling", you have to take into account - who is going to be affected by the whole ordeal? What will the impact on your reputation be? And, how will this affect your career?"

Price concludes, "Take caution when considering mixing romance and work, the risks may almost certainly outweigh the benefits and the consequences may prove catastrophic for both employee and employer. Employers should take steps to educate employees on inter-office romances, sexual harassment and the company's expectation of conduct and professionalism.  Though a company will never realistically stop its employees from engaging in inter-office relationships, with a little common sense and sensitivity - reputations and occupations may remain intact."

Notes to editor: 

- Peninsula questioned 1827 employees via its telephony advice service from November 2014 to February 2015.

- Peninsula is an employment law and HR consultancy based in Manchester

- Alan Price is group director of Peninsula

- For further clarification or an interview with Alan Price please contact Sammual-James McLoughlin or Matthew Treacy on +44(0)161-827-8511.