Colleen C. MalachowskiRebecca M. Chory

Christopher J. Claus

West Virginia University

Workplace Romance (WR)

“a relationship between two members of the same organization that is perceived by a third party to be characterized by sexual attraction” (Quinn, 1977)

Past Research: Horan & Chory 3rd party perceptions of heterosexual & homosexual WR

co-workers dating superiors vs. peers… Less interpersonal solidarity Trusted less More information manipulation Less credibility

future research Fairness WR motives Other partner status types

Research Design IVs (2 X 4 experimental design)

Sex of co-worker male, female

Status of co-worker’s WR partner superior, peer, subordinate, outsider

DVs 3 rd party perceptions of a hypothetical co-worker in a WR

WR motives Unfair advantages

3 rd party responses to a hypothetical co-worker in a WR Trust Information Manipulation

Method Heterosexual WR Scenario: “Think of the organization you

currently work in. [X] is at the same job level you are—(s)he is not your superior nor your subordinate. Imagine that you recently learned that [X] is dating your [peer/superior/subordinate/ outsider] named [X].”

212 working adults Recruited through students Online

Results: WR MotivesH1: Co-worker dating superior vs. other status…

more driven by job motives – SUPPORTED less driven by love motives – SUPPORTED more driven by ego motives – SUPPORTED

for superior vs. outsider

Results: Unfair Advantages

H2: Co-worker dating superior vs. other status… more likely to receive unfair advantages– SUPPORTED; dating subordinate vs. outsider also more likely to receive unfair advantages

Results: Trust

H3: Trust a co-worker dating superior vs. other status less– SUPPORTED

Results: Information Manipulation

H4: Co-worker dating superior vs. other status… less honest/accurate self-disclosures w/co-worker –

SUPPORTED more deception w/co-worker – SUPPORTED for

superior vs. outsider

Results: Mediating VariablesRelationships between status of co-worker’s WR

partner & information manipulation mediated by H5: unfair advantages – SUPPORTED partner status unfair advantages info manipulation

H6: WR motives – SUPPORTED for job & love partner status job motive info manipulation partner status love motive info manipulation

H7: trust – SUPPORTED partner status trust info manipulation

Results: WR Co-Worker SexRQ1-4: Differences by sex of WR co-worker in…

WR motives? ns unfair advantages? ns trust? ns information manipulation? ns

Results: Sex X StatusRQ5: Co-worker sex and status of co-worker’s

WR partner interact to affect… WR motives? Lower love motives attributed to male

co-workers dating superiors than to co-workers dating other status types

unfair advantages? ns trust? ns information manipulation? ns

DiscussionNegative evaluative, relational, communicative

consequences for co-workers dating superiors

Equity Theory

Privacy rule violations, info leakage concerns

Implications Sexuality, gender in organizations

Work-life balance, public-private sphere split

May be best for employees to uphold the public-private split

Manage perceptions through transparency, healthy suspicion, broadening one’s network