What The Standard Fraternisation Policy Should Look Like?

Fraternisation policies are beginning to form as one of the key points that define any workplace. Without a proper fraternisation policy, a company is rendered void of a lot of benefits. Many people don’t realise that workplace relationships are one of the most successful relationships in the life of many people. 

A lot of people have verified that workplace relationships make a lot more sense than others since the couple are likely to spend more time together, be together through a lot of hardships, and also share many interests and have a lot in common. 

Therefore, it is natural that workplace relationships flourish if done correctly. But it is important to scrutinise it to ensure that the other employees at work don’t face any issues because of this and that it doesn’t disrupt their workflow. Generally, fraternisation policy for the workplace helps regulate the benefits of a workplace relationship and helps in boosting your brand.

What should fraternisation policy include?

The fraternisation policy should have clear cut points and should not be ambiguous. It is important to frame it with care to ensure that it covers everything that you might face and states the penalties for the same. 

Making this policy absolute and unambiguous is one of the key factors in the formation of this policy.

• Don’t allow a romantic relationship between a manager and his employee. It does not benefit the company and in the long run, can take turns that can prove more devastating than anything. Ensuring that a person on the higher level of the hierarchy is not with the person on the lower level of the hierarchy is important to maintain the sanctity of the business.
• No matter what department or the relationship, don’t allow dating between employees that differ in at least two levels on the chain of command. Due to the previously stated reasons, this can be extremely toxic and can affect the environment of the company greatly.
• Define what kind of behaviour is acceptable in the work premises and what is not. This is important to lay boundaries and ensure that those out of the relationship are not bothered or affected by those in them.
• State proper rules that define what will happen on the breach of any rules of the policy. This is important to make sure that those in a relationship are clear with how they have to regulate their conduct to meet the company demands and work accordingly.
• State how the employee must carry on with the policy and explain the various ways in which he is expected to stick by the code of conduct. It is important to teach your employee about those rules briefly so that he can walk through them and understand them in a better manner.

Fraternisation policy sample

It is extremely important to construct a fraternisation policy for the workplace to understand the various ways in which a workplace relationship can be carried forward in your company. For this, here is a fraternisation policy sample which you can alter based on your requirements to ensure that it fits you and your company values.

• The company employees are allowed to be in a relationship and develop friendships with people within the company however, it must be ensured that the employees outside of the relationship are not affected and there is no negative impact on the business.
• Any relationship that does not go with the company culture and reduces the teamwork or productivity of the employees will be addressed with rigorous punishments and in worse cases termination.
• There is a no-tolerance policy for any wrongful attitude or behaviour in the workplace that arises due to a personal relationship or a feud in the relationship.
• People at the managerial posts need to ensure that they don’t form a relationship with any employee that reports to them or works under them since it will not be tolerated and will be considered by the company as favouritism, misuse of the power and responsibilities and at times sexual harassment of the junior employee. Therefore they are not supported and neither will be tolerated.
• Considering the above-stated reasons, no employee should date anyone above his/her chain of command no matter the department. Even if the person is not your boss but his counterpart, the relationship is not tolerated and is not viewed as an ethical workplace relationship.
• The employee must not be in a relationship with anyone who is handling any benefits that are provided to him/her including any benefits, pay raises and promotions including other such benefits. So if the terms and conditions of employment of the employee are ruled by the person, they can't be in a relationship.
• Under this policy, all types of fraternisation including close friendships, relationships, dating or having sexual relations are counted. The company discourages and disapproves of any close friendship or other relationship between an employee and his reporting employee.
• Anyone who fails to adhere to this policy stands to be accountable for his actions and be punished for the same. This can also include termination of the employee from the firm and other such disciplinary actions depending on the severity of the misconduct.

Final words

Having a fraternisation policy for the workplace is extremely necessary and also forms as the founding stone to many prosperous and successful relationships. Some surveys have proven that a healthy workplace relationship has positively boosted the camaraderie, teamwork and productivity of the employees.

This is because of the good impact that it lays on the other employees. Also, being together for so long and working together is difficult and people who can do this often end up in the best possible relationships. 

However, laying proper policies for employee conduct is very important to keep the company safe from any future issues including lawsuits that can be filed. Especially after the ‘#MeToo’ movement wherein workplace harassment was featured, the importance of a strong and well-adhered to fraternisation policy is a must and should be the need of the hour for the firms without it. 

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