The conventional wisdom on office romances has long been straightforward: Just don’t.
But just last week, a New York Times opinion piece, titled “Go On, Date Your Coworkers,” encouraged it, and begs the question: Is workplace dating no longer taboo?
That’s the question we posed to D.V. Williams, chief people officer at Match Group, in the debut episode of Fortune Office Hours, a new series appearing in this newsletter and on video. As I mentioned this spring, we’re sourcing real workplace scenarios and asking top HR leaders to weigh in.
Transparency is key when it comes to office relationships, Williams says. Employees who wish to enter into one should understand their company’s policy and speak with HR about any disclosure requirements. Just as important, he says, is keeping any resulting “relationship drama” out of the office.
Would Williams’ advice be different if he didn’t work at Match, where relationships are core to its DNA?
“I’ve had this philosophy for many years, and I’ve worked across a lot of different industries,” he says. “[A workplace relationship] only gets messy when things are hidden or you haven’t had the right conversations to understand that company’s policy. Other than that, it should be fun.”
Going forward, you’ll find Fortune Office Hours as a regular feature in this newsletter. If you have a workplace situation that you’re unsure how to navigate or a scenario worth unpacking, send it our way via this form.
And if you’re a people leader or workplace expert interested in sharing their perspective, I’d also like to hear from you. Reach out at my email address below.
Kristin Stoller
Editorial Director, Fortune Live Media
[email protected]
Around the Table
A round-up of the most important HR headlines.
The same executives claiming AI will lead to four-day workweeks are also the ones demanding more hours from employees. New York Times
Gen X bosses are disengaging, while Gen Z talent is quitting. It’s because of this big communication mistake. Inc.
Companies are tapping internal “AI champions” to help encourage reluctant colleagues to use the new tech. Wall Street Journal
Watercooler
Everything you need to know from Fortune.
Senior selection. New AI startups are hiring fewer entry-level talent in favor of older workers with top degrees. —Emma Burleigh
Employee shortage. Labor force participation has fallen to the lowest in 50 years outside Covid—and it’s not just because workers are giving up. —Catherine Gioino
AI slog. Companies still don’t know how to integrate AI in a holistic way, and the bottleneck is leaders. —Sheryl Estrada
