Is this standard in the workplace?

Gavin83

There was a married pair of teachers when I went to school and it didn't seem to cause any issues. I've also worked in several offices with couples.

My current workplace had a married couple where the husband was the wife's manager. I'm not sure I really agree with that as I can't see how you could be impartial in a dispute. You always found he would naturally back up his wife before anyone else.

roses

A very long time ago at my school, two teachers were married then the husband had an affair with a student..........

Primrose

Relationahips in the workplace will always happen but it's up to individuals to be discreet. Believe me, you will understand why policies like this are published when members of the HR department start having relationahips with other employees. The whole comoany will start thinking that x, y or z has pillow talk access to everybody's personal files and salaries and trust in confidentiality completely breaks down. And nobody will go to HR with a genuine issue any more for fear it will be leaked and their reputation as a professional department goes through the basement floor.

catkins

I've never worked in a school but offices I have worked in often had a rule that colleagues couldn't date each other. If they did, they would be told that one had to leave. Not sure how they would have enforced that though

KARO

miss_independent wrote: »

Growing up, some of my teachers were married to each other and I've seen similar things amongst doctors, dentists and other professionals.

I may be wrong but I think the NHS had to take measures to prevent this from happening or at least to strongly discourage it, due to consultants having extra-marital flings with their female medical students! The ethics of entering into such a relationship are very dubious, from a workplace perspective as well. Having said that, two GPs at my old surgery were married. When you asked for an appointment with Dr Smith (for example) you always had to give the first name, too, so that they knew which one you wanted to see.



As far as schools are concerned, my art teacher used to be quite open about the fact that she fancied the sociology teacher :rotfl: I don't know of any married teachers, but I can imagine that perhaps there were problems following on from some teachers dating each other at OP's school, and hence the head felt the need to write up this policy.



I think as long as you're discreet about it, and mature enough to deal with the consequences should the relationship go pear-shaped, it shouldn't be a problem, though I'm not sure I'd want to date a colleague myself. Nor a housemate!! :eek:

miss_independent

KARO wrote: »

I may be wrong but I think the NHS had to take measures to prevent this from happening or at least to strongly discourage it, due to consultants having extra-marital flings with their female medical students! The ethics of entering into such a relationship are very dubious, from a workplace perspective as well. Having said that, two GPs at my old surgery were married. When you asked for an appointment with Dr Smith (for example) you always had to give the first name, too, so that they knew which one you wanted to see.



As far as schools are concerned, my art teacher used to be quite open about the fact that she fancied the sociology teacher :rotfl: I don't know of any married teachers, but I can imagine that perhaps there were problems following on from some teachers dating each other at OP's school, and hence the head felt the need to write up this policy.



I think as long as you're discreet about it, and mature enough to deal with the consequences should the relationship go pear-shaped, it shouldn't be a problem, though I'm not sure I'd want to date a colleague myself. Nor a housemate!! :eek:

Thanks KARO,

Things may have changed but I grew up around dozens of married couples who worked for the NHS as my parents are in the medical profession and met whilst working in the same hospital unit (not the same ward however). So all my parents' friends were working for the NHS and married or living together! Some were both doctors or both nurses, a few consultants married their nurses or secretaries etc. And yes, over the years there have been the kinds of affairs you mentioned but personally I never knew of a ban and I have a few friends who became doctors who married other doctors that they worked with or were at medical school with. But maybe this is a recent change?

I suppose that's why I found the rule so strange lol. Because, if that kind of rule existed when my parents met, I would never have been born!

Thanks for your opinions everybody.

C_Mababejive

I'll bet the headmaster wouldnt mind if he was getting a bit on the side from Ms Prodworthy the gym mistress..

pollypenny

I don't think I'd like to work in a school where the head wanted to treat me, a professional, like a naughty teenager.