BUSINESSES across the UK are turning to Employersafe in a bid to clampdown on workplace relationships. 

Clients already using the software to tackle absenteeism and help guide them through the complexities of employment law have been calling Employment Law Advisory Services to find out what it can do to weed out office romances. 

Around nine in 10 companies think workplace relationships are bad for business, and now Employersafe has been updated to use patterns in workers’ absence to identify any secret relationships. 

“It never occurred to us to use the Employersafe software to track possible office romances,” explained Employment Law Advisory Services, Peter Mooney. 

“There is nothing in Employment law to suggest employers should either ban or encourage relationships – it is purely a matter of choice for them. 

“But we were getting more and more calls asking us whether there was anything employers could do to spot relationships where they are discouraged, so we developed a tool to help them.” 

Now, whenever colleagues are absent at the same time – whether through sickness or official holiday – Employersafe highlights the fact to their employers. 

And for employers who ban relationships through a clause in their contracts, this could mean disciplining – or even firing – staff for breach of contract. 

Employersafe was launched in 2005 as a means of reducing the burden of red tape on businesses, and particularly small and medium sized companies. 

By using simple on screen traffic lights, the software alerts employers when they face a potential or critical problem, then breaks down complex regulations into easy to follow, step by step guides. 

Workplace romance – Why Cupid can be bad for business. 

There are a number of reasons more and more businesses choose to ban relationships between colleagues.  

Here are some of the most common, and most serious:

In environments where security is a high priority – such as in banks – the amount of damage that can be done by two people working closely together is far greater than can be caused by one person alone.

Staff who are in the first throes of a romance are more likely to be distracted if their partner is facing them either across the desk, across a crowded office or are even in the same building.

By banning relationships, employers reduce the opportunity for workers to shower colleagues with unwanted attention – something, which can, ultimately, lead to claims of sexual harassment.