Sexuality in the workplace: where do we stand?

Increasingly, organizational leaders must face the perplexing problem of dealing with sexual relationships in the workplace. Given recent changes in the composition of our workforce, there is a critical need for leaders to manage sexual workplace relationships and to do so in a way that acknowledges both individual and organizational needs. As a result, organizations must distinguish between appropriate and inappropriate sexual behaviors. For organizations to set effective and realistic behavioral guidelines, it is imperative that leaders gain a clearer understanding of the issues that surround sexuality in the workplace. In response to this need, this article discusses the characteristics of sexual workplace relationships, explain the individual and organizational factors that encourage these relationships to form, and outline the individual and organizational consequences that are likely to ensue. Lastly, this article evaluates some contemporary approaches to managing sexual workplace behaviors so that organizational leaders can gain some insight on how to manage interpersonal attractions among employees in a positive, productive, and nonthreatening manner.