How do sexual attraction, love, romance, or physical desire affect interactions between people who are co-workers, friends, classmates, neighbors, or members of a club or group? Can they increase trust, communication, respect, understanding, supportiveness, or team spirit? Or can they decrease mutual sympathy, harmony, and good will between individuals? And why is this?
We can start by asking ourselves if there are differences between different types of attractions. Attractions may be positive or negative, short-term or long-term, secret or openly expressed, conscious or unconscious, private or public. Are all types equally likely to lead to good or bad results? Are some types more powerful than others? Are some more likely to cause trouble than others? Can they be controlled or hidden from view, or should they always be shared? What impact does gender have on these considerations? What about race, age, culture, social status, education, religion, politics, or other factors?
Another issue is whether emotions such as affection, intimacy, closeness, admiration, or familiarity help or hinder colleagues' performance in their workplace. Is it better for them to avoid each other entirely when it comes to sexually charged situations? Should they try to keep these out of sight and mind, or embrace them openly? How should they respond if one person has an interest but another doesn't share that interest? What if the interest is reciprocated? How might these feelings develop over time? Do they remain constant or change? Does love interfere with professionalism, and vice versa? How do we define terms like "professionalism" and "intimacy"? What are the consequences of mixing sexuality with business? How might a couple behave differently at home than at work? How might they act with co-workers compared to with family members or friends?
Let's think about how attraction affects people who are not romantically involved. What happens if a man finds his female co-worker attractive, but she feels awkward because her male boss also finds her attractive? Or what if two men find each other appealing, but don't want to come out publicly? Are there different rules for gay and straight individuals? Can same-sex partners interact freely without fearing prejudice or discrimination? How can everyone avoid misunderstandings or harassment allegations? And what does this mean for productivity, quality of work, and efficiency on the job?
We must consider how power dynamics influence relationships between colleagues. Who holds more authority or prestige in the group? Will subordinates have less freedom to express their attractions to superiors? Could favoritism lead to abuse of power or resentment among peers? Is it acceptable to flirt with someone whose opinion matters when making decisions about promotions, raises, or assignments? Should anyone share personal details outside the realm of business? Is it better for workers to keep emotional ties hidden from view, or talk openly about them? And can we really distinguish between love and friendship anyway?
It is clear that sexual attraction can have both positive and negative effects on interpersonal trust, collaboration, and cohesion among colleagues. It depends on many factors, including gender, age, culture, social status, education, religion, politics, and others. To avoid misunderstandings and conflict, it may be best to minimize these feelings as much as possible at work.
We cannot ignore the role they play in our lives outside of the office.
How do sexual attractions affect interpersonal trust, collaboration, and cohesion among colleagues?
The research literature suggests that sexual attraction can have both positive and negative effects on interpersonal trust, collaboration, and cohesion among colleagues. On one hand, sexual attraction can lead to increased closeness between individuals and increased levels of trust, as it may create a sense of intimacy and familiarity (Carter et al. , 2018).