Sexual sympathies are natural feelings that arise when two people have an attraction to each other. They can be based on physical appearance, personality traits, shared interests, or other factors. These sympathies can be positive or negative, but they always influence how we evaluate others. In the workplace, this effect is especially noticeable because co-workers spend so much time together and often share personal details.
It's crucial to keep these feelings under control and avoid letting them affect objective performance evaluations. Let's look at why this happens and what can be done about it.
Why do sexual sympathies interfere?
There are several reasons why sexual sympathies may interfere with objective evaluation. First, we tend to see people we find attractive as better than those we don't. This bias has been observed in many studies and is known as the halo effect. It means that we attribute good qualities to someone simply because we like them.
If we think someone is physically attractive, we might assume they are also intelligent, hardworking, and trustworthy – even though their actual abilities may not match up to these expectations. Second, sexually charged interactions can cloud our judgment. When we are attracted to someone, our brain releases chemicals such as oxytocin and dopamine, which make us feel pleasure and relaxation. This can lead to a sense of euphoria and a desire to please the other person. This can cause us to overlook flaws or mistakes that we would normally notice.
When we have sexual sympathy for someone, we may be less likely to criticize or correct them. We want them to succeed and achieve their goals, so we may be hesitant to point out areas where improvement is needed.
What are some consequences?
When sexual sympathies influence our performance evaluations, there are several potential negative consequences. First, it can create an unfair work environment. People who are objectively better performers may be passed over for promotions or raises in favor of those who are liked but not necessarily more qualified. This can lead to resentment and low morale among employees. Second, it can undermine teamwork. If co-workers know that personal feelings will affect evaluations, they may avoid working together or providing honest feedback. Third, it can harm individual careers. A worker may get a bad reputation for being biased in their assessments or unable to deliver objective feedback. They may struggle to find employment elsewhere if word gets around.
How can this be addressed?
There are several ways to address the problem of sexual sympathies interfering with performance evaluations. One approach is to establish clear guidelines on how to evaluate workers fairly. Managers should emphasize the importance of objective criteria and train staff to use these consistently. Another approach is to separate work from social interactions. This means keeping professional relationships strictly professional and limiting discussions about personal lives.
Managers can consider using blind evaluations where identifying information is removed from reviews. This prevents bias based on name, gender, age, etc., and encourages managers to focus solely on job performance.
Managers can encourage open communication between co-workers. When people feel comfortable sharing concerns and observations, they are less likely to let their feelings cloud their judgment.
How do sexual sympathies interfere with objective evaluation of colleagues' performance?
Sexual sympathy can create bias and prevent someone from making an objective evaluation of their colleague's performance. When a person is attracted to another individual, they might be more likely to overlook any flaws that person has because of how much they enjoy being around them. This could lead to giving unearned praise for work not done well or even not completing it at all, which could result in the company failing as a whole if this happens too often.