Sexual Attraction in the Workplace
The act of sexual attraction is an instinctive and uncontrollable biological process that involves attracting people who may be more genetically compatible for procreation. It can also create discomfort when interacting with individuals of opposite sexes. When you are trying to get your job done efficiently, having those thoughts can make it difficult for you to focus. This is why it's essential to understand how employees anticipate and manage social judgments related to workplace attraction. In this article, I will explain what sexual attraction means in the workplace, how it affects productivity, and give tips for managing it effectively.
What is Sexual Attraction?
Sexual attraction refers to the physical, emotional, or romantic feelings someone experiences toward another person. These feelings could range from casually flirting to wanting to date exclusively or even have a long-term relationship.
It doesn't mean everyone will feel this way about every individual they find attractive. Instead, there needs to be some level of compatibility between two individuals regarding age, interests, values, etc., before it becomes appropriate to pursue them.
How Does Sexual Attraction Affect Productivity?
When an employee has strong sexual urges towards their colleagues at work, they might become distracted and less effective at completing tasks. They might also feel guilty if they don't follow through on these feelings or worry about being judged by others around them.
Sexual tension can lead to conflict among coworkers which could cause problems within teams or departments. Employees who experience such distractions often miss deadlines, forget important meetings, or fail to complete projects on time due to their wandering mindset. To avoid these issues, companies need policies that discourage romantic relationships between co-workers while still allowing employees to maintain healthy professional boundaries with each other. This includes clear guidelines for interactions outside of work hours like no texting during business hours unless related to work responsibilities only.
Tips for Managing Workplace Attraction Effectively
1) Set Clear Expectations: Make sure all team members understand what is expected behaviorally when working together professionally so there are no misunderstandings later down the line. It's also essential to establish rules against flirting or any other forms of harassment in the office setting, including emails, texts, social media messages, etc.
2) Create a Supportive Environment: The best way to create a supportive environment is to make everyone comfortable discussing sensitive topics openly without fear of retaliation from management. Encouraging open communication allows individuals to get help dealing with difficult situations involving attraction while also promoting trust amongst peers.
3) Take Breaks: Sometimes taking breaks from one another helps people reset and refocus their attention back onto work tasks at hand instead of getting caught up in their feelings towards someone else. This might mean taking walks outside throughout the day, eating lunch away from your desk, reading books instead of watching TV shows after hours, or even playing video games together occasionally.
4) Keep Your Emotions Under Control: If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed by strong emotional reactions around someone else, try journaling your thoughts before expressing them aloud. Writing down how you feel can be helpful because it gives you time to reflect on why these feelings exist and whether they're appropriate in this situation. It may also allow you to explore potential solutions that could benefit both parties involved.
5) Find Other Outlets:
Consider finding outlets outside of work where you can release built-up tension related to attraction without putting your job at risk. Activities such as sports teams, hiking clubs, yoga classes, book clubs, etc., provide an excellent opportunity for meeting new people who share similar interests without having to worry about mixing business with pleasure.
Sexual attraction creates a complex issue in today's professional world, but there are ways employees can anticipate and manage those judgments effectively. By setting clear expectations, creating a supportive environment, taking breaks when needed, keeping emotions under control, and exploring other outlets outside of work, individuals can maintain healthy boundaries while still pursuing relationships successfully outside the office walls. With proper guidance and support from management, companies can foster productivity within their team members while providing a safe space for everyone to grow professionally.
How do employees anticipate and manage social judgments related to workplace attraction?
The research reveals that individuals may face different forms of social judgment at workplaces based on their personal characteristics like age, race, gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, appearance, etc. This is because people tend to form impressions about others based on these factors (Parker, 2016). It means if an employee has a particular background, he/she might be stereotyped as not having potential for promotion or even termination from the job.