...Assignment 1: Consensual Relationship Agreements Case Study Diane Jackson Dr. Yemer, H. Leadership and Organizational Behavior - Bus 520 January 23, 2013 Consensual Relationship Agreements Argument For Workplace romances can lead to accusations of poor judgment, breaches of ethics, favoritism, lost productivity, poor employee morale, sexual harassment claims and even workplace violence. Such concern has led an increasing number of companies to institute "consensual relationship agreements," also known as "love contracts." (Kurtz, 2012) People dating each other in the workplace can wreak havoc on an organization, especially a small organization. Attitudes toward workplace romance are changing -- at least for millennial employees. A whopping 84 percent of workers ages 18-29 say they would have a romantic relationship with a co-worker, compared to just 36 percent of Generation X workers (ages 30-46) and 29 percent of Boomers (age 47-66), according to a recent Workplace Options survey. And 40 percent of Millennials say they would have no problem dating their supervisors (compared to just 10 percent of older generations). More than one-third of employees aren’t sure if there’s a company policy about dating at the office. If your business doesn't have such a policy, it’s time to consider it. Nearly half the employees surveyed say office romances are going on at work, and even if they don’t care, you need to be concerned about sexual harassment charges and complaints...
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...Assignment 1: Consensual Relationship Agreements Case Study Due Week 3 and worth 100 points Read the Consensual Relationship Agreements case study located in Chapter 2. In Questions 1 and 2, focus on non-ethical ramifications (save any discussion of ethics for Question 3). Write a six to eight (6-8) page paper in which you: • Be typed, double spaced, using Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch margins on all sides; citations and references must follow APA or school-specific format. Check with your professor for any additional instructions. • Include a cover page containing the title of the assignment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the course title, and the date. The cover page and the reference page are not included in the required assignment page length. On the Written Assignment, "Consensual Relationship Agreements"; it's due this week Sunday, October 28th, by 11:59PM. Remember also to be sure to proofread your paper thoroughly because for each typographical mistake, incomplete sentence, or non-response to the assignment questions, points will be deducted. In addition, APA formatting has to be used which certainly includes in-text citations and a Reference page; check the Resource Center for an example of APA guidelines. Finally, once the paper is submitted, that will represent the final grade for the assignment; there are no-resubmissions allowed. Organizational Behavior Perceptions & Attributes by Tara Duggan, Demand Media http://smallbusiness...
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...Organizational Behavior, Dr. Wilkerson Week 3, Assignment 1 Consensual Relationship Agreements Case Study April 22, 2012 Tiffany Hurt Reference page 1. Organizational Behavior – Hellriegel/Slocum 2011 Custom edition In my current workplace, I believe that having a Consensual Relationship Agreement (CRA) in place would be beneficial to the agency. Considering all the training, we now have to take pertaining to sexual harassment, ethics, and security, etc. having the Consensual Relationship Agreement in place could cut down on various lawsuits, and sexual harassment claims filed by employees, saving the agency time and money with investigating employees when time and money can be spent more productively within the agency. I have witnessed a few relationships develop within our agency and a few resulted in marriage but those relationships were kept very quiet and no one was aware the individuals were dating. In my opinion the only way the couples were not scrutinized is because they kept their relationships a secret and they were very lucky and professional with one another while in the workplace so that no coworkers were able to detect they were dating one another. It is a given fact that individuals spend more time at work then at home, which sometimes results in relationships being developed when your spend vast amounts of time with coworkers on projects, and work assignments. Employees’ start to form basic relationships with coworkers and bonds began to form with...
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...Home Page»Business and Management Consensual Relationship Agreement In: Business and Management Consensual Relationship Agreement BUS520 – Leadership and Organizational Behavior, Dr. Wilkerson Week 3, Assignment 1 Consensual Relationship Agreements Case Study April 22, 2012 Tiffany Hurt Reference page 1. Organizational Behavior – Hellriegel/Slocum 2011 Custom edition In my current workplace, I believe that having a Consensual Relationship Agreement (CRA) in place would be beneficial to the agency. Considering all the training, we now have to take pertaining to sexual harassment, ethics, and security, etc. having the Consensual Relationship Agreement in place could cut down on various lawsuits, and sexual harassment claims filed by employees, saving the agency time and money with investigating employees when time and money can be spent more productively within the agency. I have witnessed a few relationships develop within our agency and a few resulted in marriage but those relationships were kept very quiet and no one was aware the individuals were dating. In my opinion the only way the couples were not scrutinized is because they kept their relationships a secret and they were very lucky and professional with one another while in the workplace so that no coworkers were able to detect they were dating one another. It is a given fact that individuals spend more time at work then at home, which sometimes results in relationships being developed when your spend...
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...Cover Page: Assignment 1: Consensual Relationship Agreements Case Study Eric Alan Sewell Professor Organizational Behavior 520 Besides raising a few eyebrows, office romances can jeopardize your job security and put employers and co-workers on edge. If you find yourself drawn to an attractive co-worker, be aware of company policy and relatively new trends in office romance management. “These types of contracts have been around for about six or seven years. Before you consider another date with your new office partner, give some thought to what you might want to do if asked to sign one of these agreements. Basically, it’s an agreement to not pursue litigation against the employer if the relationship goes bad. Once two employees stop dating, one person may believe that the former partner no longer treats them fairly or ignores them when a promotion should be considered. It’s at this point that the less senior employee could claim that a “hostile work environment” has evolved–and pursue litigation against the employer. According to Jones, “Most employers realize that it’s unwise to try and ban all office romances. However, they are very interested in preventing these relationships from having a negative impact on the workplace.” By having both parties sign a Consensual Relationship Agreement, the two parties will be put on active notice of their separate rights and responsibilities, both during the course of the relationship and after its possible demise. ...
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...Running head: Consensual Relationship Agreements 1 Consensual Relationship Agreements Case Study Tara Brooks Professor Alston Organizational Behavior, BUS 520 4 November 2012 Consensual Relationship Agreements 2 Abstract The dating scene is not easy these days, especially for dedicate singles putting in 60-plus hours at the office every week. But if you've had your eye on the gorgeous guy or girl in the next cubicle, consider that the consequences of intra-office dating can far outweigh the convenience of a consensual workplace relationship. Consensual relationships agreements are widely in the workplace in American organizations. These agreements entail and outline the dos and don’ts of co-existing with fellow colleagues while maintaining a romantic relationship with them. The public display of affection, favoritism, and lack of productivity are all addressed and managed within these documents. Some organizations argue that these documents should not be used, while others believe they should be enforced In this paper, I will discuss the argument for the use of consensual relationship agreements, create a counter argument against the use of CRAs, discuss the ethical principles involved in the principles involved in the use of CRAs and create one (1) other option besides CRAs...
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...analysis of the Consensual Relationship Agreements Case Study Assignment 1 By: STUDENT NAME: Arlette Lamsa To: Dr. Evangeline Jefferson Professor: COURSE NAME: Bus 520: Leadership and organization Behavior STRAYER UNIVERSITY WASHINGTON, DC January, 2013 Consensual Relationship Agreements Case Study Introduction: The purpose of this project is to examine the Consensual Relationship Agreement case study. By Definition, consensual relationship Agreement indicates an agreement read and signed by both Employers and employees by highlighting and confirming an obviously romantic relationship between both parties. The use of consensual relationship Agreement policy in general at the workplace, is fundamental for the employers and also employees. In many organizations, employees are in risks of potentials sexual harassments. But inevitably, some workers engage in a romance adventure at the office. Sometimes those romances end in a not so good term with pretty bad consequences. According to Hellriegel and Slocum (2011), the characteristics of a consensual Relationship agreement is defined as contract that set boundaries on certain office romance situations. They go as the following: decreasing sexual harassment litigation risk, reducing perceptions of favoritism, creating a forum to discuss professional workplace behavior, and reminding dating employees the lack of privacy in the workplace. This is to ensure all relationships are voluntary...
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...An Analysis of the Consensual Relationship Agreements Case Study Assignment 1 By: STUDENT NAME: Lloyd D. Gaines Jr. TO: Dr. W. D. Wilkerson Professor: COURSE NAME: BUS 520: Leadership and Organization Behavior STRAYER UNIVERSITY WASHINGTON, DC April 16, 2012 Consensual Relationship Agreements Case Study Introduction The Purpose of this case study is to examine the Consensual Relationship Agreement Case Study. “Historically, sexual relationships between employees have been viewed as private matters beyond the purview of the company and not involving special ethical issues” (Stamler, Pace & Stone p.218 1997) Employees who engage in workplace relations usually have to sign a contract. This contract ensures that the involved parties will uphold the strict policies and standards of employee etiquette. A typical consensual relationship agreement includes the guidelines on how love struck staff should behave. In analyzing the case, concepts will be identified in the areas of organizational behavior models of individual, group, and organizational processes how ethical decisions are made, and concepts of individual differences, personality traits, and perspectives. According to Hellriegel & Slocum (2011) the characteristics of a Consensual Relationship Agreement is defined as contract that set boundaries on certain office romance situations. They go as the following:...
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...BUS520 Assignment 1 Vastano Consensual Relationship Agreements Case Study November 10, 2012 Consensual Relationship Agreements Case Study Consensual workplace agreements are being adopted by some companies it response to workplace romances. I am going to argue for the use of them and also counter against their merit. There will be a discussion of the ethics involved in their use. I also plan to give an alternative to the consensual workplace agreements. There are many reasons for using Consensual Relationship Agreements in the workplace. We will examine a few of the reasons I feel are that they are valid and have merit for use. These are protection from sexual harassment lawsuits, it will allow the inevitable workplace romance between employees, it sets boundaries for behavior at the workplace and can help with the levels of relationships if one or both move into different positions in the company. Most companies are concerned about the possibility of sexual harassment in the workplace. It is estimated that in the United States nearly 10 million workplace romances occur each year, and that nearly 40% of all employees have had one. (Pierce & Aguinis, 2009) This is of concern for the employer. Keeping the workplace romance in the open and having those involved, by signing a consensual relationship agreement, may help with a reduction of raising sexual harassment lawsuits. The agreement of the relationship may help in instances where the romance dissolves. Also if...
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...Consensual Relationship Agreements… For or Against? In this day and age things are moving extremely quickly and everyday something new change. Women have gone from house wives, cooking and cleaning, taking care of the children, preparing the home at the rate their partners see fit, to home providers. Technology has gone from typewriters and pagers to laptops and smart phone, while opening up a whole new way of dating from social networks to text messaging. One in five relationships start online, however in my young years, I could recall at time when dating once meant receiving a phone call at home, and later being asked out for potentially a dinner and a movie. Now, dating begins with sending an inbox through Facebook, while “liking” and commenting on status messages, following or “tweeting” a person on twitter, or commenting on how good pictures look on this new world wide epidemic called instagram. In addition to the fast pace environment we live in, people are spending a lot more time working. Whether it’s working to take care of single family homes which are growing more and more by the year, or working to take care of self with the cost of living rising each day. Each week people spend a minimum of at least five days and forty hours a week in the workplace as considered as fulltime. In a world moving at such a fast pace one must one wonder how or where is the best place to form relationships, and if it’s ideally okay to form relationships in the work place. More...
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...Assignment 1 Consensual Relationship Agreements Case Study BUS 520 Leadership & Organizational Behavior Dr. Hammad ElBedour Razi Abdalla 10/28/2012 Consensual relationships are one of the biggest obstacles organizations must overcome in the workplace. They could be defined clearly as one in which both parties consented to the relationship - agreed to it, however when it comes to the work place it can be better defined as romantic, amorous and/or sexual relationships between consenting employees. Today, more men and women are working together than at any point in U.S. history. Sometimes sexual attraction in the working environment is clearly mutual, sometimes it is well-concealed, and sometimes it is very difficult to determine. So that’s why there has been workplace policies being put out on most organizations around the world like Consensual Relationship Agreements (CRA). Although it is more or less a new theory that is being implemented in a lot of organizations, it is being implemented fast. I am working in the Saudi Arabian Cultural Mission in The United States; it is a segment of the Saudi Arabian embassy. In the organization I work in Consensual Relationship Agreements are not yet implemented officially as in there no contract binding the relationship but it is also implemented. Working in a conservative organization where the culture is different from US culture puts several environmental pressures that could relate to a Consensual Relationship Agreement...
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...Assignment #1: Consensual Relationship Agreements in the Workplace Case Study BUS 520: Leadership and Organizational Management Submitted to: Dr. Thomas Schaefer, Strayer University Instructor Submitted by: Aythea L. Jackson 1. Argue for the use of Consensual Relationship Agreements (CRAs) in your current (or future) workplace. Most employers have realized that employees send a great deal of time within the week in the environment. Due to the time spent in close professional relationships, people learn of similar interests such as education, intellectual interests, common personal acquaintances, as well as shared workplace stresses, and/or pleasantries, therefore personal relationships often evolve. In a 2005 SHRM poll (Parks, 2006) 40 percent of employee acknowledge being involved in a workplace romance, yet only 12 percent of organizations have a formal or written workplace romance policy. (Shellenbarger, 2004) Employers often in past practices had an established policy or non-fraternization between employees. In at least two of my past employers I have had to sign a policy of non-fraternization. Now is it realistic to think a policy like that can be fully enforced? Relationships forged at work have led to people eating lunch together, attending church with one another or may even visit...
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...Assignment #1 – Consensual Relationship Agreement Tammy Cochran Leadership and Organization -BUS 520 Dr. Reeley October 26, 2012 Abstract Consensual Relationship Agreements are common among many corporations or companies addressing workplace romance. In today's work place, romances and the related topics of sex and privacy have become important issues confronted by most employers. With more employees working longer days and spending so much time together on the job, romantic relationships are developing more frequently. Workplace romance may be the only option for employees whose workload limits their outside activities, but for employers, this trend may prove to be a problem as the potential liability associated with these relationships rises. Some organizations ban all workplace dating, while other employers have no policy at all to address these issues. Some companies now, find policies as being favorable and others find it to be harmful to the workplace output. The research has concluded that CRAs are more often a waste of time and are more pushy then helpful. Most organizations fall somewhere in between, with precise or at least unspoken policies that prevent or discourage certain workplace relationships. The workplace is for work not romance and if a relationship does come about it should be kept separate and should not have an effect on the workplace. According to Hellriegel & Slocum (2011), A Consensual Relationship Agreement (CRA) is essentially...
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...Assignment 1: Consensual Relationship Agreements Case Study Ayanna Clark Dr. Virgil Mensha-Dartey BUS520 Organizational Behavior Strayer University April 22, 2012 Consensual Relationship Agreements Case Study According to the text, a Consensual Relationship Agreement is a written contract to protect against employees who are involved in relationships in the workplace. (Hellriegel & John W. Slocum, Jr., 2011). For example, once two employees stop dating, one person may believe that the former partner no longer treats them fairly or ignores them when a promotion should be considered. It is at this point that the less senior employee could claim that a hostile work environment has evolved and pursue litigation against the employer. This concept was displayed eight years ago in the Clinton/Lewinsky scandal. Former President Clinton allegedly had an affair with then a White House intern Monica Lewinsky. As a result, corporate counsels grew fearful that an affair involving one of their executives could end in a big-bucks liability payout. The use of Consensual Relationship Agreements in my current workplace would be useful due to the fact that dating in the workplace is not uncommon. According to CareerBuilder’s annual office romance survey of more than 5,200 workers found that nearly 37% of the workers said they have dated a co-worker at some time during their careers (WorkBuzz, 2010). Workplace relationships are more accepted these days, with 67% of workers...
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...Assignment #1 - Consensual Relationship Agreement Case Study Professor Dr. Maggie Sizer Leadership and Organizational Behavior – BUS 520 Strayer University October 23, 2012 Abstract As companies begin to acknowledge the existence of work place romances, the use of consensual relationship agreements (CRAs) has become an area of discussion. While many of today’s organizations prohibit the romantic involvement of its employees with one another, there are other companies that have adopted the use of consensual relationship agreements. Although employers find the CRAs an easy solution to this situation, the employees romantically involved, employees are against the agreement, arguing that the contract is intrusive in their personal lives. They go further on their arguments, stating that the agreement is an invasion of their privacy, and that the document goes against some ethical principles. From the Human Resources professionals perspective, they will try their best to make sure employees and employer agree with the contract and are happy with the situation, so a negative influence do not impact other coworkers, and their performances will not affect their jobs. 1. Critics of CRAs assert that they are too intrusive, ineffective, and unnecessary and that they can cause as many problems as they solve. Identify the specific reasons and examples that might justify these criticisms. Critics are relying on the concern-for-others principles that focus on “the need to consider...
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