Common wisdom has it that private and professional lives should be kept apart, but does this mean that romances are not permitted in Swiss offices?
Many people, when asked where they met their spouse, will tell you they met at work.
Does this mean that they were breaking the company rule while hobnobbing behind the water cooler, or was their relationship officially sanctioned by management? (Or maybe the management didn’t care at all).
There is no univocal rule that applies to all companies, situations, and circumstances, so the correct answer here is… it depends.
First: Why your boss may not want you to get romantically involved with a co-worker
While in some cases such relationships — especially when they are discreet and kept under the radar — will be tolerated, in others they may not be.
There are several reasons for that.
For instance, public knowledge of such relationships may generate gossip and rumours among the employees, distracting them from tasks at hand.
There is also the risk that the conflicts between the partners that arise at home will spill over into the workplace, creating an unhealthy work environment.
Even more serious complications could arise if the relationship involves an employee and their superior, as such a dynamic has a potential for conflicts of interest and favouritism — all of which will negatively impact other employees and company in general.
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What does the law say?
Switzerland’s labour legislation doesn’t mention office romances.
It is therefore up to companies themselves to regulate these kinds of relationships internally — if they so choose.
However, an outright ban on dating in the workplace is not a simple undertaking, from the legal perspective.
That’s because such a step would violate an employee’s privacy and their right to a personal life — both of which are deeply ingrained in Switzerland.
If the company is aware of a relationship between two employees, but it is carried out discretely and doesn’t negatively affect their job performance or the work environment, then there is no reason for the management to take any action.
However, to protect itself from a possible relationship fallout, the company can have a policy, written into the employment contract, which sets conduct rules for all employees during working hours.
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Can employers in Switzerland fire one or both people merely because they are involved in a relationship?
That would be tricky and could be illegal too.
If their employment contract is terminated based solely on their relationship (even if doesn’t affect their performance or work environment in general), this would be considered an unfair dismissal.
Such an action would only be allowed if the relationship poses serious problems within the company — for instance, if it creates an unhealthy workplace for other employees or jeopardises the interests of the company.
