Til 5pm do us part : intimate relationships in the workplace

Abstract

In the current study, I sought to characterize the new concept of a work spouse relationship and compare it to three known types of intimate relationships in the workplace: close friendships, romantic relationships, and mentor relationships. A sample of 232 employees participated in the survey. First, a MANOVA compared the four relationships on constructs drawn from the workplace romance and work-family conflict, including the love quality of the relationship, motivation for entering into the relationship, role conflict and facilitation caused by the relationship, perceived alienation from others, and effects on individual health and affectivity. The work spouse relationship was found to be significantly different than the romantic relationship, close friendship, and mentor relationship. It is characterized by high levels of intimacy and passion, and is motivated by love. Second, exploratory factor analysis was used to understand the characteristics unique to the work spouse relationship through the development of a Work Spouse Characteristic Scale. Three factors were identified (work spouse, closeness, and love), however additional research is required to further validate this scale. Finally, implications and future research are discussed.