Employee Passport / HR practice guides
Managing workplace relationship conflicts
Workplace relationship conflicts: Protect fair workplace decisions while handling relationships and personal information proportionately.
Anonymised practice examples drawn from cases handled by our team.
Workplace relationship conflicts: practical approach
The practical approach is to map the decisions affected by the relationship and assign an appropriate alternative decision-maker. A narrow exclusion from an appraisal or selection process may address the identified issue without an unnecessary change to employment. Where reporting lines need alteration, the reasons and effect on both individuals should be considered and recorded.
What to check and record
A concern about coercion, unwanted conduct or retaliation needs assessment under the appropriate complaint process. A conflict arrangement alone does not resolve it. Equally, do not treat a consensual relationship as a harassment finding without evidence. Check fair access to training, promotion and working conditions.
Learning for managers
The transferable lesson is to focus the response on the decision risk. The existence of a written policy does not establish that employees knew how to disclose a concern or that the arrangements were applied consistently; those are separate questions of implementation.
Manager checklist
- Map affected management decisions
- Assign an alternative decision-maker where needed
- Limit unnecessary personal detail
- Review fairness and any separate conduct concern
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Further reading
General guidance for Great Britain. Use the relevant policy and advice for a live case.
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