Understanding Work/Life Blending: Credibility Implications for Those Who Date at Work

Abstract

This study examined the credibility implications of employees who date at work. A 2 (status dynamic of the romance) × 2 (sex of the peer) design was used to examine effects of workplace romance on perceptions of credibility. One hundred and forty full-time working adults assessed the credibility of a hypothetical coworker who was involved in a workplace romance. Results indicate that peers who date superiors are viewed as less caring and less trustworthy than are peers who date equal status employees. Sex and status interacted such that women dating superiors versus peers were perceived as less caring and less trustworthy, whereas perceptions of men did not differ based on the status of their relational partners. Limitations and future research are discussed.

Keywords:

• Competence
• Credibility
• Goodwill
• Trustworthiness
• Work/family Border Theory
• Work/life Balance
• Workplace Romance

Notes

Note. Means with no subscripts in common are different at a statistically significant level, p < .05, according to Least Significant Difference post hoc analyses.

*The means for male-peer and male-superior differ at p = .075.

Some scholars adopt “work/family” terminology, others exclusively adopt “work/life,” and still others use them interchangeably (for a recent discussion of this issue, see Hoffman & Cowan, 2008). Hoffman and Cowan acknowledge that some may consider this confusion “trivial” (p. 231). However, based on past work (e.g., Kirby & Krone, 2002; Kirby, Golden, Medved, Jorgenson, & Buzzanell, 2003; Lewis, Rapoport, & Gambles, 2003; Lobel, Googins, & Bankert, 1999), they argue that the selection of one of these terms over the other has consequences that privilege some people's personal lives over others'. In the present study we refer to Clark's (2000) “work/family” border theory as “work/life” border theory because “work/life” encompasses portions of the workforce that may be single and childless (Hoffman & Cowan, 2008). In the context of the present study, “work/life” appears to be more appropriate as most individuals who date at work likely do not have a spouse and children at home. Prior communication research has also referred to Clark's theory as “work/life” border theory (e.g., Cowan & Hoffman, 2007).

Results of the preliminary analyses are available by contacting the second author.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Sean M. Horan

Sean M. Horan is an Assistant Professor in the College of Communication at DePaul University.

Rebecca M. Chory

Rebecca M. Chory is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Studies at West Virginia University.