Beware the Beatles.
Beware the Beatles.

For years, I’ve been “warning” about the upcoming holiday of Valentine’s Day.

Back in 2011, I recapped several cases where employees’ inappropriate behavior on this day of love, led to lawsuits.

Apparently, there were some people who didn’t read the blog, because just a few years after that, I recapped a few more cases where Valentine’s Day led to a few more lawsuits.

My friend, Jon Hyman, this week cited a few of the same cases in his reminder that he hates Valentine’s Day.

Now, I could use this post to rehash the same worn reminders that sexual harassment is bad and that romantic relationships between employees can be even worse.  (Wait, see what I did there?)

But harassment cases still occur.

So, let me try a new approach this year; let’s try the opposite and Let Love Rule The Workplace!

Who am I to tell others who to love? Who am I to stand in the way in Cupid’s arrow?  Here are three “tips” on how to add love to the workplace:

  • First, be sure when you have a crush on someone to play favorites towards him or her.  And if they turn away your advances? Let them know your displeasure by giving work elsewhere. That will remind them that love should rule the workplace.
  • Second, why establish a policy regarding sexual harassment? Who needs rules regarding love? And what should you do if your company has such a policy? Well, then just ignore it! Let love set the rules of the workplace.
  • Third, if you hear of “love” going on in the workplace, just turn a blind eye.  Love needs no witnesses and true love will work itself out eventually. And if it doesn’t, well, the workplace is no place for the broken-hearted.

And here’s a bonus tip: Be sure to have your lawyer on speed-dial.  Because if you follow these tips, you could pretend you’re a hopeless romantic, but you’re most likely to be found liable of sexual harassment.  You may need something more than love to survive in the workplace.

(P.S. If you can’t figure out that the above tips are SATIRE, you should give me a call. Chances are you’re doing something else wrong too and I’d love to help.)