Match HR chief says transparency lowers risks in workplace dating

Match Group chief people officer D.V. Williams told Fortune that dating a coworker does not have to become a career problem if employees are open with HR and follow company rules. The guidance comes as workplace romance is getting fresh attention, including a recent New York Times opinion essay that encouraged readers to date colleagues.

Williams discussed the issue in the debut episode of Fortune Office Hours, a new Fortune series that asks senior HR leaders to weigh in on real workplace situations. Fortune said the series will appear in its newsletter and on video.

Williams said employees who are considering a relationship with a coworker should first understand their employer’s policy. He also said they should talk with HR about whether the relationship must be disclosed.

His central advice was to avoid secrecy. According to Williams, office relationships become difficult when employees hide them or fail to have the right conversations about company rules.

Williams also said workers should keep personal conflict tied to a relationship out of the workplace. Fortune characterized his view as one centered on transparency, with company policy and disclosure requirements setting the boundaries.

Asked whether his view was shaped by working at Match Group, where relationships are part of the company’s business, Williams said his approach was not new. He told Fortune he has held the same view for years and across several industries.

“I’ve had this philosophy for many years, and I’ve worked across a lot of different industries,” Williams said, according to Fortune. He added that a workplace relationship “only gets messy when things are hidden” or when employees have not talked through company policy.

The discussion followed a New York Times opinion piece titled “Go On, Date Your Coworkers,” which Fortune cited while raising the question of whether dating at work is still taboo. Williams did not frame workplace romance as something employees must avoid, but he did place responsibility on workers to understand and respect their employer’s rules.

Fortune said Office Hours will continue as a regular feature and invited readers to submit workplace scenarios for future installments. The publication also said it wants to hear from people leaders and workplace experts interested in sharing their views.

This story draws on original reporting from Fortune.