Table of Contents
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
A. Conceptual parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
B. Review plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
1. Theoretical Approaches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
A. Work/life border theory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
B. Attribution theory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
C. Equity theory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
D. Communication privacy management theory . 6
E. Leader member exchange theory . . . . . . . . . . 7
2. Peer relationships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
A. Peer types defined . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
B. Peer types and communication . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
C. Peer types critiques and challenges . . . . . . . .10
3. Workplace Friendships . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10
A. Workplace friendship development,
maintenance, deterioration, and disengagement 11
B. Workplace friendship effects . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
C. Workplace friendship differences . . . . . . . . . .17
4. Work Spouses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21
A. Description of work-spouse relationships . . .21
B. Explication of the work-spouse construct . . .22
5. Workplace Romance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .23
A. Motives and other predictors of workplace
romance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24
B. Workplace romance disclosure . . . . . . . . . . . .25
C. Information and communication
technology use in workplace romance . . . . . .26
D. Effects of workplace romance . . . . . . . . . . . .26
E. Third-party coworkers’ perceptions . . . . . . . .27
F. Sex differences in coworkers’ perceptions . . .28
G. Workplace romance dissolution . . . . . . . . . . .28
H. Workplace romance and sexual harassment . .28
I. Organizational/employee perspectives . . . . . .29
J. Workplace romance motives and harassment .29
K. Workplace romance status dynamics . . . . . . .29
L. Legal considerations and responses . . . . . . . .29
M. Technology and sexual harassment . . . . . . . .30
N. Workplace romance policies . . . . . . . . . . . . .30
O. Proactive workplace romance strategies . . . .30
P. Reactive workplace romance strategies . . . . .31
Q. Perceptions of romance interventions . . . . . .31
R. Further policy recommendations . . . . . . . . . .32
6. Future Considerations
A. Avoiding close(r) relationships at work . . . . .33
B. Sexual activity with coworkers . . . . . . . . . . .34
C. Dark side or (in)appropriateness? . . . . . . . . . .34
D. Organizational and occupational context . . . .35
7. Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37
Abstract . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47
Recommended Citation
Horan, Sean M.; Chory, Rebecca M.; Craw, Erin S.; and Jones, Hannah E.
(2021)
"Blended Work/Life Relationships: Organizational Communication Involving Workplace Peers, Friends, and Lovers,"
Communication Research Trends: Vol. 40:
No.
2, Article 1.
Available at:
https://scholarcommons.scu.edu/crt/vol40/iss2/1