According to a recent Society for Human Resource Management study, 27% of workers surveyed admitted to engaging in a romantic relationship with a colleague. While employers cannot forbid romantic relationships in the workplace, protections should be put in place to ensure that employees remain safe. It is valuable for firms to reflect on the policies in place around appropriate workplace conduct and to consider what kind of employee conduct is acceptable with regard to workplace relationships. There is a fine line between a consensual workplace romance and unethical or even discriminatory behavior.
See "Employers cannot prevent workplace romance, but should consider employee protections ", Gene Marks, The Guardian , February 20, 2020