Spouses at work – clutchmagonline.com
One of our readers posed the interesting, yet potentially problematic, situation of spouses working together in the same company, or even better (or worse), in the same department within the same company. As ambitious corporate sisters, how do we behave and set boundaries when we happen to work in the same company as our spouses?
For my $0.05 on the matter, I have witnessed a few colleagues of mine’s interactions with their spouses, who also happened to work for the same company…and in the same building actually. And out of these interactions, I have to say that one in particular, struck me the most as being the most professionally and personally balanced one. In a few bullet points, this is what it has taught me about spouses working in Corporate together:
- Keep it PROFESSIONAL! The corporate world is a tricky enough environment to navigate as it is, so really, no need to make it even more complicated. Keep the personal at home, including private phone conversations, PDA demonstrations, and even air kisses (yes, I said it, please no air kisses…)
- Beware of possible conflicts of interest! Keep appraised of all the possible conflicts of interest at the company you work at, to ensure that neither you nor your dear hubby is actually putting each other in professional jeopardy. This is better done by contacting your Human Resources department, and inquiring about all possible scenarios representative of conflicts of interest in the workplace as related to spouses working for the same company. If you or your spouse happens to be in a position of influence and authority within the same company, stock ownership, private investments, and even sharing of company confidential information may pose a conflict of interest. Be informed, and make sure to protect yourself and your spouse!
- Keep Striving! Having a spouse working for the same company can seriously blur the lines between professional and personal, and affect the way we conduct ourselves at work. Along the lines with keeping it professional, it is crucial for both spouses to keep striving for professional advancement and concentrate on their different paths. Keep pushing each other to be your best, while clearly staying out of each other’s way!
Do you happen to work in the same company as your spouse? How do you handle it?
