Workplace relationships most common among Singapore’s baby boomers and Gen X: Survey

SINGAPORE: Workplace relationships have been found to be most common among older Singapore workers, according to a new survey by global market research and data analytics company Milieu Insight.

Notably, nearly four in 10 (38%) baby boomers and three in 10 Gen X in Singapore said they met their most recent partner at work—well above the average across all age groups.

When asked about the appropriateness of workplace romance, baby boomers (38%) said such relationships can be acceptable regardless of context. However, most Gen Zs (64%), millennials (57%), and Gen X (46%) believed they are only appropriate if disclosed to HR and professional boundaries are respected.

Among millennials, 23% said they met their partner through dating apps, though many also found love at school or work.

The survey also found that 44% of all respondents believe romantic relationships between senior-level colleagues were acceptable, as long as HR was informed and things were managed professionally. However, one in four said that even at senior levels, power imbalances could still be a concern.

Despite differing views, half of Singaporeans said they could imagine working with their partner—if boundaries were clear—though 40% believed it would blur personal and professional lines, and 37% feared it could test their patience or boundaries.
Still, 54% of respondents said such relationships could stir gossip or create uncertainty among colleagues.

The survey, which had a margin of error of ±4 percentage points, was conducted online from July 23 to 25 and gathered responses from 500 Singaporeans aged 18 and above. It explored how employees across different generations in Singapore feel about workplace relationships, power dynamics, and corporate accountability.

Talk of workplace relationships gained attention after the viral video, which was viewed by over 100 million people globally, of former Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and his HR chief sharing an intimate moment at a Coldplay concert.

In Singapore, more than 70% of Gen Z and millennial respondents said they heard about it through social media, while only 36% of baby boomers were aware of it, with most learning about it from news platforms.

Despite the controversy, 39% of all respondents found the video “entertaining.” Meanwhile, 66% believed the relationship was “meant to be hidden,” and 56% said the backlash stemmed mainly from the CEO’s attempt to “conceal” it.

When it comes to leadership accountability, 63% of all age groups surveyed said leaders should be dismissed for either breaching company policy or engaging in inappropriate personal behaviour. /TISG

Read also: Experts link rise in suicides among Singaporeans in their 30s to job insecurity, family pressures, and mental health stress