Preferential treatment or the perception of preferential treatment by a manager with respect to subordinates is an organizational challenge in general -- at tec

Preferential treatment or the perception of preferential treatment by a manager with respect to subordinates is an organizational challenge in general -- at tech companies and elsewhere. If employees do not believe they are being treated fairly the result is poor morale, worse performance, and eventually seeking jobs elsewhere (which can deprive companies of needed talent). The Department of Labor has the statistics on this -- the main complaint most people have about their supervisors is unfair treatment of some kind. There is also the question of how a romantic relationship can impact a professional relationship. A manager needs to be able to reprimand their subordinates, and sometimes even fire them. Romantic relationships complicate those situations. It works the other way too -- sometimes romantic relationships need to end, and that might spill over into the workplace (see e.g. the reporting on [edited for correctness] Sergey's affair). It should be blindingly obvious that managers and their subordinates should not have romantic relationships. There are countless problems, and almost no upside for any of the people involved.