Hi,

As per title, is it ok for a couple (bf and gf, or, husband and wife) to work in same department in an accounting firm (big 4 or "branded" medium firms) from the firm view?

and, if u attending an interview, and u know that if u pass the interview, u will be allocated to a department that ur partner currently work in, would u inform the interviewer regarding this matter?

Thanks.

This post has been edited by devil86: Sep 29 2010, 10:08 AM

Please do... NEVER have relationships in a office la... Gosh, it's common sense. if one of u guys are the superior, the u'll know what will happen. Some colleagues might say,"bias treatment","not fair",etc... Please think this through, some company might have the policy of not allowing office romance,so u should ask beforehand.

Please do not inform
just keep it to yourself.

if can, try to avoid it la....
in gomen, they will seperate you guys, at least in seperate dept or unit...

definately! its a code of conduct violation

but anyway, if you inform...they will still put you there if

- your position is just fresh grad...no impact as big four raise salary like parent give money to their children. everyone get the same salary depend on grade/year. Try to ask around
- need to find new department for you

What if they have started a relationship before joining the company? That will be a whole new different story.

ya definitely this is the case....i'm currently working in an accounting firm and attending an interview with other firm which my gf currently work with, 1stly i duno that i will be allocated same department with her, but once i know the interviewer's name who is going to interview me, he is a manager from my gf's department....so means that i probably will be allocated to same department with my gf if i pass the interview....

so do i need to inform the manager regarding this matter during the interview?

I'm fresh grad (my gf oso), interviewing for audit associate position...

If you cannot avoid it, keep it PROFESSIONAL.
There is nothing that irks office workers more than a pair of lovey dovey lovebirds/ squabbling couple in the office.

Normally, if the firm is aware of your relationship, they will try not put you in the same department. This is what happen when my friend's fiance transferred into the firm we worked in a few years ago.

And if they find out later, high chance they will move you around to a different team.

BF/GF is hard to "see" and there is no real relationship on paper. So its harder to draw the line when it comes to setting ppl to work. You can't keep shifting ppl around because of their relationships, and you can't hire/sack people due to change of relationship status. Management will need to manage the couple's performence. From what I have seen in the firm I worked in previously, management dun care about bf/gf relationships unless its a superior-subordinate issue. Peer-to-peer is not that big an issue.

Husband and wife, and relatives are more clear cut, and usually they don't work together. There are incidences where husband and wife are in the same team/department. But in those cases I have not seem them working on the same engagement.

If they can leave personal feeling aside then there is no problem. Human however usually fail where this is concern.

i think most multinational company forbid both husband and wife to be employed at the same time. even petronas doing the same right now. a friend of mine already quit from petronas, coz his fiancee working for PMU

Actually it is not OK to join a company where your spouse / gf / bf is in.. But if both of you already in the company, it becomes 50-50 perception.

I know quite a lot of husband and wife team in audit firm. Most of them started off from junior audit and after 10-12 years, snr audit manager or higher both husband and wife.

All depends how you are able to manage work and emotions.. If cannot manage emotions and work, better don't work in the same firm. It will generate conflicts and cause bad working relationships with the staffs.

Same department, YES. Same functionality unit, NO.

Regards, Joey

No, it's a distraction.

If they are Lesbian couple. Then just them stay

having a relationship at the office is very difficult.
especially in the same department.
no matter how hard you try to be professional,
somehow ur feelings will surely get in the way.
so, its best to avoid it, if possible.

never eat and shit at the same place
been there, done that, will never do it again

+1
Even if couples managed to work in the same office, What's going to happen should the relationship fails.... man.... the atmosphere would be....

Generally since you're same level I think it's alright, though they'll try to avoid putting both of you in the same job.

i just asked my manager this Q this noon. he got same answer as me.
if his wife join the company, he resigned. same~ if my gf join the company, i will resign too~

It is always clash of interest where will eventually ruin the relationship.

Afterall, you do not want to face the same person 24/7 right?

hi devil86. In my opinion, you should tell the interviewing manager that your gf is in the firm. If can, try to avoid to be in the same team. Feeling is not easy to handle or another way is to ask your gf to talk to her manager about you interested in joining the firm and raise up the concern of being in the same team.

In most cases, the firm(I think u r refering to 'H') will try to put u in different team if they want to hire you. Good Luck!

yeah, imagine being in a big fight, or even worse, a breakup, and suddenly you both are on the same team to work on something.
wouldn't that be awkward and hard to deal with?

of course people can say, be professional,
but hey, it's complicated right?

Never !

This has happended to me a year n half ago when me and my girlfriend working in the same company, same department, same unit, in the same cubicle and sitting next to each other! But we are in IT department, not accounting.

The HR were already aware of our 6 years relationship before they hired me and my girlfriend. This is an MNC company based in US. Basically everybody in my team, including my team leader, my manager knew about our relationship and of course we had been trying very hard to be professional at work.

But in my opinion, its not easy to keep n maintain that high level of professionalisme. Our relationship went well but at the same time it affected our work(positive and negatively). Now I already moved to another company and she is still there in the same company. Right now I have a chance to bring her to my new company but I think for this time.. better not.

This post has been edited by izdyharz: Sep 30 2010, 01:01 PM

I think you should tell the manager about the relationship. Then if they still put you in the same department, at least you won't be accused of witholding information or being misleading about you relationship status.

It doesn't really matter that you're in accounting, any industry and any company would want to avoid partners working together (especially in the same department) as there are risks of distractions etc.

Also, do you REALLY wanna work with your partner together? It might take a toll on your relationship to see each other so often

sorry for not replying for so long time, tomolo will be my interview with the firm, i think i will tell the interviewer regarding the matter and request to put me in different department...coz i oso think that a couple stay in same department will have many problem...work itself edy tired...have to maintain the relationship in the office even tired...hehe..

I am working in one of giant electronic MNC in KL and believe me, they will not fire you due to your a relationship with an employee in the same department. However, they will try their best (by force) to transfer you to another department or branch. Not only love couple, husband/wife but also siblings. The will somehow find out because human being always can't keep their mouth shut even though you try your best to keep it as a secret.

And some companies require you to report to HR about your relationship and sign some kinda agreement.

This post has been edited by maxizanc: Oct 5 2010, 02:48 AM

Every couple needs some breathing space. Assuming you're both also staying together (or gets married later on), you'll be seeing each other 24/7. Are you comfortable with that? Look at it with a longer term perspective. Many fail to do so and only searches for instant gratification.

Not recommended if you're a JEALOUS person.

hey devil86, really makes me wonder which firm you went for interview

How did the interview go, beside the relationship issue?

You managed to get the job?