Looking for your spouse?

Call it a marriage of competences. Or a union of EQ and IQ. Or, better still, a working relationship that ends in super-performance. Any way you put it, spouse + spouse is an equation that results in synergy.

Soumya Nair, a 22-year-old research assistant and her senior, Rohit Patil, 27, enjoy a remarkable relationship. Not only do they spend a major part of the day with each other at their workplace, they also travel together, share their lunch and use each other as a sounding board. “I have known Soumya since the time I started working and we get along like a house on fire. At times, I spend more time with her than my family,” says Rohit.

Their six-month relationship embodies a different kind of marriage, one that is strictly platonic. Soumya and Rohit are work spouses-they share confidences and comfort levels, understand each other, and more importantly, support each other in a dog-eat-cat environment.

Here’s a corporate confession. Soumya and Rohit say their bond helps them on the professional front as well. “Since Rohit has more experience, he always helps me take key decisions. I feel more relaxed and secure when he’s around,” says Soumya.

Such has been the spouse-effect in organisations that surveys now track the team-building nuptials. A 2007 study by Vault Inc says 23 per cent of employees they surveyed admitted to having an office “husband” or “wife”. A similar study on office spouses conducted by Gallup found such relationships — as long as they are platonic — enhance productivity and heighten morale.

They can also kiss stress goodbye. Prashant Shrivastava, managing partner, Gallup India, feels there is a growing need for office spouses. “Competition is rising, high productivity is the order of the day, and people are clocking longer hours. Besides being a confidant, an office spouse is an outlet to vent work-related frustration, thereby reducing stress.”

But office spouses also have real-life husbands and wives whom they go home to every day. Hemant Parab, 29, who runs his own interior designing firm, has been happily married for six years, but that doesn’t stop him from enjoying a great work relationship with 26-year-old Shreya Madhavan.

“Shreya joined my firm two years ago, and we hit it off from day one. We are passionate about our work, and it keeps us going. Having Shreya as my office-spouse helps me maintain a balance between my professional and personal lives. I can discuss my work-related problems with her, so that I don’t take my problems back home to my wife.” says Hemant.

“I spend at least eight to 10 hours at work every day. It boosts my confidence levels, knowing I have Hemant’s support,” beams Shreya. Psychologist Anju Kapoor says the husband-wife relationship at work is a phenomenon which has arisen out of a workaholic society. “Most people have six-day work weeks. Such relationships develop due to two factors: lack of time and work pressure.”

Most organisations have opened their doors to spouses. Says Binu Jacob, vice president, Ad Astra Consultants: “There is a dire need to have such relationships. It acts as an incentive for people to come to office. If a person had only work to do at office, then he would get bored. Bonding is important to motivate employees”.

Despite its beneficial impact, spousing is largely confined to the young. Surveys and studies have shown that besides longer work hours, the entry of a younger workforce into the office has changed the nature of relationships.

A study by US-based corporate social-networking company SelectMinds found more than 77 per cent of employees aged between 20 and 29 believed “the social aspects of work are important to their overall sense of workplace satisfaction,” compared with 67 per cent of their older colleagues.

As organisations have realised, Project Spouse is the key to beating deadlines. Take the case of Mansi Shenoy, a 25-year-old commercial artist who works for an ad agency. She has been “married” to her office spouse Rohan Shetty, also 25, for a year now.

Mansi feels their hectic work life led them to look out for a parallel support system in each other: “We end up discussing everything that happens in our lives. We have an amazing rapport, and this helps us complete our work ahead of deadlines.”

Rohan, too, acknowledges a jump in his performance. “Working with Mansi helps me tremendously, as I can give my best without being worried about failure. I know if I go wrong, she will make up for it. Also, I am eager to get to work everyday and don’t mind putting in longer hours.” 

Spousing is beneficial to both organisations and employees as long as the personal and professional lines aren’t crossed. Counsels Kapil Magan, director, HR, RMS India: “Without boundaries, everything goes for a toss. Work’s affected, and it becomes a burden for the organisation.”

Interestingly, most real-life spouses are open to office relationships. For instance, Shreya enjoys a great rapport with Hemant’s wife. Rohit’s girlfriend too knows about his relationship with Soumya. In fact, it’s Soumya who takes her calls when Rohit is driving.

In the world of spouses, there are just two commandments. If you desire happiness, discover it at home. If you seek motivation, find it in your workplace. As long
as you don’t breach either, you are fine. Indeed, you are ready for promotion.