September 13, 2024
BNN Bloomberg recently published an article featuring Kabrina Chang, Clinical Associate Professor of Markets, Public Policy, and Law, discussing major U.S. companies dismissing CEOs due to an office affair.
Alan Shaw, CEO of Norfolk Southern Corp., became the seventh CEO since 2017 to be dismissed due to an office affair. Workplace romance policies vary widely, with some companies requiring disclosure, while others do not. However, experts advise against executives dating subordinates, as it can lead to perceived favoritism and workplace tension.
“So much of management is about the tone from the top. The CEO is the public face of the company, for better or worse,” Chang adds.
Although these cases attract significant attention, they are uncommon, with less than 2% of CEO departures associated with misconduct since 2017.