Labor group loves office romances | Lifestyle.INQ

OCTOBER 27, 2022

“KYEMESTRY (Sex, Gender, Love, Experiments)” by Black Canvas, at College of St. Benilde, part of the FringeManila arts festival

Far from distracting workers from their jobs, office romances can boost productivity and creativity when guided by company policies, an alliance of trade unions said on Friday.

In a statement, the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) urged the the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to take the lead in coming up with a sample template on policies and implementing guidelines on office romances to discourage favoritism, sexual harassment and abuse, and minimize miscommunication within the company.

TUCP spokesperson Alan Tanjusay said policies on workplace romances are uncommon in work contracts and collective bargaining agreements in the country because many view them as unimportant.

“We’re (asking) DOLE to come up with workplace romance policy guidelines not to ban (office) romance but to encourage it,” he told the Inquirer on Friday.

Tweaking provisions

“Many do not know that by tweaking the provisions of (such policy), they can boost productivity and creativity among employees,” Tanjusay said.

Such policies, he added, would support, guide and encourage consensual romantic relationships without crossing management prerogatives, nor infringing on the workers’ intrinsic tendency to fall in love with colleagues or superiors.

By issuing the policy guidelines, the Labor department can protect consenting couples against oppressive management actions, especially in establishments without labor unions, the TUCP official said, adding that the guidelines must also define parameters meant to govern the existence of workplace romance. TVJ

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