Ateneo de Davao University

Senior High School

Business Ethics and Social Responsibility

Handouts

Lesson 5: Organizational Issues – Workplace Romance and Sexual Harassment

Some practices may have been acceptable at a certain point in history but have become unacceptable with the
further development of mankind’s mindset. For example: racism, sexism, and slavery – these were the norms
in the past but are no longer morally acceptable now.

Inappropriate practices and policies are conscious and deliberate wrongdoings, such as discrimination
designed to harm others and withhold the rights of an individual; humiliation of people designed to diminish
psychological needs and dignity; destructiveness; and ats of violence. However, some are not easy to
recognize as inappropriate behavior because not everything can easily be classified as wrong or right.
Should I take personal phone calls at work?
Should I buy equipment from a relative?
Should I accept gifts from a supplier?
What do I do if I find out my supervisor is committing fraud?

Take a look at some examples of morally unacceptable policies and practices.

I. Workplace Romance
A workplace romance is considered a relationship that occurs “between two members of an
organization where sexual attraction is present, affection is communicated, and both members
recognize the relationship to be something more than just professional and platonic.”

As opposed to sexual harassment, workplace romance assumes a voluntary and reciprocal relationship
between employees belonging in the same organization.

While there is no law prohibiting workplace romance, there are companies whose guidelines prohibit
it because of its negative effects. While there are positive effects, organizations tend to focus on the
negative.

Advantages of Workplace Romance

1. Happily in Love Makes You A Good Worker
Falling in love releases the happy hormones in the body; and when the love of your life is within
your sight, the happiness increases multifold. If studies are to be believed, people in romantic
relationship are found more productive than their previous performances. It may be just because
of the happiness and contentment such bonds bring in. But overall, with enhanced contentment

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 and happiness, employee in romance usually found more enthusiastic and keen in rendering
better efforts to improve productivity.

2. Motivation to Start Each Day

The thought of meeting your lover at the workplace gets you excited for each and every day. You
get motivated to start each day with beautiful vibes of getting ready to meet your love at the
office. Your leave record gets improved since you don’t want to miss out on spending more than
8 hours of your day with your partner. In fact, you would even want to stay longer in the office,
thus increasing your longevity.

3. Positivity Everywhere
The organizations that have flexible policies for office-romance are filled with positive vibes in
the air. The positive attitude of the employer, as well as the employees in love, fills the
atmosphere with love and positivity. And a positive environment always adds to the creativity
and happiness of the person which drags more positivity every day. An office filled with the
warm, fuzzy feeling of love even makes the overall ambience more positive and happy.

4. Less Distractions
Contrary to the popular belief that office romance causes distractions and decreases the
productivity, many relationship experts believe the opposite. They believe that having the lover
at the workplace lowers the distraction level to a minimum. The partners tend to focus more on
their work as they do not have to think about their partner all the time. They can easily wait for
the lunch or tea break to share what they want without spending work time on personal matters.

5. Mutual Understanding of Professional Pressures

Not having enough time for each other is one of the biggest concerns of a partner but when you
are working with the same employer, you understand how much time and dedication the
organization demands from the other person. Couples working in the same office tend to
understand each other’s responsibilities and work demands better. Each partner understands what
type of pressure is being put on them when they work under the same roof, thus decreasing the
scope of fights.

Disadvantages of Workplace Romance

1. Commingling of Personal and Professional Life
The biggest disadvantage of workplace romance is that your personal life is no longer personal;
it becomes the business of the entire office. Rumor of your romance gets in the air and suddenly
your love life becomes the hot gossip of every person. The environment becomes tense with
everybody talking and eyeing the two of you. The continuous teasing and judgmental looks may
drive quick wedges between you two love birds. In fact, office romance may create differences
between you and your teammates. If a teammate is on bad terms with your would-be life partner,
chances are the relation you share with him/her may turn sour.

2. What If It Ends?
While romancing the person from your office may sound all pleasing as you get to see the person
every day, it may turn into a nightmare if the two break up. Break ups are really bad; and when
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 you have to see your ex each day, without any escape, the break up hurts even worse. If the break-
up came from your side, you may be at the receiving end of harsh comments from your co-
workers. The feeling of not wanting to go to the office to face your ex may creep up and lead to
bad performance at the workplace; ultimately affecting your career.

3. Think About Promotion

Promotions are the most anticipated things in the work life. Your promotion can be highly
affected by your partner’s working behavior. If one of you gets promoted and the other one does
not, you may have to exercise certain professional responsibilities at your partner which may
become a cause of concern for you. In fact, during promotion season, if one of you gets promoted
and the other one doesn’t, it may create a bitter wall between the two of you.

4. Work Is No More an Escape

Imagine you have a small fight with your partner. Work is one of the best ways to escape from
the fight and forget about the fight. However, when your partner is in the same office as you,
your sole escape is also snatched away from you. Personal fights will be carried on to the office
which may affect your work. The escape you felt work could be from the personal issues is no
longer there. Going out on weekends with your partner, after a long week of work, would no
longer be fun if your partner is working in the same office with you.

5. Excess of Everything Is Bad

Spending so much time together can make your relationship boring after some time. Meeting
every day with your lover sometimes steals the charm from the bond. The excitement of meeting
your love at workplace gradually fades out. And then, unknowingly, feelings of love are replaced
with the negative feelings that creep up lacking space in the relationship. You keep an eye on
everything your lover is doing at the workplace and even the slightest sight of your lover getting
close with another co-worker may spark the fire of doubt in your mind. Apart from this, slowly
you may start noticing shortcomings of your beloved which sometimes overpower the qualities
you liked when you said “Yes”.

II. Sexual Harassment

Legal Basis: Republic Act 7877, Anti-Sexual Harassment Act of 1995

Section 3. Work, Education or Training -Related, Sexual Harassment Defined. - Work, education or
training-related sexual harassment is committed by an employer, employee, manager, supervisor,
agent of the employer, teacher, instructor, professor, coach, trainer, or any other person who, having
authority, influence or moral ascendancy over another in a work or training or education environment,
demands, requests or otherwise requires any sexual favor from the other, regardless of whether the
demand, request or requirement for submission is accepted by the object of said Act.

(a) In a work-related or employment environment, sexual harassment is committed when:

(1) The sexual favor is made as a condition in the hiring or in the employment, re-
employment or continued employment of said individual, or in granting said individual
favorable compensation, terms of conditions, promotions, or privileges; or the refusal to
grant the sexual favor results in limiting, segregating or classifying the employee which
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 in any way would discriminate, deprive or diminish employment opportunities or
otherwise adversely affect said employee;
(2) The above acts would impair the employee's rights or privileges under existing labor
laws; or
(3) The above acts would result in an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment for the
employee.

(b) In an education or training environment, sexual harassment is committed:

(1) Against one who is under the care, custody or supervision of the offender;
(2) Against one whose education, training, apprenticeship or tutorship is entrusted to the
offender;
(3) When the sexual favor is made a condition to the giving of a passing grade, or the
granting of honors and scholarships, or the payment of a stipend, allowance or other
benefits, privileges, or consideration; or
(4) When the sexual advances result in an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment for
the student, trainee or apprentice.

Any person who directs or induces another to commit any act of sexual harassment as herein defined,
or who cooperates in the commission thereof by another without which it would not have been
committed, shall also be held liable under this Act.

Elements

1. The employer, employee, manager, supervisor, agent of the employer, teacher, instructor,
professor, coach, trainer, or any other person has authority, influence or moral ascendancy
over another;
2. The authority, influence or moral ascendancy exists in a working, education or training
environment;
3. The employer, employee, manager, supervisor, agent of the employer, teacher, instructor,
professor, coach, or any other person having authority, influence or moral ascendancy makes
a demand, request or requirement of a sexual favor.

What is sexual harassment in the workplace?

They are unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal, visual or physical
conduct of a sexual nature. It is considered harassment when:

• submission to the conduct is either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of employment,

• submission to or rejection of such conduct is used as the basis for employment decisions, or
• the conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work
performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment.
• Unwelcome and unwanted sexual conduct that either happens repeatedly or is of serious nature
(e.g. sexual assault)

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The harassment people face in the workplace is one of the challenges that face subordinates.
Employees often feel trapped because they need make a living, and they want to avoid saying or doing
anything that could jeopardize the salary they need to pay rent, buy food on the table and pay at least
for basic necessities.

• Quid Pro Quo Sexual Harassment

A sexual harassment in which the satisfaction of sexual demands is made the condition of job
benefits or continued employment or is used as the basis for employment decisions regarding
the individual.

• Hostile environment Sexual Harassment

A sexual harassment that has the effect of unreasonably interfering with a victim's work
performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment that
affects the victim's psychological well-being.

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