Sexual tension in the work place

10/24/07
Sexual tension in the work place

One of the funniest things about working in a restaurant is everyone, managers, servers, bussers, man, and women all act like pubescent teenagers. It’s really interesting how males try and get a woman's attention, and how the girls respond to there male counterparts. This makes for an extremely unprofessional environment. There is usually a conversation between two individuals, usually male and female, flirting occurs, the male usually tries to make the female laugh, and then there is physical contact, the touching of hair, waist and stomach occur, and in some extreme circumstances the touching might be more sexual. To be blunt, this is all going on in the back while you eat your food. I once asked one of my coworkers about all this flirtation and if it was considered sexual harassment. He informed me that the unwritten code of a restaurant changes the laws of sexual harassment. To this date it is unclear to me what those unwritten codes are. But to be safe I do not participate in any of this conduct. However, it is interesting to watch. I particularly remember an instance where a manager referred, told me to, and I quote, “to check out the ass on her.” Although I don’t necessarily like what goes on in the back of the restaurant there is nothing I can do to change it, because of the unwritten code.