Changed attitude to India affairs

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/south_asia/7218195.stm

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A survey carried out among corporate executives in India has revealed changing attitudes to office romance.

It suggests that attitudes towards sex in the workplace are more liberal today than ever before.

The survey - carried out among staff of some of India's top companies - also says workplace affairs have a negative impact on staff morale and business.

And the main reason an employee might begin an affair with his or her boss is to climb the corporate ladder.

The survey is described as the first to assess the Indian workplace, where global corporate culture is forcing people to spend far more time in the office.

'Negative impact'

More than 400 managers in cities across the country - men and women - were interviewed about attitudes to workplace affairs.

Over a third of them said they saw no harm in having an affair with a married colleague.

The main reason given by employees to begin an affair with their boss was the prospect of promotion and higher pay.

But a majority who took part in the survey agreed that office affairs have a negative impact on the speed and quality of work.

There is no doubt that talking publicly about sex is no longer a taboo in India, especially among the younger generation.

But there are still plenty of disturbing signals about the treatment of women.

Recently released government statistics suggest that rape is the fastest growing crime in this country.

<i>Global research firm Synovate carried out the research for staffing company TeamLease Services. It spoke to staff from India's top 500 companies in Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Calcutta, Pune, Chandigarh and Hyderabad.</i>