How politically motivated incident sparked fresh HR training
Philippine-based restaurant Frankie's New York Buffalo Wings has announced that it will subject its employees to core values training after a viral incident between its staff and supporters of a presidential candidate. The incident, which was narrated by a Facebook user named Ajie Jugueta, said it involved employees of Frankie's Crossroads BGC branch and supporters of presidential candidate Leni Robredo.
According to Jugueta, the pink-clad customers, colours of Robredo, were dining at Frankie's when one of the staff members shouted "BBM!" after passing their table.
"BBM" refers to Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos, Jr., who is also Robredo's rival this upcoming election, one that has seen social media in the Philippines divided mostly between Marcos and Robredo, as well as other presidential candidates.
Jugueta added that the staff members of the restaurant were laughing at the table of Robredo supporters, even when they were already speaking with the store manager.
Once the supporters left, Jugueta claimed that the staff even joked of refusing to clean that table "simply because they were Leni supporters."
"It was distasteful that a lot of them went to the back part [because] they didn't wanna serve the customers in Pink that kept coming in," said Jugueta.
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After the narrated incident went viral, Frankie's issued a string of statements expressing apologies for the staff's behaviour, adding that the employees involved will be handled in accordance with their Code of Conduct.
The team members involved will also undergo "Sensitivity and Core Values Training," which will be expanded to the restaurant's other branches.
"We will also be closing our Crossroads BGC branch starting tomorrow March 23 up to March 24, 2022 to conduct a comprehensive Sensitivity and Core Values Training for the whole branch. Other branches will also be scheduled for similar sessions afterwards," said the restaurant in a statement.
It took responsibility over the viral incident but stressed that the political views of their employees do not reflect the company's as a whole.
"Frankie's as an organisation would like to reiterate that the views of individual team members do not reflect the views of our entire company," it said. "We acknowledge, however, that we are responsible for the actions of each member of our team."
"We have made mistakes in the past and we are truly sincere and committed to learning from them. We continue to ask for your empathy and understanding."
Jugueta, after Frankie's statements were issued, said that he is giving credit to the restaurant's president because he "never missed a chance to give an update or asked to clarify anything so that the story is clear."
He also called on other Facebook users to refrain from urging the termination of the Frankie's employees that were involved.
"Let's not give the whole Frankie's franchise hate. Don't boycott! Like us, they too have families they have to provide for. Let this be a lesson of what TRUE respect really should be instead," he said.
