By Jane Han
Staff Reporter

Tuition reimbursement and free late night taxi services were as exciting as most employee benefits went so far. But now some companies have decided that they will help their single staff find romance at work.

Through employee-to-employee matchmaking events, employers are turning to play the role of cupid.

According to Duo, a Seoul-based professional matchmaking firm, local companies signing up to hold dating events for their staff have jumped more than three-fold in the past year.

The reason?

``It's all a strategic way to increase commitment to work,'' said Yoon Young-joon, a Duo spokesman, who said that employers know well that people with a stable personal life perform better at work.

From large corporations including LG Electronics, GS Caltex and Samsung C&T to government agencies, more and more organizations are taking part in the less-traditional employee perks program.

Here's what they do ― First, companies offer their single staff to register for a large dating event offsite at a hotel or theme mark. Matchmaking companies then kick in with games and events to help the crowd get to know each other better. At the end of the session, participants pick ― through a secret ballot ― who they want to be with.

Duo says about 50 people are accepted for one session and 30 percent of them go home as a couple. Some companies host the event as much as four times a year.

A human resources official at one of the participating firms, who didn't want to be identified, said such programs are ideal as they bring out maximum output with minimum input.

``It doesn't really cost us a fortune to offer the events,'' she said, ``but from an employee's perspective, having the opportunity to meet with other peers that way.''

Yoon of Duo said more companies, particularly in the provincial districts, have been making inquiries about the programs since the onset of the financial crisis.

``Employers know that many of their single employees are finding it harder to tie the knot these days because of money problems, so they want to help set up an occasion where people with similar interests and backgrounds could meet casually,'' he said.

jhan@koreatimes.co.kr