By the evening edition.
Dropping a few vulgarities in the workplace is becoming more and more common and accepted, according to a British study. Here’s what that means.
A page that closes by itself on your computer and it’s the swear word that starts with a p that comes out instinctively. A line manager who reminds you that he is waiting for a file that you have completely forgotten and it is the m-word that highlights your thoughtlessness. A well-advanced project which has not been saved and, there, it is downright an anthology of flowery expressions, where the words in p and in m can even be combined.
In 2023, in a study carried out by LinkedIn in the United Kingdom and relayed by the newspaper The Independent30% of employees surveyed admitted to swearing regularly. “Another study found that the average British worker hears eleven swear words a day”writes the media again, also cited by Slate. Still according to the same source, the younger generations more readily admit to indulging in these verbal slip-ups.
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An increasingly informal work culture
How could such vulgarity take hold? The two titles remind us that such language has not always been the norm, but that the world of work is not the only one to blame. “Swearing is much less taboo in everyday conversations than it used to be. It is therefore inevitable that these looser attitudes towards language have seeped into the office incognito, aided by an increasingly informal work culture, and a pandemic that has blurred the line between work and home life.pose Slatetaking up the analysis of Alex Gapud, cultural anthropologist in an employee engagement consulting firm.
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The Independent particularly links this normalization of swearing to certain sectors, such as finance or even cooking. For the newspaper, there is even a link between the culture of performance and that of profanity in the workplace. “We tend to play the roles we think we should play, adds the anthropologist. You may have a leader who feels like swearing because they have an idea or standard of what “alpha” behavior is. » In some cases, starting to swear yourself would simply be a way of gaining acceptance.
Beware of the toxic atmosphere
Tolerated and common, yes. Liberating and good for your health, certainly. But trivial, no. While a swear word doesn’t always hold a lot of meaning for the person saying it, that’s not necessarily the case for those who receive it. “Excessive or aggressive swearing can be harmful. In tense situations, they can escalate conflict or create a hostile environment,” warns Alex Alvarez, scientific manager in human resources, who instead invites us to create an inclusive context.
Legal nuances
From the legal side it also seems that it is the meaning given to the words which separates the accepted swearing from the unforgivable insult. In 2010, the Dijon Court of Appeal, for example, ruled that it was legitimate to dismiss an employee who had called a colleague a “little s*****”, reports Legal Curiosities, which examines court decisions on social networks. On the other hand, The Independent relays another French decision, which considered that responding “I don’t care” had to be accepted by the employer. Franceinfo also indicates that extenuating circumstances, for example having had a difficult day, can in certain cases be conceded.
In short, if you feel the need to shout like Captain Haddock, it is better that your rudeness is directed at yourself or at no one, rather than at a colleague. You can also reserve it for your teleworking days if you have them. Alone at home, by making sure that the video is turned off properly, no one will blame you for your lack of elegance.
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