BANTER

HOW CAN YOU TELL WHEN THE ‘ BANTS ’ GOES TOO FAR ?

ON THE JOB _B anter can be one of the great things about working as a tradie . It ’ s a fun way to feel part of the team , bond with your workmates , and have some fun during your work hours . That is , until it isn ’ t .

Although banter is supposed to be fun , in some instances it can cross the line . When supposed banter turns from harmless fun into bullying , it can seriously affect workers ' wellbeing . It ’ s estimated that workplace bullying costs Australia between $ 6 billion and $ 36 billion a year , and one UK survey found that four per cent of people have actually left a job because of banter crossing the line into something darker .

So , how do you know when banter goes too far ?

“ Context is everything ,” explains HR Specialist at Tradies HR , Karen Hillen . “ Jokes or banter can become victimising , humiliating , intimidating or threatening if it ’ s repeated , unwanted and a risk to the employee ’ s health and safety . Workplace bullying isn ’ t a one-off , it ’ s a series of events .”

There are state laws that define when jokes or pranks become bullying behaviour . In NSW this includes , “ baiting or unreasonable teasing , singing derogatory songs and inserting the person ’ s name , cruel nicknames , nasty practical jokes ”. In the ACT it ’ s defined as “ verbal abuse , initiation pranks , humiliation through sarcasm , displaying written or pictorial material which may degrade or offend certain employees ”, and Queensland states that “ constant ridicule and being put down , sabotaging someone ’ s work or humiliating a person through gestures , sarcasm , criticism and insults ” all cross the line from banter into bullying .

These laws make it clear that banter is about inclusivity and making someone feel part of a team , rather than making them feel embarrassed or scared . If you ’ re unsure whether something is appropriate , ask the person it ’ s aimed at whether they feel happy about it . “ There ’ s nothing wrong with a simple ' Is this OK mate ?' to check someone is comfortable with the language that ’ s being

AUG – SEP 2021 GEMCELL . COM . AU 21

Electrical Gems #164 Aug-Sep 2021 | Page 21

BANTER

ON THE JOB B anter can be one of the great things about working as a tradie . It ’ s a fun way to feel part of the team , bond with your workmates , and have some fun during your work hours . That is , until it isn ’ t .

ON THE JOB _B anter can be one of the great things about working as a tradie . It ’ s a fun way to feel part of the team , bond with your workmates , and have some fun during your work hours . That is , until it isn ’ t .