THE POSITIVITY ISSUE
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Even if your workmates are comfortable with the banter that ’ s happening , remember you need to be mindful of the situation you ’ re in , and who else is around . “ If you ’ re working in clients ’ homes or workplaces banter needs to be appropriate too ,” Hillen points out .
If you ’ re the subject of some OTT banter that you don ’ t like , the ideal scenario would be to speak up quickly , says Hillen . “ Let the person know that their banter has gone too far or crossed the line so it doesn ’ t become an ongoing issue .” The best way to approach this is by taking them aside and telling them how it makes you feel when they behave like this . The hope is that they ’ ll be genuinely taken aback , apologise and stop what they ’ re doing .
If they don ’ t , it could be a sign there ’ s more to it than banter . Common responses might include ' I was only joking ,' or ' we always talk like that around here .' These can be hard to respond to , but the bottom line is that it ’ s not OK for someone else to make you feel uncomfortable or intimidated at work . “ If this is the case , raise it with the boss and get some external support if you need to ,” says Hillen . “ Don ’ t just put up with it . It ’ s really important to talk to a manager about what ’ s going on . It ’ s also a good idea to document any further incidences so you have a record of what ’ s happening .”
If you ’ re a manager , you need to be aware of the type of banter that ’ s going on between your employees , but also have some regulations in place to prevent things getting out of hand . “ Make sure you have HR policies in place ,” says Hillen . “ Educate yourself and your employees about appropriate behaviour . It ’ s also a great idea to hold regular talks where all employees can contribute to the conversation about what ’ s acceptable behaviour .”
Keep your banter appropriate and it can create a fun , positive workplace . “ Everyone wants to have some fun and a few jokes at work ,” says Hillen . The key is keeping it about building rapport , not creating divides . n
RESPECTING WOMEN IN THE WORKPLACE
Being respectful to women at work doesn ’ t mean not having banter – it means doing it in the right and respectful way . Use your common sense ; if something is rude , sexist or derogatory , don ’ t say it . It ’ s that simple .
WHAT ’ S TOO PC ?
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Political correctness is intended to assist us in using language and actions that help instead of harm or insult – particularly when it comes to those who are already experiencing discrimination . But can it go too far ? Perhaps . One small-town recruitment agency was reprimanded for requesting someone ' reliable ' in a job ad , as it could be deemed offensive to unreliable people .
22 GEMCELL . COM . AU AUG – SEP 2021