The topic of bad language has been going around the office today – swears I mean, naughty words that may offend (so be warned…). This has been kicked off by the Temp (still nameless, suggestions on a postcard are welcome people) who seems to be shocked an appalled at some of the banter that goes on in this place. I think this is partly due to some misinterpretation/understanding and partly due to the fact she’s never worked in this industry before and so not experienced as many potty mouths in one office.
When I started I was quite taken aback in the same way (although I never said anything as I didn’t want to come across as a ‘square’, I just joined in merrily!), not because the F word offends me but because normally you don’t hear your boss talking about “the f-ing c-t’s” who won’t return her calls. I think it’s an industry thing, lots of older men who think the term ‘PC’ is something to do with their computer and how it just rubs off on the younger employees and eventually becomes completely acceptable. Don’t get me wrong you don’t wander round the office f’ing and blinding all the time but the outbursts or use of swears in conversation doesn’t mean you’ll end up with a written disciplinarily and your P45 by Friday.
It’s also departmental. If I was to walk into another department then they might have a totally different take on the whole swearing thing. You do need to watch how you tread; us and Finance are probably the worst for bad language. Our swear jars overfloweth.
As well as the swearing there’s the banter, the innuendo and the general rudeness. I personally think it’s hilarious and fully embrace it and encourage it. The guys think it’s great that the girls wind them up or drop a comment and that they can do the same without getting a blush and a sexual harassment rap. Each to their own though, I know it’s not everyone’s bag and wouldn’t be acceptable everywhere and there’s people you know you can only go so far with.
For example with Kirstie there’s no holds barred, anything goes, I have yet to make her blush (and believe me I’ve tried…) but with Andre you can be a little risqué but if the conversation were to end up on a discussion about the different names for women’s private parts (as it did around lunchtime today) then she’d probably excuse herself and go back to listening to ABBA on her i-pod. You need to know your audience.
Temp is generally shocked by most things so far which I am finding surprising because she’s not coming across as the shy and retiring type. This girl hasn’t grown up all isolated on a Queensland farm somewhere, naive and young and now thrown into big bad London – she’s seen things. Things I haven’t seen and I’m almost 10 years her senior. But condoms in the stationary cupboard? Oh my god! Kirstie talking about pole dancing – WTF? Come on luv this is tame by comparison.
Earlier today Kirstie slammed down her mouse and called her computer a “F-ing C-t”. It wasn’t shouted across the room, it was under her breath but Temp caught it and gasped. “Can you use that word without offending people over here?” (She means the UK.) Kirstie says “yeah it doesn’t bother me; I use it all the time”. I feel I need to jump in here. “Not EVERYONE is a fan of the C word; in fact possibly less rather than more so please be careful using it around people Temp.” It’s ok; she doesn’t like using it anyway. Phew. I was envisaging her walking into bars and using it prolifically “Hi, please can I have a beer you c-t?” “Could you tell me where the c-ting toilets are?” She wouldn’t last long. If she doesn’t like it though she might want to follow Andre’s example and listen to some ABBA as the air in here can get quite blue at times….
Have a fucking great weekend everyone ;)
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