Banter – AGAIN!

A video has recently circulated on social media of a cake that was sent from an employee to their colleague as a funny farewell present, sporting the slogan ‘you’re dead to us…goodbye forever QUITTER.’

Whilst it may be obvious that this is a joke, the person making the joke might feel that it is banter but it might be offensive or hurtful to the recipient. And this is the difficulty with “banter”.

It can be difficult to know where to draw the line when it comes to workplace banter, especially when jokes involve sarcasm.

The topic of a fine line between workplace banter and offensive gestures has been a subject of controversy for years. Most people like a bit of friendly banter to get through the day at work, but in some cases ‘banter’ can be used as an excuse for actual harassment, bullying or discrimination, so it is crucial to read between the lines, and that managers are well equipped and trained to be able to recognise when banter has gone too far and put a stop to it.

What people find funny is subjective, which makes this a difficult area to navigate. But ultimately, understanding the company culture is important and for managers, setting the culture and maintaining behaviour is an essential element of their responsibilities.

If you feel that your managers require training in this area, 121 HR Solutions can help on enquiries@121hrsolutions.co.uk.