LONDON (AFP) – Regular swearing at work can help boost team spirit among staff, allowing them to express better their feelings as well as develop social relationships, according to a study by researchers.
Yehuda Baruch, a professor of management at the University of East Anglia, and graduate Stuart Jenkins studied the use of profanity in the workplace and assessed its implications for managers.
They assessed that swearing would become more common as traditional taboos are broken down, but the key appeared to be knowing when such language was appropriate and when to turn to blind eye.
The pair said swearing in front of senior staff or customers should be seriously discouraged or banned, but in other circumstances it helped foster solidarity among employees and express frustration, stress or other feelings. read the rest of the story here.
Being multi-lingual myself, English and Lockerroom, I must admit to swearing at work at times. Not especially proud of it, but it happens.  I have noticed over the last decade or so, that swearing seems to be more accepted, we are used to it somehow. Even on primetime TV, we hear “son-of-a-bitch” and worse. I don’t like it, however.
And I think most people in the workplace might be more like me than you think. So, if you absolutely NEED to swear, and can’t find another more suitable workplace word, go ahead.
Just realize that swearing at work is akin to showing your bad manners…both make us cringe.
3 users commented in " No #$@%, It’s Ok To Swear at Work, Says These Two "
GL–I have always called this the “monkey on my back”.
He speaks into my ear and but I have a choice what to say, and I have always been taught that you don’t have to say whatever comes into you head.
Easier said than done though———– sometimes that monkey sounds pretty funny.
My dad always said each generation would slip farther and farther from center, and I had some responsibility to help.
I personally don’t want to be part of any business that allows this.
I gotta say, GL, I’m personally disappointed if I hear co-workers swear. To me, it’s a sign of a lack of control and a character flaw, not to mention distracting.
Sure, it’s overwhelmingly prevalent in our society today, but to NOT do it shows far more character, not less, IMHO. But maybe that’s just me.
Robert and Mike…I agree with both of you…and commit to do better myself.
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