To ask if my joke to new work colleague would have offended you?

It wouldn’t offend me but it would make me cringe and think that you are socially awkward so make rubbish jokes instead of saying something more appropriate - or funny - if you really need to ‘rib’ your colleagues.

Regardless of whether it was appropriate I'm surprised at the number of people who don't appear to have heard of the term 'eggy farts'! It's not that they make you fart, it's that when you inevitably do they stink of rotten egg! Growing up, this was widely accepted and laughed about.

Against the grain and general consensus, bodily humour is always funny.

I would be more offended by the colleague eating the bloody things tbh. People who bring and eat smelly foods into work are anti social. Ditto trains and cinemas. Eggs, tuna, cheese and onion, popcorn, rice cakes, all disgusting.

I wouldn’t be offended. I’d think you were a bit of a dick, though.

Sense of humour failure on your part.

It’s not so much sense of humour failure on her part but cringey unfunny joke on yours.

To answer your Q it wouldn’t have offended me just annoyed me which is possibly also true for her but I guess projecting she has no sense of humour onto her is more validating for you.

Exactly! I'd be mortified that you were saying I stink/my lunch stinks/my home stinks. Mortified. Not amused.

Yes. I'm quite shy in a new situation with new people as are alot of people. Being the butt of a joke on her 1st day of work would have probably given her mean girl vibes.

Rude and lame. First impressions are hard to overcome and hers is probably that you're a bit immature.

I'd want to reply that, as my gut is healthy, I don't have that kind of problem with eggs. However, on the first day in a new job, I'd just keep it quiet and think thoughts instead.

I don’t like bodily function humour.

But I’m a grown up and would not have been offended or “have second hand embarrassment” or have complained to HR or gone home upset about my new job or spiralled into any type of sadness.

I miss the laughing emoji. Which was removed because of people like me and the easily offended like those on this thread.

Absolutely agree with your last paragraph. I’m an HR manager and lost count of the times I’ve had to conduct a disciplinary where the defence was ‘but it was a joke’

Knowing your audience especially in the workplace is an essential skill for adults

I would have smiled politely while thinking you were a bit sad if you found that kind of 'joke' to be funny.

I agree.

Not a nice joke.

This.

Urgh. Not funny. Maybe ok with someone you know well. Not a new staff member.

“Ribbing” at work, why? Why can’t you all just behave in a professional and courteous manner? The “joke” was crass and especially mean directed at a new colleague.

Now you’re being defensive because everyone’s told you your ‘joke’ was shit. You asked the question. Take it on the chin, OP.

Apart from anything else, you realise that, if she happens to have any kind of bowel disorder or difficulties in that department, she will now feel dreadfully shamed and like she's permanently on edge every time she's at work?!

I actually do find fart jokes/comments funny, but only with people I know well and who will laugh along too.

Knowing your audience is a very basic, essential requirement before making any kind of joke that could upset, offended or make somebody feel awkward. There can be an extremely slender line between banter and bullying.

I wouldn't be offended but I don't find it funny either. I would just smile politely (just because I can see it's not deliberately mean).

Why should she ‘learn to smile politely ’ at someone who has shown themselves to be rude and childish?

Hopefully she’ll start to call the OP out on her inappropriate comments and not passively tolerate her.

I wouldn't be offended. I'd just think 'OMG, cringe' to myself.

Maybe she does, hence the non-reaction. 😉

I see what you did there 😂

This. Light hearted ribbing and 'in jokes' and banter are generally popular amongst the office wankers. Offices without wankers are so much nicer

I would have thought it was a hint not to have eggs in the workpiece. A but mean tbh