Would you go to HR about work colleague’s budget comment

What is it with MN and the constant ‘shall I report to HR’ bollocks.

It’s not HR’s’s job to manage this kind of crap. Their role is to support the ‘Manager’ to deal with it. The clue is in the name ‘Manager’. If you have an issue, then your first port of call is that persons manager. If they need advice on how to deal with the issue, they can approach HR. It’s not HR’s job to ‘ manage’ every issue in the work place.

If you weren’t offended at the time no i wouldn’t go to hr.
If your colleague was offended they should go to hr and report it themselves.
if your colleague hadn’t mentioned it it wouldn’t have entered your head to go to HR

That implies she is saying it for some kind of social capital. You cannot know that. In the 00s this was a very mainstream point of view.

HR do tire of being treated like the workplace Mummy. They'd take it seriously, they have to, but it does get very tedious dealing with stuff like this that sounds like it was addressed at the time in an appropriate way.

Especially as it sounds like you've let someone wind you up about it.

I agree with this totally.

Definitely would not be reporting that.

Your colleague is stirring the pot and just wants a bit of gossip.

I don't think anyone referring to 'grasses' or 'snitches' can be old enough to have a job. Workplaces have codes of conduct and employees should abide by them. I'm fairly sure your colleague's comment is not acceptable by any professional policy. So yes, report. It’s not ok to speak like this to colleagues, and no one should expect that kind of comment at work. The only people who complain about 'snitches' are bullies and/or people who want to be able to use racist and otherwise discriminatory language and hate that it's not tolerated anymore.

I couldn’t get remotely upset over this.

Most areas have these stereotypes. Scots are stingy, Irish are idiots, Londoners are rude, Bristol accents mean they’re a farmer, Scousers are thieves.

I fall into one of those categories above and if someone referenced it, it would never, ever cross my mind to report to anyone. 😂

I don’t agree with people saying “snitches get stitches” and all workers should stick together. It depends what someone does as to whether you stick together - there are limits. I think someone’s place of birth should be off limits for office bantz particularly with tired old stereotypes.

Was his manager at the meeting? Either way I would report it to his line manager as a “I don’t want to go down the formal route but he needs to wind his neck in” reminder.

You weren’t offended until someone told you to be. That person may well have an axe to grind and is using you as the patsy.

HR have enough to do with actual problems. Not ones where a group of adults get into a dicey subject, which everyone knows politics always is, when everyone’s blood is up and can’t untangle themselves.

It’s really offensive!

Was he trying to be funny or was he completely serious?

I am not sure what reporting it would actually do.
He sounds awful though.

Get a grip. How on earth would you even begin this "complaint" with HR. You'll sound like you're in year 2 at school.

You only appear bothered because of your friend / colleague, you admit you didn’t think anything of it at the time / brushed it off. If they are that bothered they can report it - it’s not up to you to subsequently adopt their feelings and report on their behalf. If they are that concerned / upset they should be reporting it themself.

What would you say to HR ? I was ok at the time but once my friend “stirred” I feel affronted. Has your friend got history with this individual / what are their motives for bringing this up ? I would let it go - as you were originally - and if your friend raises it with you again suggest they report it if they feel that strongly.

I'm from the West Country and often when dealing with people from other parts of the country we are referred to as country bumpkin, farmers, tractor drivers, and so on. Would never occur to me to report it.

He's a twat, the working world is full of them, just note who is one, stop discussing politics at work and move on.

Colleague is trying to stir it up, at your expense. If they are so offended by it, then why don’t they report it themselves?

Bit of a leap lol!

Pfff are you aged 5 and still in the playground running to teacher?

I can never think fast enough. I lack what the French call 'esprit de l'escalier'
Repartee thought of only too late, on the way home.

I probably wouldn’t report it this time but I would email him and tell him his comment was out of order.

Probably best to avoid conversations about politics in future and then you can’t get dragged down to his level.

Don’t be a ‘ bitchy snitchy’ - just have some good come backs ready

I didn’t really think anything more of it until my colleague mentioned it to me today.

Does your colleague get on well with this person or do they in anyway dislike them?

Report by all means but make sure you're not doing your colleagues dirty work for them.

I think it depends how he said it. A bit of a joke, I'd brush off. Said with venom and a genuine belief in the words he said then I would be very angry, not sure if I'd go to HR but I'd have something to say about it to him.
The line of work matters too I think, someone in a role supporting vulnerable people claiming benefits saying this would be more concerning than someone working in IT saying it.