Page 7 | To think colleagues joke was NOT acceptable?

SerendipityJane · 03/03/2026 18:19

Mmmmnope · 03/03/2026 18:15

Before you throw your colleague under the bus, you should talk to your boss about your feelings about it. Ask your boss if you are overreacting. Because your boss might think you're being a little bit oversensitive and reading too deep into it, and few people want people like that on their team.
Do you really want to be the employee that everybody has to shut up around?
Do you like the idea of walking into a room and everybody stops talking because they're afraid of offending you?
That's where you're heading.

It's hard not to form an impression that had the OP not been there, the joke would not have been made .....

OneUniqueScroller · 03/03/2026 18:19

you sound like an absolute PITA to work with, get a grip

Mmmmnope · 03/03/2026 18:15

Before you throw your colleague under the bus, you should talk to your boss about your feelings about it. Ask your boss if you are overreacting. Because your boss might think you're being a little bit oversensitive and reading too deep into it, and few people want people like that on their team.
Do you really want to be the employee that everybody has to shut up around?
Do you like the idea of walking into a room and everybody stops talking because they're afraid of offending you?
That's where you're heading.

IMustDoMoreExercise · 03/03/2026 18:14

MotherofPufflings · 02/03/2026 18:15

Can you explain why you're upset, I don't get it

He is saying that he wants France bombed, so the first colleague should book a holiday there.

SerendipityJane · 03/03/2026 18:13

The OP will not be happy to learn that I cracked a smile.

Gonners · 03/03/2026 18:13

Mangledrake · 02/03/2026 20:35

Are you from Slough?

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Arf! I love that Betjeman poem.

Dawnb19 · 03/03/2026 18:11

Your being unreasonable. I've got loads of french friends having lived there for a while and they would have joked the same but in reverse. It's just banter. Mainly the good old fashioned British humour we are known for. We have centuries of rivalry between the two of us. If we can't joke about it what can we do? 🤷

liamharha · 03/03/2026 18:10

LaurenkI · 02/03/2026 18:10

My team has a meeting every Monday (virtual) and there’s always chat at the start about weekends etc. One of my colleagues said he’s worrying because his holiday plans for the year include already booked trips to Cyprus and Dubai. Another colleague then said ‘any chance you can book a trip to France next’ and he got a few laughs.

I have family in France, as does another colleague I’m aware of. Is it me or is this type of ‘joke’ really inappropriate given the current climate?

I wouldnt even link this ,how self absorbed are you to even think that a colleague can't make a a pretty naff joke without it offending you ?

The mental gymnastics you've performed here in order to take offence is ridiculous.

Honeybee32 · 03/03/2026 18:10

Just curious. Is your first name Karen?

Poetnojo · 03/03/2026 18:09

LaurenkI · 02/03/2026 20:03

I do think some have lost sight of what a professional workplace looks like in this day and age.

I am glad retirement is on the horizon.

The responses here evidence exactly why it was an inappropriate remark - heck, I hadn’t even considered the possible link to boats given the rise of the likes of Farage and the far right in this country.

Oh my God your retirement is on the horizon?
I assumed from your thread that you were some 20 something snowflake with zero resilience and zero real life experience!
Jeez 😣
Cop on to yourself for God's sake woman.

Iz20 · 03/03/2026 18:09

You just don’t like whoever made that comment coz it’s harmless .

141mum · 03/03/2026 18:08

LaurenkI · 02/03/2026 18:10

My team has a meeting every Monday (virtual) and there’s always chat at the start about weekends etc. One of my colleagues said he’s worrying because his holiday plans for the year include already booked trips to Cyprus and Dubai. Another colleague then said ‘any chance you can book a trip to France next’ and he got a few laughs.

I have family in France, as does another colleague I’m aware of. Is it me or is this type of ‘joke’ really inappropriate given the current climate?

God, glad I don’t work with you

ByRealLemonFox · 03/03/2026 18:05

Oh my word. Honestly. This is ridiculous, and to raise it to your manager. Honestly, you want to spend a day in my office. You would last an hour tops!

user1464187087 · 03/03/2026 18:04

LaurenkI · 02/03/2026 18:44

That’s for them to decide, they’ll need to acknowledge my grievance though and I expect seek guidance from HR on any next steps.

I flagged an equally inappropriate ‘joke’ by another colleague a couple of years ago and I know they were warned as to their future conduct.

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No wonder people are afraid to display a sense of humour these days! 🙄

Thegladstonebag · 03/03/2026 18:03

LaurenkI · 02/03/2026 18:44

That’s for them to decide, they’ll need to acknowledge my grievance though and I expect seek guidance from HR on any next steps.

I flagged an equally inappropriate ‘joke’ by another colleague a couple of years ago and I know they were warned as to their future conduct.

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And you’ll be doing all this in work hours I guess? Seriously, is it important enough to waste everyone’s time, especially as you have ‘form’ for this?

BoldRobin · 03/03/2026 18:03

With all due respect OP. Get a grip.
It was a very mild joke. YOU made it about YOUR family in france. They did not. You CHOSE to take offence to a joke that haf nothing to do with you, and you tacked on intent against yourself and your family. Honestly, its a bit "main character syndrome".

JennyBG · 03/03/2026 18:03

I agree with poster. The way it was said implies “bomb France next”. If it was meant as “try nearer home next time for your holiday” I think they would have worded it so.
Either way, it’s in bad taste.

unicornpower · 03/03/2026 17:59

This is a wind up isn’t it?

BlackCountryWench2 · 03/03/2026 17:59

Being from the West Midlands, anyone from the Black Country would have substituted Birmingham in the joke; anyone from Birmingham would have said Dudley or Walsall (with the inevitable “it’ll cause at least £10’s worth of damage” follow up). A West Brom fan would have said Wolverhampton and vice versa. I’m sure you could replicate this anywhere in the country which has a long-standing rivalry with its neighbours, as we have as a nation with France. Christ’s sake. Some people on here would have had an issue during the war with the chamber pots printed with Hitler’s face in the bottom.

croydon15 · 03/03/2026 17:59

It's the norm now that someone will take offence at whatever is said, best not to speak to each other in case someone gets offended. You are bu

MrsMitford3 · 03/03/2026 17:58

LaurenkI · 02/03/2026 19:10

Been there, done that. If this sort of thing came across my desk I’d have treated it with the utmost importance.

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This is why they don't trust us with the laughing emoji isn't it? 😂

Coloursingreydays · 03/03/2026 17:57

very over -sensitive you are.
I had booked trip to Venezuela & Dubai, and July to Cyprus. I lagthed so much with my family about it.

I said. Looks like the universe wants me to save money! so I will lol

LittleMyLabyrinth · 03/03/2026 13:16

Getareallife · 02/03/2026 21:34

I'm judging you for this unpleasant comment. We all have a right to judge and we all do it. The OP is a sly trouble maker, and you are encouraging her massive sense of entitlement and creepy attempts to harm those around her for no good reason at all.

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I specifically said that she shouldn't make a big deal out of it, i.e. I don't think she should take it up with HR or do anything else about it. But yes I do think saying 'I'd like it if (insert whatever country) got bombed/attacked' is in poor taste, and I would have a lower opinion of someone after they said that. Which, as you correctly say, is my right.

OrlandointheWilderness · 03/03/2026 12:07

The rivalry with the French is a beloved part of being English! Everyone knows it’s banter - it’s not meant to be taken seriously and they give as good as they get.

Plus it’s six nations and at the moment it’s bloody embarrassing being English. I was at Murrayfield on the 14th….. much gentle ribbing of us poor English on yeh way back into Edinburgh after the match! 😂 it’s part of it.

PistachioTiramisu · 03/03/2026 11:59

To me, this just sums up the ridiculous path we have travelled in this country over the last few years. A colleague makes a light-hearted joke, OP immediately gets all huffy and offended. What has happened to the great British sense of humour - does every single comment have to be analysed for potential offence?