How would you discipline this racist joke from someone you manage

[davidbrent]

This is identifying but I don't care.

So a work colleague was complaining that her computer was running really slow to which another colleague piped up:

'paint it black it will run faster'. Then everyone burst into fits of laughter and it was forgotten. This colleague does like to have a joke at work but it good at the job.

Locality manager didn't seem to have any issues and didn't mention anything. I'm sure it's forgotten within the office. Everyone working here is White British. Luckily a Nigerian colleague was on a visit at the time.

Would you be concerned by this joke. Would you discipline the employee? I would certainly have at least called him into the office but let locality manager take the lead as he was in the room too.

Changednamesorry. Re your last post. I completely agree with that. But then for this incident that should be it.

Also zwellers it really is true that no one at my work would laugh at a racist remark like this. "Heat of the moment" "time to reflect" ....sorry...that's all bullshit. Decent people don't laugh at racist remarks. Full stop.

In my workplace if you were present when something like that happens you are expected to challenge it or report it to a manager. It's against our code of conduct not to do so.

No one would laugh at that in my workplace either.

Ooh yes janesmom I'm taking political correctness too far for you am I? I'm sure that was aimed at me.
Educate yourself.
Think how you would feel if you were the Nigerian employee's mother.
Think how you'd feel if you knew that your children would be discriminated against because of their skin colour.
Consider whether you might want that to change, and for the subtler manifestations of it to be stamped out so that more and more racist thugs slowly become more and more acceptable again.
And finally.....know this. People who use terms like "political correctness gone too far" or "playing the race card" or anything similar?

Usually racists themselves.

Sorry, am a missing something? What is the discrimination?

It doesn't have to be discrimination to be racist.

It kind of happens quite a lot in general janesmom so when stupid comments like these are made they need to be dealt with properly. So that they don't escalate.

It was inappropriate and racist. I'd speak to her about it at your next one to one meeting with her. I wouldn't go down the formal route. I may also consider getting diversity training for your team!!

Although aware of various stereotypes re own race (part-Chinese) - eg when people suggested dd "must" be academic because of Chinese heritage - I genuinely struggle to get particularly bothered by these things.

Janesmom what's the difference between racialist and racist?!?!

Why is it racist? Some of the world fastest athletes are black?
I would say he is being racist to white people as they are being not as fast runners?
Was the computer a trans gender computer? If so you all in big trouble now .....

Patricia on the off-chance you actually want the answer to your question I have answered it repeatedly throughout the thread.
And no.....it's not the guy being a big meanie to white people and calling them slowcoaches.

Patricia what an unhelpful and goady comment. Why don't you read the comment from a PP about what people say to her mixed heritage son. Your final comment is just pathetic

Patricia do you work?

Racialist = Referring to race (eg The President of the USA is white, the fastest 10k runner is black).
Racist = something which can reasonably be considered to insult / offend a particular race.

Here, I think if the speaker was seeking to demean or lessen any particular race, that would be entirely wrong, unacceptable and incompatible with him being in his job. He did clearly refer to race, but I am still struggling to see how to sought to offend that (or any other) race. If I change the reference to any other color, including my own, it doesn't offend me.

You may not like his joke (in fairness, it doesn't strike me as funny), but that does not make it a matter for disciplinary process, unless his contract contains a prohibition on stupid / s* jokes.

I wonder whether some of the posters on this thread have any awareness of equality and diversity in the workplace.

Not racist, complimentary and true.

No janesmom, that isn't what racialist means. Look it up.

Penelope what drivel. There was a complaint about it from someone. It was racist and is is not complimentary.
People talk utter shit here.

Appreciate your comment @ilovesooty and also agree that best rule for all concerned is to avoid such comments. Would make everyone's lives easier and more pleasant.

That said, as a (former in house) lawyer, I have also seen the repercussions of a former member of staff suing a relatively well known firm for giving a formal sanction in comparable circumstances without good legal basis (without being too specific you can end up with issues re breach of contract, constructive dismissal etc)

I throw my hands up. I really do.

It is fucking exhausting watching people bend over backwards to protect people who are behaving in a totally innappropriate manner. It is embarrassing.
janesmom an official verbal warning for a racist remark is completely appropriate in any workplace. Maybe when you say you are a former in house lawyer you mean you retired in the 70s. If your information is current then I really do despair.

Mercifully...my workplace and others mentioned by posters on this thread do not take this sort of thing lightly.....so there is at least some progress...and there are at least SOME places where nasty stereotyping and racist remarks are treated with zero tolerance.

Exactly Changednamesorry

I'm profoundly thankful I work where I do.

Ilovesooty yes I do work. But that had nothing to do with you really does it,
I am sick to death of the ridiculous PC attitude where everyone in the UK is scared to death of saying something that will be classed as racist.

Well Patricia I take it your workplace has an equality and diversity policy and you're familiar with it?