Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU: swearing ban at work

281 replies

JammieJones · 04/07/2019 17:27

We’ve all recently been moved around offices and I’ve ended up in an office which has a swearing ban. I’d been there 2 hours when I was told by member of staff that she doesn’t like swearing and doesn’t want it in her office. I hadn’t sworn she was just letting me know.

We are the same level at work and after asking other members of staff who’ve worked with her for a long time she really really hates swearing and pulls people up on it.

Fair enough she doesn’t want people screaming fucking cuntbadger across the office but crap, damn and bloody are also on the banned list.

I realise I’ve come into “her” office but AIBU to think she can’t police other adults language (especially as we are all the same grade). I don’t particularly like the egg sandwiches she eats every day but I’m not going to ban them!

OP posts:
Dropitlikeitshot · 04/07/2019 17:42

I’d have laughed and said ‘Oh bloody grow up Debbie, I’m not a child and I don’t need to pulling me up.’
It’s polite to mind your language when conversing with her but it’s rude of her to eavesdrop into your conversation and pull you up.

DocusDiplo · 04/07/2019 17:45

I'm surprised at the responses here. I don't swear at work for reasons of professionalism. I do swear if it's just a couple of us in the office and we are friends And colleagues, but I think that is quite naughty and would never defend that. Surely it's an unwritten rule to not swear at work!

Iputthescrewinthetuna · 04/07/2019 17:45

When she says 'language please' I would probably say 'oh fuck, yeah sorry'
Or I would learn how to swear in another language. Hint: fuck in Polish is pierdolić

DocusDiplo · 04/07/2019 17:46

What type of places do those of you in sweary places work in out if interest??

AnthonyCrowley · 04/07/2019 17:47

I swear a lot but if someone at work didn't like it I'd try my best not to do it in front of them. A guy I worked with years ago pulled me up on swearing, I said sorry and tried not to swear near him again.

If you worked in a shop or customer facing you probably would have to rein the language in.

blaaake · 04/07/2019 17:47

Is she for real? Surely not. Tell her to get a grip (politely) as she has no authority to police people's language. If this fails tell her you're banning egg sandwiches and all other smelly food. In fact, observe things she regularly does and ban them.

Xiaoxiong · 04/07/2019 17:48

Have worked in law and finance and there were people who would make Malcom from The thick of it look like a choirboy. I find it very hard to curb my tongue around the DCs!

MatildaTheCat · 04/07/2019 17:49

It depends on the level of swearing. I’m a potty mouth with friends but think it is quite unprofessional in the workplace to be flinging fucks and cunts around.

I would find all sorts of quaint exclamations and use them liberally.

Fiddlesticks, cripes, oh by jingo, hells bells (might be crossing a line here!) . I’m sure mn can come up with many more. Also google old English swear words. They are very funny.

DGRossetti · 04/07/2019 17:49

Other languages are available for swearing (although I have to say English really does excel in fucking swearing). Why not use the opportunity to brush up on a few choice words in other tongues.

Remember: Heck is where people who don't believe in gosh end up Grin ....

mbosnz · 04/07/2019 17:49

Insurance was very sweary. Law, ditto. Council offices - when away from the punters - very sweary. Horticultural work - ditto. Agricultural - definitely!

Celebelly · 04/07/2019 17:49

I've worked as a journalist and for the police. Swearing in the office was mandatory Grin At the same time every night my boss would do an exaggerated stretch and yawn and finish with a 'ooh ya cunt' as his neck cricked. Could set your watch by it.

Biancadelrioisback · 04/07/2019 17:50

Please tell me her name is Allison?? I had this exact same thing. It didn't last

MzHz · 04/07/2019 17:50

@Minkies11 Grin

“I'd stay mute in protest and just hold up a series a flash cards grin
With bloody, crap and damn on them.”

Hilarious!!

Sweary bunting all around the seat too.

OralBElectricToothbrush · 04/07/2019 17:51

Sales is very sweary!

Celebelly · 04/07/2019 17:51

Get a mug with 'Fuck off Deborah' on the side

MzHz · 04/07/2019 17:51

Desk, not seat

StoorieHoose · 04/07/2019 17:51

I'd have to gag myself to stop swearing. we do a lot of swearing in the IT Team

Kashali · 04/07/2019 17:52

tell her you can't stand the smell of her shitty egg sarnies, but you have to put up with it, so she'll have to put up with your language. Tell her give and take.

Doobigetta · 04/07/2019 17:53

Is there any justifiable reason for it? Like people in that office who are speaking to customers on the phone, who might hear? I have to say I’m pretty sweary and have worked in sweary offices in the past, but if that’s not the culture where you are now, it really isn’t an infringement of your human rights.

CruellaFeinberg · 04/07/2019 17:53

All the offices I have worked in have a pretty much no swearing rule

You dont need to swear in a professional setting. I swear occasionally at work, and it's ok but there's no need to be constantly at it

fedup21 · 04/07/2019 17:54

I don’t think I could actually manage!

managedmis · 04/07/2019 17:54

Without wanting to sound like someone from Carry on Camping, is she your superior?

Whatdoyouknowwhenyouknownowt · 04/07/2019 17:54

I went to work in an office a few years ago and had the posh man opposite say loudly during pretty much every phone conversation "I can't swear anymore, a lady has joined us in the office".

That did not last long...

Interestingly, and it made me laugh when I heard about it, there was an academic paper presented to an ADHD conference recently about ADHD folk being more sweary!

I would really struggle with this, it would not end well.

Sadie789 · 04/07/2019 17:55

I work in an office full of horrible old men who use words like fuck as punctuation and cunt to mean “a person”, it’s relentless and invades your eardrums and I personally find it offensive. I would love a swearing ban but it will never happen.

managedmis · 04/07/2019 17:56

I can't believe she actually said 'language'

How did you not reply Timothy