Casual swearing in office

[Ginandpink]

Colleague just randomly shouted “you bitch” at their computer. Aibu to think this isn’t really appropriate?

I think it’s inappropriate. I once worked in a team where one woman swore all the time. Every second word was fck. All day and every day. It was a corporate office and people excused her by saying she was ‘salt of the earth’ blah blah. Imo she should have been told to stop it and if she couldn’t (highly possible) she should have been asked not to speak.

You bitch! ….hmmm was it aimed at someone, was it via frustration?
I swear a lot at my desk, mostly to myself. Whether it’s appropriate probably depends on context?
”can i have a big mac and cheese”….you bitch….no
”ive just failed this £billion deal and pointed finger at you”….yeah, maybs

Man your office must be boring as hell!

You would not like my office 😂

I can’t imagine giving.a shit but if you do then ask them not to

she should have been asked not to speak.

😂

It might just be the places I've worked in but I've noticed that swearing is less common in offices these days. Just as people are more mindful of what they say generally so it is with swearing ime. Which is fair enough as some people are genuinely upset by it. I mean I have colleagues who would be uncomfortable around swearing and it's their work environment as much as mine and no one should be wanting to make their colleagues feel uncomfortable when they're in a place they have to be in in order to earn money to support themselves.

If you're feeling uncomfortable about anything at work it can be worth raising with a line manager - only you know how that conversation is likely to go OP.

Have you actually met computers?

They're intensely frustrating at times. The only worse thing is a printer.

Lol when I worked in international workplaces printers tended to be sworn at in several different languages. It was quite educational!

This, this and this

Yes.
my computer and printer seem to know when I have a lot of work due And they decide to have errors.
i hate them all.
I’ve called them worse names.

I mean he was saying it to a computer so I would find it hard to take this personal and get upset enough about it to write a thread

Probably cause it was being a pain in the arse at an inappropriate time.

Muttering it under your breath -ok. Shouting it -not ok.

This. Don’t think a woman shouting “you bastard” at her computer would be appropriate either.

Perhaps because it had a glitch and not saved the amendments he’d been making to a 100 page report?

Personally when I hear women referred to as “Bitches” I say “Woof woof”!

You wouldn’t like my office either!! 😂

computers can be bitches

Same here. I’m the worst potty mouth in my team, but not in front of the patients. My computer was called ‘an absolute wanksplat’ yesterday, it’s a good job there’s no swear.box.

No, it's not ok. Particularly as it's a man shouting out 'you bitch', which references a female dog. It's odd behaviour from him. He needs to be told to stop. I hope the wider office culture doesn't enable him.

I wouldn't even blink an eye to be honest 🤣

I often swear at things when I'm tired or can't physically manage something. But I try not to publicly as it does offend people.

In all my 40 odd years working in offices, I’ve never had anyone swear. When my son at 21 started work in an office, he started swearing at home. I said you had better not swear at work, to be told they all swear, but never the C word, F word often. I do find it’s adults without children who swear the most.

Our (female) head of department drops the C bomb regularly. Which is a bit cringe and also unexpected the dirst time you hear it as she's a middle aged professional, quite demure looking and well to do.

i wouldnt like it at all
we are not allowed in nhs
do you have a policy about it?

Depends on the job. Some places don't, some do. Both my places of work (one very small, 1 medium) and Dh's (which is a huge water company) they have occasional swearing and no one bats an eyelid.