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

[Rayaj]

I brushed this comment off but a colleague I spoke to earlier thinks I should look to report it.

I am a Northerner working down South. My line of work meant our team had a close eye on the budget.

On our team call on Thursday, someone was being very vocal about benefits. I spoke up to say I’m glad that those who need looking after in Society are taken care of. He basically replied ‘typical scouser, always wanting something for nothing’ which I refuted there and then.

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

Was I right to brush it off and not report?

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?

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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

Definitely would not be reporting that.

I agree with this totally.

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.

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.

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

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.

As a Scouser I would have confronted him there and then - cheeky bastard!

You refuted it in the moment, and by your own admission you didn’t think anything of it until someone mentioned it to you. So would you be complaining because someone has told you you should be bothered?

I think political opinions are best kept out of the workplace. As, of course, are comments like his. But I wouldn’t be complaining about a comment I didn’t give any further thought to

This.

Hmm. I do think that mindset has allowed lots of abuse to continue unchecked…..

I would squirrel that away for future use.

When the time was right I would drop the Scouse-bomb into a conversation and say something passive aggressive along the lines of. "...... but then what do I know, I am just a Scouser on the scrounge, looking out for anything I can get. That was how you described me wasn't it?"

It wouldn't specifically achieve anything but I would enjoy watching him feeling very uncomfortable.

No I wouldn't report it. I would have eye rolled and asked him if he meant to be so rude

I'd report it 👍
Substitute paddy/p@ki/jew/black etc and you have a serious offence.