Offensive behaviour of a serious nature?

[Gardenpicnic]

Two colleagues in office. More within earshot.

Colleague A says to colleague B that they are a liar. Repeatedly (you're such a liar, you are lying).

Is this offensive behaviour of a serious nature? Or just rude?

TIA

I guess it depends on whether your are lying or not. Seriously? Context matters. On these bare bones it sounds more like a playground than a workplace.

Was b lying, are they known to be a liar. What was the context of this conversation.

Helps if you give some context. It could be anything from what you have posted.

Definitely agree with playground comment, sadly.

Can't give more detail but suffice to say colleague B has asked if it comes under the title for making a complaint as that is the company policy.

Colleague B not habitual liar but communication at an all time low between them. B feels A is aggressive and wants to take it further, I am unsure as to whether what A said is of a serious nature (although definitely offensive).

Can you try mediation? Sounds like both parties are in the wrong. Not quite at disciplinary stage I don't think but mediating the relationship to an acceptable level as they have to work together would be my first step.

Was it work related, are either of them management or a supervisor. If b did lie about a work related incident this should be dealt with by a manager, if a is just a bully and accusing b of lying then that needs to be addessed. Whatever happened it sounds incredibly unprofessional and immature and agree with pp about mediation if they have to work together. Liar liar pants on fire

I don't think it's worthy of a formal complaint but A should be spoken to regarding their manners. Has B actually done anything wrong? HAVE they even lied? If not then it is nasty, bullying behaviour and not to be tolerated.

Not the exact scenario but similar:

Colleague A says that colleague B had a conversation with another person about A. B says they didn't. A says they did and it was on Monday. B did speak to them but not about work or A and says so. A then says you're a liar, you are lying etc.

So B was in effect wrong to say they hadn't spoken at all if that makes sense but feels the response was OTT.

And are looking to see if they have a case to take it further.

Is there any need - at the moment - to 'take it further'?
If you have witnessed it could you not just shut it up by saying it is wrong to repeatedly call someone a liar with no evidence, even worse in public and disputes should be taken outside.

Is this a workplace or a schoolyard. This sounds really childish, A should have discussed this in private, B has every right to defend themselves, was does C say,some people like to stir the shit, cause workplace conflict.

Obviously all depends on context and also the tone and body language of both as it was said, but on the face of it, no, I wouldn't say it's seriously offensive. I would in general class (one-off) comments as 'seriously offensive' and therefore worthy of an immediate formal complaint only if they are (a) related to sex, race, gender etc (b) said in a threatening way, e.g. shouting, swearing, 'in your face' or (c) unnecessarily personal e.g. calling someone a fat ugly cow!

Anything less than this can of course be offensive and upsetting too - but I would say better dealt with at least in the first instance either with a direct conversation between A+B or perhaps a word with the line manager and ask them to mediate a conversation or get A to apologise if appropriate depending on where this all came from...

Formal complaints rarely result in an improved working relationship unfortunately, whatever the rights and wrongs of the situation, so unless the comments are of the kind likely to get someone sacked it's usually better to try and work through it at least initially. Obviously if the comments/arguments continue after B has done their best on their side to improve things then an escalation to the formal process might become necessary.

@maxelly v helpful, thank you.