Everyone likes to have a little fun in the workplace. However, even well-intentioned jokes can go sideways. Often, we don’t know about others’ sensitivities, life experiences, hidden disabilities, or phobias. Jokes and pranks tend to bring these out into the open.
For example, say an employee leaves a whoopie cushion on a coworker’s chair, and they happen to have irritable bowel syndrome. While some might think this is a harmless novelty joke, that person may feel humiliated. They could assume their coworker knows about their condition, which they did not intend to share, and others are making fun of their health issue. This scenario could result in a bullying or harassment complaint.
So what’s an employer to do?
Consider setting up team-building events to foster connections and fun, so employees won’t resort to jokes and pranks as a way to connect with their coworkers. Be sure to have anti-harassment/discrimination and workplace violence policies that highlight zero tolerance for jokes or other actions related to a protected class. Hold regular harassment prevention training that explains how jokes, images, and comments can easily fall into the category of illegal harassment or violate company policies.
Archbright members can check out the mozzo Resource Library for sample policies and the Video Library for harassment prevention microlearning videos.
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