Over-sensitivity

[ZedLeg]

The way I see it, from the outside of not working with teams. You are best not having banter, a laugh, flirting, moaning about anything and generally have no connection with anyone there apart from your bosses who you need to impress.

That's not the case at all, where I work is fairly relaxed and we have a laugh. It's really easy, just remember you're not in the pub with your pals and don't be a dick. I understand that last one might give you trouble.

Its absolutely been the case through friends / family for many many years.

Maybe it is a generational thing, older managers dealing with subjects they're not really comfortable with and not reacting appropriately and older members of staff who aren't happy that younger managers won't let them away with stuff they've done before. I've had that before, some older guys seem to really balk at taking instruction/criticism from people younger than them. Not an issue I've seen with older women I've employed.

FWIW if I'd been the manager in the OP I probably wouldn't have pulled up anyone individually over that joke but if there were more along the same lines I would've knocked it on the head.

[Jobbo]

See. You start thinking like this and you end up finding yourself at a Coldplay gig...

Did I tell you I've seen Keane live too?

Hasn't the frontman of Keane been a keen junkie?

[nuttinnew]

It's not over-sensitivity, it's the evolution of language and society.

Stop at a red still means stop at a red though.

[nuttinnew]

I know I'm probably setting myself up for a slagging here but this is why most companies could do with getting a DEI consultant on board.

A lot of managers will use their own judgement on stuff like this and miss the mark completely, over reacting wildly to things that may not even be an issue while not dealing with other things that would be considered actionable.

Iswydt.

[Delphi]

The thing is there were some Prince Andrew gags in there and no one batted an eyelid. There was a gag about Olivia Newton John too. So we can joke about a nonce, someone dying but not mention "junkie"? One of the things I like about work is they're big on diversity and inclusivity and I'll call out racism, sexism and homophobia whenever I encounter it, but the last few months some people just seem to take offence on behalf of some imaginary "victim" who doesn't actually exist.

[Gavster]

Did I tell you I've seen Keane live too?

Hasn't the frontman of Keane been a keen junkie?

I think you mean he had a disordered relationship with substances

[Gavster]

It's not over-sensitivity, it's the evolution of language and society.

Stop at a red still means stop at a red though.

That's one rule I choose to break

[Swervin_Mervin]

Did I tell you I've seen Keane live too?

Hasn't the frontman of Keane been a keen junkie?

I think you mean he had a disordered relationship with port

EFA

[tim]

Yeah, having a jokes thread on a works communication channel is risky in the first place. Like you can't account for everyone's sensibilities, it just seems like it'll end up being a ballache when someone crosses a line.

This. We have a laugh with our colleagues, even with the odd risque joke, but it's completely off the work comms. Just asking for trouble.

[Rich B]

When we first started the company and it was 6 white middle class blokes in their 30s in a small rented spaces office, the WhatsApp group was pretty full on - we had to wind it back pretty sharpish when the group got bigger and more diversified, but thankfully we can still have a laugh on it without without offending anyone.

There's no way in the world that junkie comment would have raised any issue though (Now we're at 50+ people across 3 offices with a wide range of age/sex/nationality/orientation/etc...)