Is swearing at work okay? The complicated impact of profanity in a professional setting
Whenever you’re having a tough day at work, it’s normal for some four-letter words to come to mind. Yet, offensive language is still primarily seen as taboo in workplace culture, particularly in front of customers, managers, and executives.
It’s more common for foul language to flow discretely between coworkers, and this is typically accepted as long as no one is directly offended or insulted by the bad language.
However, even this can be risky, as you can expect a call from human resources and some disciplinary action if you get caught using expletives around the office (mainly if your language is offensive to someone’s race, gender, or culture).
Traditional business etiquette dictates that dirty words have no place in a professional setting.
But is that always true? Or are there circumstances where swearing at work can be beneficial?
Some surprising evidence suggests that bad words can strengthen a sense of camaraderie, motivate employees, and provide a cathartic release to cope with stress.
That’s why I decided to put this article together exploring the use of swear words in professional environments, so read on to learn more about how having a potty mouth at work isn’t always bad.
Curse Words and Employment Law: Profanity Policies
If you aren’t a fan of swearing at work, it may seem tempting to put an anti-profanity policy in place at your organization, but it’s not recommended.
Why is that?
It’s because it would be too difficult to pinpoint an exact list of words that everyone agrees are offensive. Different cultures and communities use different obscenities, so it would be next to impossible to enact such a policy.
Instead of creating an anti-profanity policy outright, it’s best to form policies around respecting coworkers.
That will allow you to examine instances of foul language on a case-by-case basis, granting you the flexibility you need to make practical judgments.
Under such a policy, HR would only take disciplinary action if a coworker was directly insulted, offended, or harassed by another employee’s swearing. That would create a hostile work environment for the worker in question, which warrants disciplinary measures.
Can Swearing at Work Be Okay Sometimes?
According to Protocol School of Texas founder Diane Gottsman, a business etiquette aficionado, the use of profanity at work is always unacceptable.
To her, they simply aren’t necessary and only serve to cheapen interactions. She cites the 1981 film Mommie Dearest, where actress Faye Dunaway unleashes a profanity-laced rant at a boardroom full of men. To Gottsman, it’s a brave move, but she feels it would have been equally effective without the profanity.
Gottsman’s perspective is valid, and it’s undoubtedly shared by most companies, institutions, and organizations worldwide.
But is that all there is to the argument?
Not by any means!
Timothy Jay, a psychology professor at the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, has a far different take on the matter.
His opinion is that no other words in the English language are as hard-hitting, attention-grabbing, or impactful as swear words. To Jay, cussing grants you the freedom to convey raw emotions more effectively.
He cites an angry Tweet from the Philippine Foreign Minister, Teodoro Locsin, in which he dropped an f-bomb aimed at the Chinese government. It was a bold statement that sent ripples worldwide—one that would have been far less punchy or attention-grabbing without the expletive.
While not always the politically correct thing to say, curse words elicit a sense of urgency that others simply can’t. In a desperate situation like the Philippines was in, posting carefully crafted platitudes wouldn’t have attracted any attention.
In that scenario, going out with a bang is better than a whimper; an F-bomb can provide an impressive blast radius.
The science behind swearing
Timothy Jay’s point about swearing being more impactful actually has some scientific evidence backing it up.
In particular, a 2020 study in the UK found that using profanity can alleviate pain, providing a tangible physical benefit.
In the study, participants who let the expletives fly experienced an increased pain threshold and tolerance by a third.
So the next time you hit your thumb with a hammer, don’t hesitate to scream the f-word, as it’ll make you feel better!
It’s not just physical pain that swearing helps alleviate, either.
Other studies have found that swearers can also cope with emotional pain by using profanity.
For these reasons, having a more lax policy surrounding using curse words at work behind closed doors can be beneficial. Venting to a coworker about a tough day in private while slipping in a swear word or two can go a long way toward helping them relieve stress and making it easier for them to calm down and focus on work again.
The science doesn’t end there, though. Studies have also found that swearing can boost your strength. In one experiment, participants exhibited greater handgrip strength whenever they were allowed to curse during the test.
How swearing at work makes you appear
Before you start using the f-word in your daily work speech, you should consider how that will reflect on you professionally.
In this regard, it’s crucial to approach swearing at work with a lot of discretion.
Your coworkers likely won’t appreciate excessive cursing, especially if it makes deciphering what you’re trying to say harder.
Swearing can elicit a sense of camaraderie behind closed doors and among close coworkers. As stated before, it lessens the impact of emotional and physical pain, which can be pretty cathartic for employees on the job.
You might trade a few expletives in the break room. Perhaps you are discussing a football game. Maybe you are talking about a demanding client. Either way, it shouldn’t cause too much concern.
Yet, it’s crucial to consider who’s around you when engaging in profanity. As a rule of thumb, avoid using harmful words that address race or gender to avoid offending anyone.
Traditionally, the belief was that profanity cheapens your language and will make people not trust you.
However, recent evidence has come to light that suggests the opposite. This multi-national study found that those who swear are perceived as more trustworthy than those who don’t. It’s also viewed as a sign of integrity, which may surprise some.
In some cases, cursing can help you blend in with a group and become more accepted. For instance, if you start working with a crew frequently using particular swear words, incorporating them into your language can help form a bond.
It shows that you want to truly connect with them instead of keeping them at arm’s length with politically correct business speak.
Contrary to popular belief, swearing is also a sign of high emotional intelligence and a robust vocabulary.
Swearing at work: Curse at your own risk
We have discussed this extensively. Ultimately, there are times when it is acceptable to curse at work. However, you should always approach it with caution.
While today’s younger workforce likely won’t be offended by some casual swearing, it’s still an act that’s generally frowned upon by the majority.
For this reason, the benefits of swearing (conveying urgency and cathartic release) can be sullied by an offended coworker or customer, so it’s still best to watch your language.
To stay safe rather than sorry, it’s best to view swearing at work as a last resort rather than the status quo.
In other words, stay professional 99% of the time – but don’t be afraid to drop an f-bomb if your team needs some serious motivation to save the business. The same is true if one of your coworkers is having a hard day and needs to vent.
If you’re careful with your language, you shouldn’t get into trouble uttering the occasional curse word while on the clock.
When in doubt, wait for your boss to curse first. Even then, don’t feel as if you HAVE to curse. Speaking your mind is essential, but that doesn’t mean you have to give in to peer pressure. If you’re more comfortable not using swear words, you never have to use them if you don’t want to.
Concluding thoughts: Swearing at work
By now, you should better understand when it’s okay to swear at work and the science behind cursing.
Surprisingly, cursing has tangible physical and emotional benefits – such as coping with physical and emotional pain.
It is unacceptable to rant at the office using many swear words. However, using an occasional swear word behind closed doors is not the end of the world. As long as you are discrete and use good judgment, swearing can relieve stress.
More Resources:
Workplace conflict examples and how to handle them
Malicious compliance in the workplace: Causes and prevention
How to deal with difficult coworkers
