14 • Kitsap Peninsula Business Journal • KPBJ.com April 2012
Creating workplace humor without getting sued By Julie Tappero, President, West Sound Workforce April Fool’s Day. What does it mean to you? Do you have a favorite workplace prank that you pull out each year to spring on your unsuspecting co-workers? My father always looked forward to April 1st. He’d put a spool of thread in the inside pocket of his suit coat and, with the help of a needle, he would pull the thread so that it poked out through the front of his jacket. All day long, unwitting well-meaning people would pluck the thread off his coat, attempting to help him with his grooming, only to find themselves pulling and pulling at a never ending piece of thread. My dad never tired of his prank. In contrast, consider the racial discrimination lawsuit filed against the Richmond, California Police Department. Plaintiffs claim that the administration made racial jokes against black officers and blocked their promotions. They cited the fact that a picture of the Assistant Chief was posted on the bulletin board with the words “Master of the Universe” below it. The black officers were offended by the word Master. When questioned in court about this, the Chief claimed it was part of an April Fools joke gone bad. Pranks in the workplace aren’t always just a part of April Fools Day. You may remember the Tennie Pierce lawsuit. Pierce, a Los Angeles area firefighter, settled a lawsuit for $1.5 million in a case where his coworkers pranked him by mixing dog food into his spaghetti dinner at the firehouse. Pierce, a black firefighter who was known to say, “Feed the big dog!” during volleyball games, referring to himself by a nickname, successfully argued that it was a case of racial discrimination. What does this all mean? Should we not allow fun and humor in the workplace? Of course not! We know that the workplace is a place of stress. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) tells us that 25 percent of workers say that their job is the primary cause of stress in their lives, and 75 percent believe workers today grapple with more stress than those in the previous generation. Scientific studies have proven that laughter produces hormones that reduce our stress. Therefore, it only makes sense that our employees will benefit by having some fun during the workday.
How then do we create a workplace that includes humor, without opening the door to lawsuits? By setting a good example and implementing a positive work culture, we can protect the company and create a fun work environment at the same time. Think before you speak. You may have a comfort level with a good friend, which allows you to kid around about personal things. Those same subjects, when overheard by others, might be considered offensive. It’s important to consider the audience whenever jokes are made. Workplace jokes should never target protected classes, because most workplaces contain individuals in every protected class, making the company vulnerable to a lawsuit. Stick to positive humor. Humor that makes fun of someone, is belittling, or makes someone feel foolish, doesn’t belong in the workplace. Even if it’s meant in good fun, when it’s replayed in a lawsuit, it becomes hard to defend. The words, standing all on their own, can often appear to be very close to harassment or a hostile work environment. Keep in mind that today’s workplace is one of diversity. When our workplace contains multiple cultures, five generations, two genders, a variety of religions, and complex blends of family and home lives, we no longer have a homogenous workforce. This means that a joke does not hit any two people in the same way. Don’t try to joke in written communication. Remember that written communication in an email doesn’t contain inflection, and the reader cannot see your face or read your body language. You might be saying something in jest, in an attempt to be funny, but the email’s recipient might not know that. Your written words will take on a life of their own, and they cannot be taken back. Stay away from the tempting topics. Christopher LeGrow, professor at Marshall University, studied humor in the workplace. He found that more than 70 percent of jokes were targeted at subjects such as co-workers’ age, weight or sexual orientation, and that, in fact, 40 percent of those he surveyed said they themselves had made fun of their coworkers’ age or weight. These topics, of course, can easily stray across the lines of protected classes. If you are a supervisor or business owner, you have a duty to stop inappropriate
humor when it starts. Let employees know what types of humor and jokes are acceptable in the office, and which are not. With all of that said, however, you should incorporate fun and humor into the workplace. Study after study show that fun and laughter lower stress and make our jobs easier. We know it’s good for our circulation, boosts our immune system, lowers our blood pressure, helps our muscles, including our heart, and stimulates our brain. Good humor in the workplace can also boost morale, increase productivity, retain good employees and foster feelings of inclusiveness and belonging. Make sure to keep it positive and fun for everyone. And on April Fools Day, just keep the pranks from landing your business in court. Here are a couple of pranks that backfired on businesses: In 2001, a Hooter’s restaurant in Florida offered a “free Toyota” to whichever staff member sold the most beer. At the end of the winning waitress’s shift, she was blindfolded and led out to the parking lot, where she received a plastic Yoda doll. She wasn’t amused, and in the lawsuit that followed she received enough money to buy any Toyota she wanted! And here’s one from a little closer to home: An ora l surgeon in Auburn was installing dental implants on his surgical assistant. While she was under anesthesia, he thought it would be funny to install boar tusks and take some photos of her. He then proceeded to install her normal implants, and she was none the wiser, until her co-worker gave her a copy of the photos for her birthday. Naturally, she was humiliated, and the courts awarded her $250,000 in com pensation. Wouldn’t it be great if we could all just live by these words of Judi Dench?: “I think you should take your job seriously, but not yourself — that is the best combination.” (Editor’s Note: Julie Tappero is the President and owner of West Sound Workforce, a professional staffing and recruiting company based in Poulsbo and Gig Harbor. She can be reached at julie@westsoundworkforce.com. View her LinkedIn profile at www.linkedin.com/in/jtappero. The recommendations and opinions provided are based on general human resource management fundamentals, practices and principles, and are not legal opinions, advice, or guaranteed outcomes. Consult with your legal counsel when addressing legal concerns related to human resource issues and legal contracts.)
Military Times Edge ranks OC as one of the top colleges for veterans Military Times Edge ranked Olympic College as the top two-year college on the west coast for military veterans. Over 500 student veterans were surveyed in spring 2011 on what they consider the most important school services for vets. The factors they considered are academic accreditation, central veterans’ offices, and staff knowledgeable on veterans’ issues. Results of the survey showed that 18 colleges that offer two-year degrees in the US made the list. Olympic College was ranked fifth and was the only two-year institution from Washington State. The ranking list is on the web at www.militarytimesedge.com/projects/bestfor-veterans/best-colleges-for veterans/2011/2year/#.Tvucjn_Pqv0.email. In addition, for the past three years Olympic College has designated as a Military Friendly School by G.I. Jobs. The Military Friendly Schools list honors the top 20 percent of colleges, universities and trade schools that are doing the most to embrace America’s military service members and veterans as students. More on the web at www.militaryfriendlyschools.com/mfsList.aspx. “Olympic College is pleased to receive these recognitions. OC is committed to supporting military service members, veterans, and their families to pursue an education,” said Ron Shade, vice president of Student Services at Olympic College.
Generous donors make fundraiser a success The Sweetheart Dinner Auction, held in February at the Kitsap Conference Center, was a successful event. This fundraiser was produced through the hard work of Kitsap Cancer Services (KCS) and East Bremerton Rotary Club members, who together, raised more than $75,000 for their respective nonprofit organizations. KCS raises money to provide for people and families living with cancer in Kitsap County and the West Sound. East Bremerton Rotary has a worldwide focus on eradicating polio, as well as local community service projects. Kitsap Cancer Services and East Bremerton Rotary would like to thank those who so generously donated and participated in making this event such a success and looks forward to next year’s dinner auction, which will be scheduled for Feb. 9, 2013.
West Sound Workforce 14 years in business 100 years of combined recruiting experience A century’s worth of staffing expertise Kitsap County
(360) 394-1882
Gig Harbor Office
(253) 853-3633
www.westsoundworkforce.com