I read an interesting article not long ago focusing on ex CEO Carol Bartz:
http://www.cnn.com/2011/09/12/living/carol-bartz-fired-from-yahoo/index.html

Instead of discussing just women swearing in the workplace, lets just ooen this up to everyone. Whats your opinion on foul language in the workplace? What is your work environment like?

9/12/2011 2:41:08 PM

it all depends on where you work and who you work with. I have had a couple jobs where I felt comfortable doing it, but plenty of others (like my current), where it is Dang and Shoot

If you are dealing with customers, definitely no profanity

9/12/2011 2:45:05 PM

Typically I limit my swearing at work to an intensity of about (3/10). My boss is about a (5 or 6/10). Our other staff engineer is probably (4 or 5/10). All words have been said. It's not like any words are worse than others.

If I'm on a construction site, I'll let contractor's swear before I do, to test the waters. With some it's like every other word is shit or fuck and others not so much.

Around peers or other professionals, same thing. I'll wait for someone else to do it before I jump in. Usually it's not in a public area and in small groups.

Around clients it never happens.

9/12/2011 3:08:56 PM

Guys, what about cursing with women present?

9/12/2011 3:14:16 PM

I rarely tone my language down for children, so I have no use for some broad who can't handle me saying "fuck" as i please. I will not, however, direct any of my profanity at her personally until she does so towards me. I have a weird appreciation for a playful "Oh, fuck you" when I am being a smart ass.


Workplace? Well I work in kitchens, I say whatever I want.

9/12/2011 3:49:43 PM

It's frowned upon at my job. So much that when the COO dropped an F-Bomb in a meeting he issued a formal apology later that day. I don't think it's a big deal, depending on the setting, and the parties involved. Some people at work make it out to be a big deal though, and will contact HR in a heartbeat.

9/12/2011 3:57:11 PM

Quote :

"Guys, what about cursing with women present?"

I apply my rules to both men and women. I've met some women on construction sites and some professional peers that are about the same as men. The majority of the construction types are loud and the majority of the engineers/architects are quiet.

9/12/2011 4:16:26 PM

i work in a shop and in a kitchen, cursing is pretty much required, especially when you gotta snap servers out of whatever la-la land they go to when they are supposed to be at work. i understand mentally going somewhere else when doing something you don't want to do, but if you're gonna check out don't come whine to me when you get shitty tips because of your shitty service. nothing quite brings them back to reality like a solid fuck bomb.

i try to only curse to draw emphasis. at the shop, it is merely out of frustration, if they can't understand my frustration it is probably because they've never worked a repair job.

9/12/2011 4:21:19 PM

I rarely curse in the workplace. The only times I can remember doing it is behind closed doors, with people that I know would be comfortable with it.

Having said that, in the defense industry world, there is a lot of profanity. Both on the side of the customer, and the contractor.


I usually don't curse because I want to be seen, at all times, as professional as possible. Also, I don't want anyone to feel uncomfortable when working with me.

9/12/2011 8:16:45 PM

my workplace is pretty high on the homoeroticism. I mean, I pretty much flirt with guys on a weekly basis.

9/12/2011 8:22:07 PM

i never curse at work. ever. "crap" might be the worst thing i've heard.

i'm sure there are work settings where vulgarity is more appropriate (or less inappropriate) but that's definitely not my place of work!

[Edited on September 12, 2011 at 8:25 PM. Reason : ]

9/12/2011 8:22:11 PM

I don't swear in front of the bosses, but most other people I will in informal conversation. Not in meetings or anything though.

9/12/2011 9:08:47 PM

Not typically in front of customers, but other than that the curse words fly around my office.

9/12/2011 9:11:29 PM

i talk like a trucker. but i have this new job where I can't really do that (been used to working in kitchens) and i'm mortified i'll drop an f bomb on accident

9/12/2011 9:13:12 PM

I curse at my computer when it freezes up.

9/12/2011 9:23:17 PM

Depends.
I work alone most of the time and don't have to interact with the public. When I'm interacting with a PI, I'm professional.
When I'm with my boss, he drops more F-bombs than I do.

9/12/2011 9:27:50 PM

I don't curse around the old ladies.

9/12/2011 9:34:16 PM

I can't swear in front of my boss. She is super religious. But I swear like a salior in front of my 2 male coworkers. They use profanity as well so I don't feel bad about it. I never cuss in front of customers though.

9/12/2011 9:40:08 PM

I'm good till I'm an hour deep trying to fix something in SharePoint, then I start losing control. I try to keep it quiet but people have probably heard me before. The cube farm is ridiculously quiet, so when anybody says anything out loud they might as well be screaming into a megaphone. Generally, most people won't curse unless the audience is really limited, and pretty much never in front of clients.

9/12/2011 9:41:41 PM