Oh $@#% Yeah! Swear Words in the Workplace Are Good for Morale

The next time you say $@#! at the office, tell you’re boss to chill out: it’s good for staff morale. Or so say British researchers who found that foul language in the workplace isn’t so inappropriate after all. Digital Journal — Allowing swearing at work can benefit both employees and employers, according to researchers at the University of East Anglia. Cussing on the job can relieve stress, create camaraderie and increase solidarity, even if it sounds unpleasant to the ears at first. Lead researcher Yehuda Baruch said in a press release:

We hope that this study will serve not only to acknowledge the part that swearing plays in our work and our lives, but also to indicate that leaders sometimes need to ‘think differently’, and be open to intriguing ideas.

Baruch stressed that swearing isn’t always negative. It can be used to “enhance group cohesiveness,” which is code word for kicking back and relaxing at lunch. But is this research just spewing B.S. to get headlines? The researchers point out that foul language shouldn’t be encouraged, per se. Rather, smart managers would understand when to be flexible. Baruch says:

The challenge is to master the ‘art’ of knowing when to turn a blind eye to communication that does not meet [a manager’s] own standards.

Imposing a ban on swearing would actually backfire, Baruch notes. Censorship might indicate strong leadership, but it could lead to low work morale and decreased motivation. Plus, who doesn’t throw in a cuss word here or there when recounting a weird or funny story? It’s refreshing to learn about studies like these, which prove how a flexible workplace can help employees build solidarity with their coworkers. The close-minded manager will only regard this news with a shake of the head, but that manager’s personal views on swearing are clouding the bigger picture. Swearing might sound harsh, but it lets people express themselves fully, albeit crassly. And free expression can help body and soul during times of stress. I say A-frickin-men to that!