THINGS NOT TO DISCUSS AT WORK

Work is a great place to meet new people, new friends, and network, but there are a few topics of discussion that maybe shouldn’t be had in the office.

Firstly, religion and other people’s religious beliefs. Religion is a very personal thing and people can find the topic a sensitive matter.  It would be better off not bringing up the topic at all, and definitely don’t share your opinions on other religions, as this could cause great offence to those in the office who do have those views.

This also applies to politics. Some people may feel very strongly towards their party or have strong feelings towards the opposing party, and this could cause tension in the office if you and a co-worker were to support opposing parties. If the topic isn’t discussed, then there will be no cause for tension.

Discussing your salary is another topic that could cause tension in the office. People may feel uncomfortable discussing pay or anything to do with money. Flaunting expensive new purchases for example, may cause annoyance and resentment. If co-workers are being paid differently from each other, tension could arise and there may be unease in the office.

Bedroom matters and discussing relationship problems are also a big no-no. You may have no problem discussing your personal life, but some people can find this very uncomfortable and what you’re saying could easily offend. If a person is really offended, they may have grounds for a sexual harassment claim, and you don’t want the situation to lead to this for just being an overly open person.  Talking about problems with your relationships, whether this be with your partner or family, could potentially become office gossip and your boss and co-workers may think that these problems could be leaving you distracted from work. You don’t want to ‘air your dirty laundry’ at work and potentially give people ammunition to use against you. It is best to talk about these matters with a trusted friend privately.

Stay clear of negative gossip. If you are involved with co-workers who negatively gossip, it is more than likely that they will be saying negative things about you. You will come across as untrustworthy with private information and you won’t be seen as a team player, which is a crucial part of the working world.

Making personal comments about your co-workers. This can be anything from a comment on their clothes, marital status, sexual orientation, weight, or race. It may be a passing comment and wasn’t intended to be rude, but you could cause a great deal of offence. You don’t want to look like the bad guy for making a seemingly innocent comment that was taken wrongly, and caused hurt and offence to a co-worker.

Finally, it’s best not to discuss your career aspirations. If you are talking about how you are only at this job to further your career and how it’s a stepping stone, then you are going to make everyone think you aren’t committed to the team. A more appropriate time to discuss advancing your career is when you are about to leave to start a new job.

It’s not that you should never discuss any of these topics in the office, but you should tread carefully and be respectful of other co-worker’s feelings and beliefs.