How Humor Can Be Inappropriate

inappropriate humor

The consequences of inappropriate humor are nothing new. But in light of the recent happenings with a certain TV show and its titular actor, I figured it was worth re-visiting.

There are three reasons humor tends to be inappropriate in the workplace:

1) Inappropriate Subject Matter

Inappropriate subject matter is typically the most offensive, and can take several different forms. Off-color humor, or humor about very grave public events are both examples of inappropriate subject matter. Just because you’re using humor, it doesn’t mean you’re free to talk about whatever you want.

2) Inappropriate Target

Humor that takes aim at an inappropriate target is another common way office humor steps out of bounds. If a person is being made fun of, the office atmosphere can quickly change from being fun and lighthearted to exclusionary and polarizing, which is inappropriate for any place, not just one of work.

3) Inappropriate Time

Using humor at an inappropriate time can often be just as upsetting as either of the two preceding categories. Some moments are meant to be serious, and trying to lighten them with humor can come across badly. For example, firing someone is not the time try out your witty one-liner about firetrucks.

Avoiding Inappropriate Humor at Work

When thinking about humor at work, make sure you aren’t doing any of the above. Last week, we talked about the Four Styles of Humor. The easiest way to make sure your humor is appropriate is to focus on the first two styles.

Have you ever felt the repercussions of using humor at work? What happened and how did it get resolved?

THIS FREE 129 SECOND QUIZ WILL SHOW YOU

what is your humor persona?

Humor is a skill that can be learned. And when used correctly, it is a superpower that can be your greatest asset for building a happier, healthier and more productive life.  See for yourself...

you might also be interested in...

Corporate Humor Award Categories Announced

By Andrew Tarvin | April 1, 2013

The categories for the 2013 Corporate Humor Awards have now been released! The awards are divided into 2 sections: Organization […]

Read More
virtual-team-building-activities-remote-humor-effective

Virtual Team Building Activities for Online Teams

By Andrew Tarvin | December 16, 2019

We recently came across this great write-up on 42 Easy Remote Team Building Activities on virtual team building exercises. Good […]

Read More
goal setting quotes

18 Inspirational Quotes on Goal Setting

By Andrew Tarvin | June 17, 2013

We recently hosted a Communicating with Humor training workshop and we were looking for inspirational quotes that expressed the importance […]

Read More
[scriptless]

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top