Is it acceptable to address someone as "slacker" in the workplace?

Ath_Wat

Brie said:

Ath_Wat said:

So you think it depends on the circumstances.  Plus you seem to have assumed it is a manager saying it, which is not in the question.

"Still here at 8:30pm, you slacker?  You should get yourself home.", said by someone on the same level as you.

Acceptable or unacceptable?

I'd say unacceptable.  Frankly I can't think of a time it really and truly is acceptable.  Substitute "part timer" for slacker in your example would be fine.  Slacker is generally considered derogatory.

I've witnessed a situation where a colleague (look up slacker in the dictionary and you'd have his picture) was belittled by a group at work.  He deserved it all but it wasn't nice.  I didn't stick up for him (as his work record was dreadful and we all knew it) but I should have, could have made some comment like "come on, let's be nice". 

Unacceptable?  Are you being serious?  Of course it's a negative word, but it is being used ironically in a positive way.  You honestly wouldn't see that?

Belittling someone by using it is obviously wrong but is not in the question.  The question just asks whether it can be used, you are assuming that it is being used negatively.

Brie

No

Ath_Wat said:

Unacceptable?  Are you being serious?  Of course it's a negative word, but it is being used ironically in a positive way.  You honestly wouldn't see that?

Belittling someone by using it is obviously wrong but is not in the question.  The question just asks whether it can be used, you are assuming that it is being used negatively.

Yup, completely serious!  You did ask people's opinions, didn't you?

Just because you say something in an ironic fashion doesn't mean it will be heard that way.  That's why it's best to use words more selectively.  

Superfuse

Ath_Wat said:

Brie said:

Ath_Wat said:

So you think it depends on the circumstances.  Plus you seem to have assumed it is a manager saying it, which is not in the question.

"Still here at 8:30pm, you slacker?  You should get yourself home.", said by someone on the same level as you.

Acceptable or unacceptable?

I'd say unacceptable.  Frankly I can't think of a time it really and truly is acceptable.  Substitute "part timer" for slacker in your example would be fine.  Slacker is generally considered derogatory.

I've witnessed a situation where a colleague (look up slacker in the dictionary and you'd have his picture) was belittled by a group at work.  He deserved it all but it wasn't nice.  I didn't stick up for him (as his work record was dreadful and we all knew it) but I should have, could have made some comment like "come on, let's be nice". 

Unacceptable?  Are you being serious?  Of course it's a negative word, but it is being used ironically in a positive way.  You honestly wouldn't see that?

Belittling someone by using it is obviously wrong but is not in the question.  The question just asks whether it can be used, you are assuming that it is being used negatively.

Yeah, agree, "part-timer" would be more humorous in this case. I would find "slacker" a little too much.

Ath_Wat

Brie said:

Ath_Wat said:

Unacceptable?  Are you being serious?  Of course it's a negative word, but it is being used ironically in a positive way.  You honestly wouldn't see that?

Belittling someone by using it is obviously wrong but is not in the question.  The question just asks whether it can be used, you are assuming that it is being used negatively.

Yup, completely serious!  You did ask people's opinions, didn't you?

Just because you say something in an ironic fashion doesn't mean it will be heard that way.  That's why it's best to use words more selectively.  

Is your contention that you wouldn't understand it, or just that you think there are people dim-witted enough to misunderstand any use of irony, so irony should never be used in a workplace and if it is, even if it is not misunderstood, that constitutes unacceptable behaviour? Is it ok to use it to a colleague you know well and who you know does understand irony?

Ath_Wat

Superfuse said:

Ath_Wat said:

Brie said:

Ath_Wat said:

So you think it depends on the circumstances.  Plus you seem to have assumed it is a manager saying it, which is not in the question.

"Still here at 8:30pm, you slacker?  You should get yourself home.", said by someone on the same level as you.

Acceptable or unacceptable?

I'd say unacceptable.  Frankly I can't think of a time it really and truly is acceptable.  Substitute "part timer" for slacker in your example would be fine.  Slacker is generally considered derogatory.

I've witnessed a situation where a colleague (look up slacker in the dictionary and you'd have his picture) was belittled by a group at work.  He deserved it all but it wasn't nice.  I didn't stick up for him (as his work record was dreadful and we all knew it) but I should have, could have made some comment like "come on, let's be nice". 

Unacceptable?  Are you being serious?  Of course it's a negative word, but it is being used ironically in a positive way.  You honestly wouldn't see that?

Belittling someone by using it is obviously wrong but is not in the question.  The question just asks whether it can be used, you are assuming that it is being used negatively.

Yeah, agree, "part-timer" would be more humorous in this case. I would find "slacker" a little too much.

Just because you think something else might be better does not make another thing unacceptable. Why would you be offended? Do you not understand irony?  Do you find the word "slacker" offensive even if used by someone referring jokingly to themselves? 

jackieblack

Name calling isn’t acceptable in the school playground, neither is it acceptable in any workplace.

robatwork

Ath_Wat said:

Brie said:

I would say it's unacceptable 99.9% of the time.  

If it was said to me and me alone it might hurt my feelings.
If it was said to me and me alone and someone overheard it then they may think less of me.
If it was said to me and me along and someone overheard it then they may think less of my manager.
If it was said to me and to other colleagues all the things above still apply.
If it was said with a laugh and a smile and while buying us all drinks and handing out pay rises I doubt anyone would be offended but still think it odd.  

So you think it depends on the circumstances.  Plus you seem to have assumed it is a manager saying it, which is not in the question.

"Still here at 8:30pm, you slacker?  You should get yourself home.", said by someone on the same level as you.

Acceptable or unacceptable?

In your example it's completely acceptable, as it's 100% obvious it is said sarcastically and in fact has the opposite meaning. 

In the OP's scenario, it's not at all clear it's said sarcastically and if it is I stand by my comment that the person saying it doesn't have an appropriateness chip. If not sarcastic then it's demeaning and nasty. Whichever way you slice it in the situation outlined originally, it's not acceptable.

Ath_Wat

robatwork said:

Ath_Wat said:

Brie said:

I would say it's unacceptable 99.9% of the time.  

If it was said to me and me alone it might hurt my feelings.
If it was said to me and me alone and someone overheard it then they may think less of me.
If it was said to me and me along and someone overheard it then they may think less of my manager.
If it was said to me and to other colleagues all the things above still apply.
If it was said with a laugh and a smile and while buying us all drinks and handing out pay rises I doubt anyone would be offended but still think it odd.  

So you think it depends on the circumstances.  Plus you seem to have assumed it is a manager saying it, which is not in the question.

"Still here at 8:30pm, you slacker?  You should get yourself home.", said by someone on the same level as you.

Acceptable or unacceptable?

In your example it's completely acceptable, as it's 100% obvious it is said sarcastically and in fact has the opposite meaning. 

In the OP's scenario, it's not at all clear it's said sarcastically and if it is I stand by my comment that the person saying it doesn't have an appropriateness chip. If not sarcastic then it's demeaning and nasty. Whichever way you slice it in the situation outlined originally, it's not acceptable.

No situation was outlined originally, that's my point, the OP said that they left the poll question vague and wanted people to answer it as it stands.  My contention is that as it stands there is only one possible answer.  Your reply, in the thread, was absolutely fine as you stated the context you are replying in.

Superfuse

Ath_Wat said:

Brie said:

Ath_Wat said:

So you think it depends on the circumstances.  Plus you seem to have assumed it is a manager saying it, which is not in the question.

"Still here at 8:30pm, you slacker?  You should get yourself home.", said by someone on the same level as you.

Acceptable or unacceptable?

I'd say unacceptable.  Frankly I can't think of a time it really and truly is acceptable.  Substitute "part timer" for slacker in your example would be fine.  Slacker is generally considered derogatory.

I've witnessed a situation where a colleague (look up slacker in the dictionary and you'd have his picture) was belittled by a group at work.  He deserved it all but it wasn't nice.  I didn't stick up for him (as his work record was dreadful and we all knew it) but I should have, could have made some comment like "come on, let's be nice". 

Unacceptable?  Are you being serious?  Of course it's a negative word, but it is being used ironically in a positive way.  You honestly wouldn't see that?

Belittling someone by using it is obviously wrong but is not in the question.  The question just asks whether it can be used, you are assuming that it is being used negatively.

I think this is the key thing. It's a negative word. Relying on an individual recognising irony/sarcasm/banter etc may occasionally lead to offense being taken.

Dakta

No

Ath_Wat said:

Dakta said:

I voted no but I made the decision based on my own circumstances which is a professional setting where you don't say such things to people. You also are expected to be mindful that the context sent is not always context received and you factor both in before opening the mouth.

I have worked on building sites and other areas where insults were traded as humour, and you do let it roll off your back but there's normally rarely much risk of it being taken in the wrong context.

I lie actually, I don't know if he used the word slacker or something similar but once had a manager in my professional setting who did publicly call people such things particularly in team meetings, it had a profound effect, eroded team morale - literally cut team contribution in wider meetings to zero and eventually someone upstairs cottoned on and one day someone sat in a meeting on unrelated grounds and a couple of days later he disappeared. 

So, for one, you have applied conditions to the question which are not present.

Secondly, even in your circumstances is the scenario I outlined above acceptable or not?

I thought the reasoning for my answer were pretty clear, the question didn't provide a context, one is needed so I formed my answer in context with my own experiences which is pretty much going to be standard.

If that isn't desirable the questions need to be written better, more concise, etc.

On its own 'Is it acceptable to address someone as "slacker" in the workplace?' is not really a meaningful question, anyone with any amount of work experience will know that the context can change its acceptability.