Humour use in the workplace: a key to achievements or a Trojan horse of harassment? Online publication date: Wed, 03-Nov-2021
by Paschalia Patsala; Anastasia Lampreli; Constantinos-Vasilios Priporas
Global Business and Economics Review (GBER), Vol. 25, No. 3/4, 2021
Abstract: The purpose of this paper is multi-faceted: it fundamentally aims to explore the use of humorous discourse in work environment, focusing mainly on gender and age differences. Within this context, the present work uncovers nuanced and significant communication tactics applied both by males and females in business lieu. It also discusses whether humour in the workplace constitutes an innocent form of entertainment, or it may have adverse consequences for employees, disguising the biased and derogatory essence of the remarks made. The types and manifold functions of humour are presented, unravelling the positive and negative outcomes of its usage. Particular emphasis is placed on those features of humorous interaction at work that can lead to harassing episodes, as well as on the consequences of sexist humour. Other issues elaborated on in the paper are gender differences, stereotypes, organisational tension and confrontation, as well as the culture of tolerance of sexism in professional contexts.
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