FEATURE STORY
BY NIKKI JOHN C. NABAT
W
hen do you consider a joke or teasing an act of bullying? Are you just sensitive or are they just insensitive?
In an office setting, the workplace should be a friendly environment for all employees. Everyone should feel that the work environment promotes positivity and safety. Employees should “look forward” to going to work rather than “feel compelled” to work just for the paycheck. A conducive, fun, and positive workplace is one of the keys to increased productivity and employee satisfaction. Likewise, colleagues and co-workers play a vital role in establishing a good workplace. It’s always fun to be around people/ officemates who tell jokes and make work synonymous to having fun. Every day you get to laugh, work, laugh, and work. However, we should find the balance between the time to be serious and the 18
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time to enjoy. But what if the topic of the joke or the teasing becomes you? Should you just laugh and ride along because it was “just a joke”? When does a joke cross the line? First, let’s define what a joke means. According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a joke is “something said or done to provoke laughter.” On the other hand, bullying is defined as “abuse and mistreatment of someone vulnerable by someone stronger or more powerful.” Bullying is often repeated and habitual. Now that we’ve differentiated the two, when does joking and bullying really overlap? Sometimes, we get too carried away just to make people laugh, especially when we are using others (co-workers) as our laughingstock. Mocking, mimicking, or imitating someone’s actions, gestures, and voice just to cause laughter may
