No more "mates" at work

[Newshound]

Northern NSW health workers have been sent a memo saying terms such as 'mate' and 'sweetheart' are not appropriate and are now officially forbidden in the workplace, when talking to other workmates (oops!) or customers.

These are viewed as "terms of endearment" and considered unprofessional by the NSW Government.

Cobber is no doubt also banned, but terms such as "b*stard" may only be banned in certain circumstances. For example, "good old b*stard" would definitely be banned as a term of endearment, whereas calling your boss a "b*stard", would be okay so long as you don't mean it in a nice way ;)

Read more from the ABC...

[Renee]

Interesting! I think in a healthcare setting this is entirely appropriate (patients are everywhere and those in already stressful situations are often more easily offended) - although I would be cautious about this sort of rule being applied accross other sectors/employers without due thought regarding those in their specific industry.
Thoughts?

[Moz]

Interesting! I think in a healthcare setting this is entirely appropriate (patients are everywhere and those in already stressful situations are often more easily offended)

Are they really? Is there any evidence to support this?

Let's face it, some people are very hard to please and get offended easily regardless of the situation they are in.

Personally I think it's a sad world in which everything we say and do is prescribed by "management".

I couldn't care less if someone calls me mate and while it isn't a term I normally use, I do use it myself if I am dealing with someone else who obviously does like to use the term.

Being able to "get on" with people from all walks of life is a very useful skill, and a lot of it is down to the language you use. If you get snotty with someone for calling you mate, it's a sure fire way to get their back up, likely resulting in them being less cooperative!

Back in 2005, Parliamentary security guards were asked not to refer to visitors as mate in case they caused offence and an official edict was issued.

This was publicly decried by no less that Bob Hawke, Kim Beazley, Bob Brown and even John Howard.

The ban was lifted 24 hours later ...

[Renee]

I am personally not offended by 'mate' - but hate 'sweetheart', and would personally be offended if I heard staff referring to people as 'b*stards' if for example, I had just had a miscarriage and was highly emotional - is this being overly sensitive? (I am not asking tongue-in-cheek - I genuinely am interested if others see this as an issue?)