Workers commonly use foul language in the workplace, according to a recent survey, and may be causing their employers to question their professionalism when they do.
About 64 percent of employers think less of employees who repeatedly use curse words in front of them, with 57 percent saying outright that they would be less likely to promote such individuals should the choice arise. More than 80 percent said the behavior may signal a lack of professionalism, the report from CareerBuilder Indicates. More than half said it makes the worker appear less intelligent, while more than two-thirds indicated swearing shows a lack of maturity. An even larger percentage said they would consider it to demonstrate a lack of control.
Employees do seem to have some concern for professionalism and how they are perceived, despite 95 percent saying they would swear in front of co-workers. The percentage dropped to 51 percent in the presence of a boss and only 13 percent who would swear in front of senior management and 7 percent in the presence of clients.
Younger employees were the least likely to use profanity at work, the survey found, and women were less likely to do so than men. Employers may want to consider what their habits, and those of their workers, say about their organization.
