Encourage Humour - Not Horseplay

Playing around with other people’s lives is no joke. Horseplay and pranks at work have killed many workers and injured countless others over the years.

Here are some things you should know about workplace horseplay:

• It’s against the law and you could be prosecuted if horseplay results in a serious injury or death.
• You could lose your job. Zero tolerance for horseplay is a policy commonly enforced by companies.
• Horseplay can create an unsafe work environment on the job. You, your co-workers and the public can be endangered. Showing off with feats of strength, driving dares and other antics are dangerous.
• Horseplay can trigger workplace violence. Teasing or making fun of another worker can have serious consequences, as the worker tries to escape the harassment or fights back. A pain in the backside from a power stapler is reason enough to retaliate. New workers and workers with ethnic or language differences are frequently the target of pranks — and that is just not fair.

What can you do about horseplay? Make a point of not encouraging or providing an audience for horseplay. Don’t start it, participate in it or applaud it.