July 30, 2010

No swearing in office e-mail? WTF?!

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Straight from the You Can't Make This S--- Up! files comes my favorite workplace news item of the week: Goldman Sachs announcing its plans to use software to screen employee emails, texts, and instant messages for expletives.

[Image by exfordy]

Four-letter words won't be the only ones off limits in digital missives sent by the firm's staff either. "Even swear words spelled with asterisks are out," the Wall Street Journal reported.

As you'll recall, during a U.S. Senate hearing this spring, a Goldman executive was blasted for an email in which he called a losing investment the firm had been pushing on clients "one sh---- deal." Talk about treating a PR gunshot wound with a band-aid.

Irony aside, Goldman Sachs' announcement does add an interesting wrinkle to the notion of censoring what you say online and on company time. As I've said before, I'm not married to the idea that PG-13 language be mandatory at all times in the office, as long as no one's being bullied or made to feel uncomfortable, and as long as you're not using that language with customers and vendors. (Many of you have weighed in with your thoughts on this issue too.)

Accidentally blurt out an expletive in a colleague's office upon hearing that a business deal has gone south and you'll likely be forgiven. But written missives are a different story. Send an f-bomb-laden email around the office and that digital trail (and the accompanying raised eyebrows) could follow you forever.

Obviously, software that monitors what employees say and do online is nothing new. But is an app that forces employees to keep their digital rap squeaky clean really necessary? To me, this seems like a steaming pile of overkill.

Then again, people working at these firms could be in for quite the chuckle when management announces that they've installed such dirty-word-busting software -- especially if the boss sends around a memo spelling out every last verboten word. Even more so if he or she tries to do it digitally.

What do you think? Should employers bother monitoring whether their employees are writing potty-mouthed emails, texts, or IMs? Or would a quick reminder of corporate decorum via email or face-to-face meeting suffice?

Michelle Goodman is the author of "My So-Called Freelance Life" and "The Anti 9-to-5 Guide." E-mail Michelle at mgoodman@nwjobs.com

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4 Comments

Diane on August 1, 2010 1:35 PM | Reply

I think engendering a corporate culture of respect is the key to minimizing abusive emails, but anti-swearing software doesn't credit employees with any intelligence at all. Now, that IS offensive.

davies faries on August 3, 2010 9:13 AM | Reply

i am from the uk and visited seattle a few years back and interested on your article on adding swearing software on company files. it isnt a big problem in the uk as i know it.

we have only got leading technology in the last few years anyway.

reguards

davies

Jim on August 3, 2010 11:26 PM | Reply

Using swear words in digital format at work, even internally, just isn't professional. It's better just to leave them out. If employees won’t abide by a given professional code of conduct, then by all means, use the anti-swear ware.

SF Sex Toy on August 15, 2010 12:01 PM | Reply

Just another example of Goldman Sachs being a bunch of c*ck suckers.

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