https://www.wrike.com/blog/swearing-workplace-announcing-part-1-wrikes-2016-work-management-survey/ - We ran a survey across 1,542 workers addressing language and informality in the workplace. Turns out, the majority of people do swear in the workplace (57%), however 41% feel that swearing is too casual and unprofessional. Here are some other findings from our survey. (This is part 1 of our Workplace study. More results to come.)

1. Summary, September 2016
Workplace Behavior Survey

2. Slide 2Workplace Behavior Survey
In September 2016, Wrike surveyed 1,542 workers in the US in a variety of roles and industries
including marketing, IT, R&D, finance, and human resources about their workplace behavior,
including the prevalence of swearing in the workplace, common sentiment toward swearing
in the workplace, and how the behavior of others in the office influences our own behavior.
Wrike Workplace Behavior Survey
Read on!

3. Slide 3Workplace Behavior Survey
When it comes to swearing in the workplace,
the top sentiments are:
• It is too casual and feels unprofessional (41%)
• It causes awkward moments (39%)
• It doesn’t make a difference to me (36%)
• It can result in hurt feelings (30%)
Some of the other views include: it reflects
the passion our team has for their work
(30%), it contributes to negative culture
(29%), it makes conveying ideas and feelings
easier (28%), and it increases the potential
for hostility between colleagues (27%).
It is too casual
and feels
unprofessional
It causes
awkward
moments
It doesn’t make
a difference
to me
It can result in
hurt feelings
It reflects the
passion our
team has for
their work
It contributes
to negative
culture
It makes
conveying
ideas and
feelings easier
It increases
the potential
for hostility
between
colleagues
It makes the
workplace
more fun
It leads
to other
inappropriate
behavior
It strengthens
the
relationships
between team
members
It contributes
to positive
culture
41%
39%
36%
30% 30% 29% 28% 27%
24%
22% 21%
11%
Views on swearing in the workplace

4. Slide 4Workplace Behavior Survey
Do you swear in the workplace?
• 57% of respondents admit to swearing in
the workplace
• 43% of respondents do not swear in the
workplace
Among the respondents that answered ‘No’
to swearing in the workplace, the top two
explanations are:
• Out of respect for my colleagues (51%)
• It’s against my values to swear (45%)
• Only 4% of respondents claimed not
to swear because it would result in
reprimanding
Among the respondents that answered ‘No’ to
swearing in the workplace, 36% are bothered
when others swear at work and 20% would
consider filing an official complaint due to
colleagues’ use of swearing.
Swearing in the workplace

5. Slide 5Workplace Behavior Survey
For participants who don’t swear in the
workplace:
• 63% have colleagues that swear openly
in the office
Yes
Yes
No
No
63%
93%
38%
7%
Swearing among colleagues
For participants who do swear in the
workplace:
• 93% have colleagues that swear openly
in the office
This seems to indicate that having
colleagues who swear openly in the
workplace is associated with a higher
likelihood that you yourself also swear.

6. Slide 6Workplace Behavior Survey
How often do you swear in the workplace?
• Occasionally - I swear casually a few times
a week (49%)
• Daily - a couple times a day (25%)
• Rarely - usually accidentally, but it
happens (16%)
• Frequently - it’s part of our culture at my
workplace to let ‘em fly (11%)
Daily - a
couple
times...
Occasionally -
I swear...
Rarely -
usually...
Frequently -
it’s part of...
25%
49%
16%
11%
Frequency with which workers swear

7. Slide 7Workplace Behavior Survey
Where are you most likely to swear?
• My desk (67%)
• Private meetings (55%)
• Happy hours (38%)
• Kitchen / Break room (36%)
• 28% of respondents report they swear
‘anywhere’
Kitchen /
Break Room
Face-to-face
convos
My Desk
On the
phone
Anywhere
Hallway
None
Happy Hours
On our
workflow tool
Team
Meetings
Over email
Private
Meetings
Over instant
messanger
36%
94%
28%
23%
2%
38%
3%
30%
8%
55%
30%
67%
36%
Where workers swear
What communication channel(s) do you
swear on?
• Face-to-face convos (94%)
• On the phone (36%)
• Over instant messenger (30%)
• Over email (8%)
• On workflow tool (3%)
While people seem to be very comfortable
swearing in person, they seem less willing to
do so where the language will exist long-term
in a recorded trail (messenger, email, etc.).

8. Slide 8Workplace Behavior Survey
Who do you swear in front of?
• Peers (80%)
• Closest colleagues (75%)
• Managers (55%)
• Direct reports (39%)
• Executives (30%)
Peers
Frequently
My closest
colleagues
Rarely
Direct
reports
Executives
I don’t interact
with clients
Managers
Never
80%
2%
30%
39%
8%
55%
62%
75%
28%
Who workers swear in front of
Do you swear in front of clients?
• Frequently (2%)
• Rarely (28%)
• Never (62%)
66% of respondents say they are more likely
to swear if their boss swears, while 25%
report ‘it doesn’t matter.’
41% of respondents say they are more likely
to swear in front of colleagues that are close
to their age group, while 54% report that age
is not a factor.

9. Slide 9Workplace Behavior Survey
Do you prefer working in an environment in
which swearing is present?
• It doesn’t matter (54%)
• Yes (35%)
• No (11%)
Yes
I don’t care
either way
I’m very
happy with it
No
I’m somewhat
happy with it
I’m somewhat
unhappy
with it
I’m very
unhappy
with it
It doesn’t
matter
35%
35%
44%
1%
54%
4%
11%
16%
Environmental preferences
How do you feel about the language used at
your workplace?
• I’m very happy with it (44%)
• I don’t care either way (35%)
• I’m somewhat happy with it (17%)
• Only .6% reported being very unhappy
with the language used at their workplace
33% of respondents would not consider
accepting a position in an organization in
which swearing was strictly banned.

10. Slide 10Workplace Behavior Survey
Millennials (18-29) –
• 66% report swearing in the workplace
– 13% swear frequently
– 28% swear daily
– 49% swear occasionally
– 10% swear rarely
Gen X, Baby Boomers (30+) –
• 54% report swearing in the workplace
– 10% swear frequently
– 23% swear daily
– 50% swear occasionally
– 17% swear rarely
80% of millennials are more likely to swear
if their boss swears, while only 61% of Gen X,
Baby Boomer workers say the same.
Only 22% of millennials are bothered when
others swear in the workplace, while almost
twice as many (40%) Gen X, Baby Boomer
workers say the same.
Millennials v Gen X, Baby Boomers

11. Slide 11Workplace Behavior Survey
When it comes to swearing in the workplace,
the top sentiments among millennials are:
• It doesn’t make a difference to me (45%)
• It makes conveying ideas and feelings
easier (39%)
• It reflects the passion our team has for
their work (36%)
• It strengthens the relationships between
team members (34%)
It causes
awkward
moments
It makes
conveying id...
It is too
casual and...
It doesn’t
make a...
It doesn’t
make a...
It reflects the
passion...
It contributes
to negative...
It strengthens
the...
It can result
in hurt...
It makes the
workplace mo...
43%
39%
45%
45%
32%
34%
32%
34%
33%
36%
Millennials v Gen X, Baby Boomers (cont. 2)
When it comes to swearing in the workplace,
the top sentiments among Gen X, Baby
Boomers are:
• It is too casual and feels unprofessional (45%)
• It causes awkward moments (43%)
• It doesn’t make a difference to me (33%)
• It contributes to negative culture (32%)

12. Slide 12Workplace Behavior Survey
Do you swear in the workplace?
• Millennial execs, managers – 80% say yes
• Gen X, Baby Boomer execs, managers –
56% say yes
After face-to-face, the second most
common communication channel Gen X,
Baby Boomer workers report swearing on
is the phone (38%) followed by instant
messenger (25%). Perhaps unsurprisingly,
among millennials, the results are flipped;
the second most common communication
channel millennial workers report swearing
on is instant messenger (42%) followed by
the phone (31%).
Millennial men
• 66% report swearing at work
• 27% are bothered when others swear in the
workplace
• 22% would consider filing an official complaint
due to colleagues’ use of swearing
• Most swear occasionally (38%) or daily (37%)
• 77% are more likely to swear if if their boss swears
• 47% prefer working in an environment in which
swearing is present
Millennial women
• 67% report swearing at work
• 18% are bothered when others swear in the
workplace
• 15% would consider filing an official complaint due
to colleagues’ use of swearing
• Most swear occasionally (60%) or daily (20%)
• 83% are more likely to swear if if their boss swears
• 40% prefer working in an environment in which
swearing is present
Millennials v Gen X, Baby
Boomers (cont. 3)
Millennial Men v Millennial
Women

13. Slide 13Workplace Behavior Survey
Women –
• 60% report swearing in the workplace
– 8% swear frequently
– 21% swear daily
– 53% swear occasionally
– 19% swear rarely
Men –
• 55% report swearing in the workplace
– 13% swear frequently
– 28% swear daily
– 46% swear occasionally
– 13% swear rarely
While more women seem to swear in the
workplace than men, the men who swear in the
office do it at a higher frequency than women.
Women v Men

14. Slide 14Workplace Behavior Survey
When it comes to swearing in the workplace,
the top sentiments among women are:
• It is too casual and feels unprofessional
(39%)
• It doesn’t make a difference to me (39%)
• It causes awkward moments (36%)
• It makes conveying ideas and feelings
easier (29%)
It doesn’t
make a...
It doesn’t
make a...
It is too
casual and...
It is too
casual and...
It causes
awkward
moments
It causes
awkward
moments
It makes
conveying id...
It reflects the
passion...
42%
39%
43%
39%
34%
29%
34%
29%
34%
36%
It contributes
to negative...
It can result
in hurt...
Women v Men (cont. 2)
When it comes to swearing in the workplace,
the top sentiments among men are:
• It is too casual and feels unprofessional
(43%)
• It causes awkward moments (42%)
• It doesn’t make a difference to me (34%)
• It can result in hurt feelings (34%)

15. Slide 15Workplace Behavior Survey
Tech - 59% report swearing in the workplace
– 32% swear frequently or daily
Professional services - 61% report swearing
in the workplace
– 42% swear frequently or daily
Finance - 62% report swearing in the
workplace
– 34% swear frequently or daily
Healthcare - 64% report swearing in the
workplace
– 45% swear frequently or daily
Government - 53% report swearing in the
workplace
– 24% swear frequently or daily
Education – 48% report swearing in the
workplace
– 24% swear frequently or daily
Yes
Yes
No
No
59%
53%
41%
47%
Swearing by industry
Government
Tech

16. For more articles on productivity
and the workplace, visit the blog:
www.wrike.com/blog