When Is It OK to Be Sarcastic at Work?
Sarcasm can be a great way to ease the tension at work … unless you overdo it and land in hot water.
Richie Frieman
A recent article in Real Simple cited a scientific study, which showed that sarcastic people boost creativity in the office, and are therefore great to have around—I, for one, couldn’t agree more. After all, my column is based on using sarcasm as a way to combat unmannerly people who believe it’s either their way or the highway.
When you use sarcasm at work, it can do wonders for morale. However, it seems that some people don’t use sarcasm properly, which means it can backfire on them. Maybe their use of snark is too strong, used too often, or frankly just not that funny. Either way, before you break out your one liners, check out my three quick and dirty tips for being sarcastic in the office.
Tip #1: Balance
One of the biggest mishaps with being sarcastic is getting a reputation for being sarcastic all the time. You know, like it’s your thing. However true it is that mastering the art of sarcasm is a sign of a good sense of humor, the problem arises when you don’t properly balance your sarcasm and seriousness. Take Greg, whose overuse of sarcasm has earned him a reputation around the office as a “smart ass.” Nice, right? He earned this label by constantly interjecting snarky sarcasm into every single meeting. In fact, his improper standing in the office got him pulled out of important meetings with clients because his boss feared that his sarcastic comments would cast a false shadow on the company’s image. Here is a perfect case of the lack of balance between sarcasm and seriousness.
If you can’t firmly understand the difference between always being sarcastic, and being sarcastic when needed, it can only do you in—both professionally and personally. Greg, for example, knew that being sarcastic would get some laughs (which it did), but people began to distrust his work ethic because they weren’t too sure if he could ever be serious. The best approach to sarcasm in the office is to make sure that you keep your sarcasm at bay when the real work has to be done. Now trust me, as a sarcastic person myself, it can be very hard not to throw a one-liner out when it’s literally delivered on a silver platter … but then again, a good joke only works when the audience will allow it. And knowing when and how to use sarcasm shows that you can be the “funny person” and also a serious professional at the same time. Otherwise, like in Greg’s case, you’ll just look like an obnoxious jerk.
Tip #2: Timing Is Key
Anyone who practices the art of comedy will tell you that timing is essential in making sure a joke hits the right mark. And like using sarcasm to get some laughs, timing could be the difference between getting respect from your peers and getting the cold shoulder at the water cooler. Now, in Tip #1, I discussed how people can’t stop using sarcasm (like all the time) but in this tip, the point I’m stressing is this: if you fancy yourself the office comedian, you better be sure that it’s only when appropriate. See, it’s one thing to overdo it, but it’s another to rip out a one-liner at times when people aren’t looking to be entertained. Not every situation is a chance to use sarcasm and even if people do find you funny, when you make a remark and no one is in the mood, they will be frustrated with your ignorance.
Even though I stressed that you don’t want to overwhelm the office with your constant sarcasm, being sarcastic is still a healthy way to approach stress. You want to use sarcasm when the time calls for it, even if that’s just once a week. For example, something like, “I told him a thousand times, the file needed to be sent by 4 pm today! Should I have said it a thousand and one times?” Obviously they didn’t say it a thousand times, but the sarcastic notion is that the stress got so bad, it felt like the person was talking to a wall. However, it’s one thing to use sarcasm to vent, and that’s perfectly fine, but it’s another to use it when others feel that there is absolutely no time for joking. When it comes to timing, make sure that the temperature of the room is receptive. Don’t feel that your sense of humor will calm all rough waters—it could, in fact, just get you cold stares.
Tip #3: Listen to the Crowd
Back to our good friend, Greg, from Tip #1. He did not listen to his audience (coworkers) when using sarcasm. Instead of taking hints like, “Look Greg, you may want to tone down the sarcasm a bit …” he went full throttle, all the time, without once looking back. His arrogance and ego got the best of him. He either thought he was the funniest man alive, or simply didn’t care about anyone else’s feelings. This was a clear case of putting your own needs or opinions in front of others. And in Greg’s case, his unmannerly use of sarcasm was affecting his colleagues in a negative manner. If you’re going to use sarcasm, you have to balance the frequency, along with timing. But you also need to make sure people accept your humor.
Look, you could be the love child of Richard Pryor and Amy Schumer, but if your coworkers aren’t the “laughing type,” than I recommend taking your act somewhere else. Now, I am only speculating, but I’d imagine that the vibe in the office of a bunch of brain surgeons is a bit less comical than that of say an Internet startup company run by twenty-somethings. And like Greg did in Tip #1, you can’t come into a room thinking everyone gets your sense of humor right off the bat. You should first test the waters. Find your group of friends at work to bounce off your sarcasm. See how they react and then use it to gauge the rest of the office. Secondly, don’t force it. Don’t think, “Oh, everyone here is so stiff … I know how to lighten the mood.” Just because you know how to use sarcasm doesn’t mean it will always be welcomed. And the last thing you want is to know your sarcasm was the reason you were handed walking papers.
As always, if you have another manners question, I look forward to hearing from you at manners@quickanddirtytips.com. Follow me on Twitter @MannersQDT, and of course, check back next week for more Modern Manners Guy tips for a more polite life.
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