By: Natasha Archary
You may have a penchant for calling your friends and family members cutesy codenames, but is it considered professional to have nicknames for colleagues or your boss?
This is the question Feel Good with Andy Maqondwana posed to listeners this Monday.
While a majority of listeners say having nicknames for colleagues and the boss can create an informal work environment, others say some people are too sensitive and take the codenames as insults.
“If you’re not careful, you can hurt your colleagues feelings, especially if the nickname comes from something they’ve done that’s embarrassing.”
Something to remember is that everyone doesn’t have the same sense of humour as you, and people could take offence to the codenames you give them and make it an HR issue.
When giving colleagues or the boss codenames it’s best to give it professional or don’t reveal what you often refer to them as.
If on the other hand you have a good relationship with your colleagues and boss, then it’s different and can help keep the mood at work light.
When choosing codenames try to keep things cool, because often these names stick and soon everyone in the office will pick up on it and start using it to address people.
One thing to be mindful of when picking a codename for someone you work with, is to note that it could be considered flirting, especially if the co-worker is good-looking.
Picking names that are about someone’s looks could land you in sexual harassment hot waters, especially if the name makes the colleague or your boss uncomfortable.
It should also go without saying to avoid any name calling that is racial or discriminatory about someone’s sexual orientation.
Some popular codenames for colleagues and bosses include:
- Dollar Man/Woman – The person who brings in the money
- Dragon – The mean one in your team or office
- Right Hand or Pet – This person is usually the boss’s favourite
- Mommy – The mommy in the office, the one person people usually turn to for everything, from advice to solutions.
- Page 6 – The go-to office gossip sharer
- Chucky – That colleague everyone is terrified of
- Gizmo or McGuyver – The office tech fundi
Also read: Kaya Drive: Assumed male dominance in the workplace
