A social workplace can be a good thing and a bad thing depending on how you look at it. First off, most people enjoy socializing with other colleagues while they go about their day. However, when socializing begins to get too workplace focused employees tend to forget about the boundaries to which they are allowed to talk about. The problem is how does one know when they have crossed the line with what they are talking about, and how can they go about fixing it when it has already happened.
http://diversitymbamagazine.com/mixing-business-with-pleasure
Jason Ng talks about his view on this behavior in the workplace and how he agrees it can also be harmful at times. After reading over his blog it became more evident that the things employees speak about during the spare time must be free of any shaming of other people. I and Jason do both agree that a positive social environment can be very healthy for any business to thrive. The thing that I liked about Jason’s blog post is his ability to talk about when this line of good and bad jokes is crossed. While humor can be a good way to ease tension it is important to remember how far one should go, and how by taking the joke to far can have a bad impact on the environment.
For me, humor is a great way thing to have in conversations as it allows for a positive mood change, but when the joke is bad it can leave a lasting impact on whoever may be involved. What some people find funny others may not, and to remember this can be hard during small talk or a quick conversation.
http://neocortexconsult.com/pitchsmarterII/2014/09/15/theres-a-rumor-going-round-about-you/
What is worse is rumors, which is something Jason also talks about, when a rumor is spread it can be devastating to the person behind it. I personally have seen friendships broken up over something small that turned big as it continued down the grapevine. A social concept such a rumor being spread can turn any workplace nasty quick, and the smaller it is the more potent a rumor gets. Although smaller workplaces can be more prone to rumors directly impacting someone, bigger workplaces can have their entire work force erupt over something that may not of ever been an issue, such as certain people getting laid off.
Everything being said it is important to remember, although employee to employee interaction is crucial for many businesses, be careful of what type of interaction is happening.
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https://blogs.ubc.ca/jasonmcng/