“Taking the piss”: Functions of banter in the IT industry

Abstract

This paper shows how banter helps forge organizational culture by facilitating socialization of work group members and presents original research conducted in three IT companies. Informants identified their style of humor as “taking the piss,” a colloquial term meaning to use jocular abuse to deflate someone else's ego to bring them to the same level as others. The IT organizations studied were young, creative and energetic and the banter was lively and almost always enjoyed. Six main functions of banter were identified: making a point, boredom busting, socialization, celebrating differences, displaying the culture, and highlighting and defining status. Banter occurred more readily when it involved popular and well-liked colleagues that were fully socialized into the organizational culture. Personal characteristics and traits—such as ethnicity, gender, age, height or dress style—were the target of much banter. Much of the literature discussing banter has focused on the negative effects of jocular abuse at work. This paper emphasises how banter helped facilitate functioning cultural systems in the organizations studied. However, for those not socialized through the banter into the in-group, banter was often experienced as painful, exclusionary and even insulting.

Gender differences in response to Facebook status updates from same and opposite gender friends

“…There has been considerable research on banter in face to face interactions and researchers argue that it can play a supportive and positive role in male interactions (Adams et al, 2010;Gill, Henwood, & McLean, 2005, Hein & O'Donohoe, 2014. Plester and Sayers (2007) describe how using banter is a social glue which keeps groups together. Others view it more negatively and show how it can be exclusionary.…”

Moving beyond ideas of laddism: conceptualising ‘mischievous masculinities’ as a new way of understanding everyday sexism and gender relations

“…These include displaying masculine characteristics such as strength, aggression, physicality, wit and heterosexuality (Connell and Messerchmidt, 2005;Schacht, 1996;Carrigan, Connell & Lee, 1985). Though all of the characteristics noted remain prominent in our continued understanding and construction of lads, more recently, features such as wit, and the ability to be able to banter within groups has been viewed as significant in definitions of laddish behaviours (Lynch, 2010;Plester and Sayers, 2007). The links between banter and lad cultures will be returned to in more detail in subsequent sections of the article, though it is important to note here that banter, viewed as a traditionally male insult, is often adopted by males to express discourses of gender relations, particularly those which sustain dominant forms of masculinity (McDowell and Schaffner, 2011;Kotthoff, 2005).…”

“…Banter is a fast growing form of interaction within British society, becoming synonymous with lads and laddish behaviours, commonly acting as a way for men to convey discourses of gender relations and sexist ideas. Understood as a type of humour and interactional practice which permeates all spheres of the social world, banter is seen to be a specific form of jocular interaction, with associated styles and strategies, including interaction based upon adopting impolite, offensive and abusive language and tone (Haugh and Bousfield, 2012;Plester and Sayers, 2007).…”

Healthy humour: Using humour to cope at work

“…Workplace banter with colleagues offers a respite from boring and monotonous work tasks and re-establishes camaraderie among colleagues (Plester & Sayers 2007). It may also be a way of creating cohesion when dull or unpleasant work tasks must be completed, as shown when Adam rounds up his subordinates for a meeting calling them "terrorists".…”

“…Humour makes the workplace more pleasant and reduces stress and tension (Meyer 1997) and can also offer people the chance to discuss personal painful events within a format that reduces distress and anxiety. Banter between colleagues relieves boredom at work (Plester & Sayers 2007) and contributes to group cohesiveness (Romero & Pescosolido 2008). Fun and enjoyment are fundamental in people's lives (Monk et al 2002) and more managers and organisational leaders are identifying the need for employees to laugh and play at work.…”