A warning for office ticklers

[paszkowt]

Of course in that case your HR overreacted, and you people complaining about too much anti-harrassment stuff and I believe it can be annoying. In my country sexual harrassment law is pretty new and sometimes it comes to extremes the other way. In last such a case a magistrate court jugded, that grabbing your secretary's crotch through trousers does not fulfill the sexual abuse definition...

 

[stacyshippen]

A view from the a workplace ticklee...

I related some weeks ago an incident where I was tickled at work by a co-worker I knew slightly. All in play, and I didn't mind nor care. In theory, no big deal, right?

Then I remembered an incident from a few years ago...I was sitting at a terminal and a female co-worker came up behind me and playfully tickled me on the ribs. Aside from shrieking, I whirled around and was so angry, I unthinkingly made a physical threat to her if she ever touched me like that again. I was pissed and embarrassed for my initial (and unfortunately loud) ticklish reaction, and even more so for laying into her. It was an uncomfortable situation for both of us (and everyone within earshot) -- it never went to HR but easily could have escalated -- she could have been cited for harassment and I could have been cited for threatening a co-worker. Our working relationship was not particularly strong at the time but we essentially stopped speaking after that.

Lesson? The first time I was tickled at work, I didn't like the tickler and was extremely angry. The second time, I liked the tickler, so I didn't really care and it even gave me a smile 🙂. I guess it's a matter of circumstance and perspective but even for us 'philes, the workplace isn't the right time and place to be on the receiving end of even an innocent tickling. So I'm not trying to be a downer on this, because hell, I can daydream about tickling co-workers too, but working relationships can be damaged by the wrong reaction to what may be intended as innocent, playful behavior.

Peace,
Stacy

P.S. No, I never fantasized about "revenge", in case you're wondering. I despise this individual so much to this day that I wouldn't touch her with a ten foot pole. Now other people I've worked with...that's a whole OTHER story 😉

 

[Em Es]

Moral: Pick your targets

Stacyshippen raises a good point: Don't blindly tickle at the workplace. First, develop a friendship with the girl you want to tickle and show her respect.

Also, as I said on page one of this thread, tickle your colleague in private. I've been tickling female coworkers more than twenty years and never had a problem. That's because I don't do it to everyone nor to anyone all the time. Rather, I pick the girl who sends the right vibe. Then I tickle her when no one's around.

Glory, glory, hallelujah, my truth is marching on.😀

 

[Ayla ny]

workplace tickles can get weird even if you are familiar and friendly. I posted a while back about a little tickle war I had going with a maintenance guy where I used to work (my leaving had nothing to do with the tickles) but didn’t mention how a few days before I left, it got weird on me.

I’d been having a lot of fun with it ...right up until this happened.

I had locked myself out of my office and asked him to let me in. he unlocked the door and held it open for me. I went in and he followed. he grinned, closed the door (most of the way closed) behind him and said, “hmmm... looks like I have you cornered.”

I got all kinds of flustered and started rambling about how I had taken my key off of my nametag and then left it on my desk. he then says to me, “if you’re taking anything off, I want to be here for it.” friendly had just gotten way TOO friendly. (it gets worse)

I laughed, did that ‘shame-shame’ thing with my fingers, scooted past him to the door and said, “get back to work, bad boy.”

he followed me out the door and said, “it’s all that tickling.”

I think my heart stopped.

“wow... now THAT got a reaction! look at you blush!”

not only did my heart stop... my brain went right along with it. I couldn’t think of a single thing to say and just got away as fast as my feet would take me. thankfully it was only a few days later that I was done with that job. I don’t think I’ll be tickling at work again.

 

[Em Es]

Uncomfortable, to say the least

What a shame that guy spoiled the fun, Ayla. Sometimes it feels as though you just can't win, doesn't it? You keep your guard up and they call you stuck up. You let your hair down and they get fresh with you. What's a girl to do?😡

I suppose one's point of view in this thread depends on whether you are male or female.