Tuesday, September 02, 2003

Those wacky Swedes!
(Via BuzzMachine) The Fart Conflict: Last fart at the Swedish national bank
There is no more farting amongst the staff in the Swedish national bank. " We do not have a specific fart ban, but we have ethical guidelines and naturally, farting is simply not done here", said Staffan Folke at the bank's work environment office.
Ethical guidelines? Hmm, how are ethics involved?
Yesterday computer technician Göran Andervass told Aftonbladet how he was exposed to a colleague's farting when working for the national bank.

The incident accelerated into a serious work conflict. Andervass was fired, took legal action and finally received NOK 850,000 compensation from the bank.

The fart was indeed the start of the conflict and Andervass wrote in a statement to the court: "Provoked by a disgusting fart - a right stinker - at 7.30 am in my office".
...
Folke points out that it is not acceptable for an officer of the Swedish national bank to run into a colleague's office to fart.
Just a fun loving guy, I'm sure. But now he's spoiled it for everyone else.
Krister Skoglund in the human resource department warns staff about farting too obviously near others:

"If this happens on numerous occasions it will be perceived as a violation", he said.
Another good reason for a "Silent but Deadly."
Even if only one single fart is in question, the leadership will react, according to Skoglund:

"If it is done with bad intentions, that someone comes in to an office and does something like this, the boss needs to take action. That is important. Then a conversation with the person is needed, to explain to the member of staff that we do not do such things here", he said.
At this rate they'll need a rule for just about every stupid thing an employee could do. Hey, maybe they can get the EU working on this - they love regulations.