Gordon Ramsay does it in the kitchen and Christian Bale does it on the film set, so why can’t a freelancer or contractor let rip with a few profanities in the workplace?

Many experts argue that swearing is an effective method of venting your pent-up frustrations, so assuming no-one raises any objections, and you get the job done as per your clients requirements, there shouldn’t be any repercussions for owning a potty mouth.

If only it were that simple.

In some workplaces it may be the case that swearing is relatively common. As an independent contractor it may be tempting to join in with the office banter and throw in the odd expletitive or relieve your frustration with a nice, relaxing swear word. There are a number of problems with this, however.

### Staff are aware of the boundaries – and have job security

When you enter a workplace, you are the outsider, a seperate entity to the business you are working for. Employees of the firm for which you work will be intimately aware of the boundaries for swearing and will have job security as a safety net should they suddenly become inappropriate in the way they talk.

Freelancers and contractors don’t have this same security and through presenting themselves in an unprofessional way may end up undermining their chances of being retained by the client. Or, you may suddenly spout something that brings all background chatter to a halt and sends all eyeballs swivelling in your direction. Such an icy silence may lead to a swift exit.

### You are the brand – present yourself as such

You are not an employee. You are your business and your brand – and must present yourself as such, so unless you happily pitch yourself as The Swearing IT Contractor (a niche which, as far as we know, has yet to be filled), it will pay to keep your language clean.

There is a commonly held belief that swearing represents an inability to express oneself intelligently and effectively. Possessing strong communication skills is a key to becoming and remaining a successful contractor.

### The hidden effects of swearing on others

The BBC has recently published an interesting article on swearing in the workplace which features insightful comments from experts in the field of social communication.

According to American author Jim O’Connor, who wrote a book called ‘Cuss Control’ swearing can work as a stress relief for the user, but the effect on those around them can be quite the opposite. People who have a problem with swearing are unlikely to express their dislike of it because they don’t want to be seen as a ‘goody two shoes.’

For the contractor, this means they could be annoying a large part of the workforce without knowing it. This leaves them open to the possibility of an irritated member of staff complaining to the boss about the The Swearing IT Contractor who’s effing and blinding to their hearts content.

####In some industries swearing is so common that it’s almost a requirement to be part of the team. Traditionally, people will point towards the building trade as the perfect example but even that is changing with the creation of the Considerate Constructors Scheme which has over 45,000 construction sites registered in the UK.

Here at Freelance Advisor we’re all for a nice bit of venting and creative use of language – so let rip in the comments if you feel the need.