Is commenting on a coworkers appearance always wrong According to this new study, no

Is commenting on a coworkers appearance always wrong According to this new study, noIs commenting on a coworkers appearance always wrong According to this new study, noFormer president Barack Obama once introduced Californias Attorney General Kamala Harris at a Democratic fundraiser as brilliant, dedicated, tough and by far, the best looking attorney general in the country.The remark raised a few eyebrows as Americans questioned whether or leid it amounted to sexism. The then-president, who has alsocomplimented men before, called Harristo apologize.While Harris is reportedly mucksmuschenstill an Obama supporter, the situation leaves twoquestions lingering Are male-to-female, female-to-male, peer-to-peer, superior-to-subordinate or vice versa workplace compliments focused on looks or personal details like dress ever okay? And when dothoseremarks rise to actionable harassment?In the workplace or when you are dealing with someone professionally, a persons appearance is, nine times out o f 10, irrelevant - unless, of course, youre working in the fashion industry or a persons attireviolates the companysdress code. But when someone walks into work with a new hair cut or an eye-catching dress, you might feel inclined to compliment them. Likewise, if someone walks into work looking exhausted, you might feel inclined to ask them how theyre doing.While some compliments might be pure (and compliments alone dont typically constitute unlawfulsexual harassment),some can be full of inuendos that have no place in the office and create power dynamics that keepworkplaces from reaching gender parity.And in response to the recent surge of sexual harassment scandals, many people are wondering whether or not commenting on a coworkers appearance at all is ever acceptable.That said,Americans tend to agree that just because abehavior is frowned upondoesnt mean that it isnt happening in their workplaces.Thats according toa recentpollonworkplace behaviorfromNPRandIpsos, whichoffered 1,13 0 American adults a range of potentially objectionable office behaviors along with a range of options for each behavior, from one to seven (always, mostly and sometimes inappropriate it depends and sometimes, mostly or always appropriate). Seventy-two percent of people polled have seen a male commenting on a female coworkers appearance, and 23 percent have admitted to doing it. And65 percent of people have seen a female coworker commenting on a males appearance, and 26 percent have admitted to doing so.Theresearch suggests that only49 percent of people think that a male commenting on a females appearance at work is inappropriate. Another 36 percent say that it depends, and 15 percent think its totally fine. As for a female commenting on a males appearance, 46 percent think its inappropriate, 37 percent think it depends on the situation and 17 percent think its fine.But here are 10 times when commenting on a coworkers appearance is definitely NOT okay, despite what the survey says.1. Dont comment on a coworkers physical attributesCommenting on a coworkers body parts is never appropriate, period. Doing so can certainly and justifiably lead to a trip to HR.2. Dont comment on a coworkers decision to re-wear the same clothesYourcoworker may have had slept out the night before, and commenting onthat can be construed as making suggestions about their intimatelives. Or, the coworker may not have thebudgetfor an expansive work wardrobe, so commenting on their repeated outfits could be offensive and hurtful.3. Dont comment on a coworkers baby bumpFirst, your coworker might not actually be pregnant if she hasnt yet broken the news. Second, your coworker might not want anyone to know if shes pregnant yet, and then youre spilling what are her beans to spill. Third,all baby bumps are different and all womens bodies respond topregnancyin their own unique ways, so speculating abouta womans pregnancycan come across as rude.4. Dont comment on a coworkers weight lossYou dont kno w if your coworker is ill and unintentionally losing weight or not. Unless they verbally express that theyve been trying hard to lose weight, commenting on weight loss is risky. Even if they do seem to be fishing for compliments,how you offer a compliment matters - instead of telling them how good theirbodylooks, you should probably stick to congratulating them on theirprogressinstead. Thats more of a meaningful compliment anyway, since youre acknowledging theirhard workand dedication.5. Dont comment ona coworkers outfit being provocativeIf your coworker is wearing something that, to you, seems too low cut, too short, too sheer, etc., dont mention it to them. Unless youre the HR department, youve no place doing so.6. Dont comment on a coworker who lookshung overIf your coworker comes into work looking like theyve had quite the night out, its best you leave that up to HR to handle. For one, you could be misinterpreting the situation, and perhaps theyve had a rough night for other no t-so-ideal reasons that they dont feel comfortable discussing with you - such as family or relationship issues. If they are hung over but still able to perform their work, what happens in their lives outsideof the office does not concern you. If theyre continuously coming into work hungover, and its affecting your work, thats an issue you need to take up with HR.7. Dont comment onany ambiguous injuries on a coworkerUnless they bring it up, you dont need to know why your coworker is injured. If there is a funny story as to why they randomly showed up on crutches, chances are theyll tell you. But if you ask them why theyre always bruised, for example, you might be triggering something deeper - like an abuse issue at home that theyre notwantingto discuss at work. If youre genuinely concerned about them, you might want to pull them aside in private and let them know that youre an ear for them otherwise, its usually best to keep those comments to yourself or consult someone who could h elp without invading your coworkers privacy.8. Dont comment on a coworker for blushingSuggesting flirtation at the workplace isawkwardand inappropriate. A lot ofsuccessfulwomenalready deal with rumors about sleeping their way to the top, so accusing someone of showing romantic or sexual interest (whether or not its true) is unprofessional andnegates womens successes thus far.9. Dont comment on a coworkers especially professional appearanceYou dont know if your coworkerhas another jobinterviewatlunchthat they dont want the whole office knowing about.10. Dont comment on a coworker who appears to be illAgain, you dont know if your coworker is actually ill, and commenting on their poor appearancecould open up doors to a conversation that they might not feel like having.AnnaMarie Houlis is a multimedia journalist and an adventure aficionado with a keen cultural curiosity and an affinity for solotravel. Shes an editor by day and a travel blogger at HerReport.org by night.This article orig inally appeared onFairygodboss.AtFairygodboss, our mission is to help you create the best career for your life. Weve helped over a million women do this by crowdsourcing hard-to-ask information about job flexibility, salaries, work-life balance, maternity leave policies and whether women are promoted fairly in their companies and departments. Come see our free job reviews and career advice