'HR Review' have shared their research on the UK's favourite pet names, but is it every appropriate to use pet names in the workplace?
Whilst it could be seen as a term of endearment, using pet/nick names can have a negative impact on relationships in the workplace by attracting claims of favouritism, or even discrimination.
Topping the list as the favourite pet name is ‘babe’ with more than 7per cent of the vote, often associated with the cast of Essex-based reality show, TOWIE. In second place was ‘buddy’ (5 per cent), followed by ‘honey’ (4.5 per cent), both of which were more popular among women than men. The UK’s top ten pet names are: Babe; Buddy; Honey; Darling; Sweetheart; Love; Boo; Angel; Hun; Mate But when is it appropriate to use these terms of endearment? Forty per cent of people stated they only like being called a pet name by people they know well, and 23 per cent claimed they do not like to be called pet names at all.
