We all experience it at some time or the other: being the butt of someone’s joke. When done in an office setting, it can be quite humiliating.

In this week’s Career Coach, HR consultant Gil Bangalan explains that while office ribbing may be perceived by its perpetrators as harmless teasing, it can easily escalate into workplace bullying.

“Some forms of ribbing can be nasty,” says Bangalan. “Things like suddenly pulling off a chair from under an employee to make him trip, hiding a personal item that makes a co-employee crazy trying to look for it, or posting a colleague’s photos with humorous captions on the office intranet may seem funny and harmless but do we consider what effect such ribbing has on the subject of such behavior?”

It’s hard to determine the point where office teasing become abusive as this largely depends on the person receiving it. “I do not encourage ribbing in the workplace, particularly during work hours.,” shares Bangalan. “I expect employees to behave professionally and treat one another with mutual respect. Ribbing can do more harm than good as it can be disruptive of work as well as detrimental to the psycho-social wellness of a person. It’s better not wait for that ‘point’ when it becomes abusive or offensive.”

Social psychologist Gary Namie, PhD, director of the Workplace Bullying and Trauma Institute in Bellingham, Wash., good natured ribbing can become bullying if it’s unwelcome and persistent.

Namie further explains that targets of bullying may even start to believe they are somehow at fault or may be encouraged to think that the bullying is all "in your head." However, research done by University of Bergen psychologist St?le Einarsen, PhD, a leading bullying researcher – reveal that the risks are very real. Einarsen has intervened with severely bullied employees so disabled they are unable to work. “While repairing these victims' mental health is difficult, but possible,” he says, “it's even more difficult getting them to go back to work – even at a different job.”

Office ribbing, especially among close friends and confidantes, may be considered harmless fun. Still, be sensitive enough to know when to stop.