Agents React: Terms of Endearment in the Workplace

A post from last week on @thebrokeagent’s Instagram has racked up over 400 comments from agents.

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The post generated a lot of discourse on terms you should never use with other agents – or your clients. 

While many agents agree that you should never use any term of endearment that can be seen as patronizing, others believe that not wanting to be called a friendly name is a bit high maintenance. 

It gets easier to offend people by the day, so keeping track of what’s acceptable in the workplace is hard. Here’s a rundown of what agents think:

“Just Don’t”

Quite a few agents believe that “buddy” and “sweetie” have no place in a professional setting. 

“Why Not?”

Many agents thought nobody should be complaining about being referred to in an endearing manner, as many think it is a friendly way to refer to someone. 

“As Long As I Get Paid…”

Some agents don’t care either way (as long as they cut you a check).

“Age Matters”

A few agents expressed their discomfort with being called “honey” and “sweetie” because they feel it’s a way for seasoned agents to talk down to rookies.