Question

Cary just returned from a tropical vacation and has a photograph of his wife in a bikini as his background on his work laptop. The photo is visible to anyone who walks past Cary's desk and, also can be seen when Cary presents his screen during team calls. Margot is Cary's supervisor and feels that this picture is not appropriate for work, but Margo didn't receive any formal complaints from anyone else about the picture, so she has decided not to say anything to Cary.
Margot believes that it must be OK to display sexually suggestive photos as long as no one complains about it. Is what Cary believes about the picture being his background correct?
Yes
No

Answer 1

No.

Reason: Whether something is appropriate at work isn’t determined only by whether someone files a complaint. A sexually suggestive background that is visible to coworkers and on team calls can contribute to a hostile or uncomfortable work environment and may violate workplace policies or harassment laws. Supervisors have a duty to address known conduct that could reasonably offend others or expose the company to liability, even if no one has complained.

What Margot should do:
- Speak privately with Cary, explain the concern and ask him to remove or change the photo when at work or on calls.
- Cite the relevant company policy (code of conduct, anti-harassment, acceptable use).
- Give a clear timeline for compliance and document the conversation.
- If Cary refuses or the behavior continues, escalate to HR and apply normal corrective action.

Sample brief script Margot can use: “I need to ask you to change your desktop background while at work and when sharing your screen. The current image is sexually suggestive and visible to coworkers and clients; it’s not appropriate in our workplace and could make others uncomfortable. Please update it by [date].”