Obligatory social events and team building prove no fun for 'Mr T' or his employers: Progressive employers should consider how inclusive their events, culture and overall workplace are for their employees, write Bruce Caldow and Claire Fowler

F rance's highest civil court, the Cour de Cassation, recently brought to an end a long-running dispute and held that employers in France cannot lawfully dismiss a worker for failing to be "fun".

"Mr T" joined French management consultancy Cubik Partners in February 2011, where he worked until his dismissal in March 2015. The reason for his dismissal was stated to be "professional incompetence", which, on interrogation, was said to encompass his "critical behaviour" and refusal to adhere to the company's "fun" values or participate in team-building activities.

During the dispute, it was said these "fun values" included what Mr T viewed as obligatory social events with "excessive alcoholism" and practices of "promiscuity, bullying and incitement to various excesses". The court backed Mr T's entitlement to "freedom of expression" and ruled that refusing to participate in activities he didn't agree with was a manifestation of that freedom. Ultimately, the court held his employer could not dismiss him for reluctance to be what the employer regarded as "fun".

So, are "no-fun"...