It's a common word and seen by many as a slightly more polite way of saying they were popping to the toilet.
But using the term 'gents' is 'old fashioned' and 'not inclusive' making it 'unacceptable' in today's corporate world, a tribunal has ruled.
The term - a common shortening of 'gentlemen' and often used to describe men's toilets - is not suitable in a modern workplace, a judge has suggested in a ruling involving a claim against one of the Britain's biggest insurance companies.
It came after a female employee at Royal & Sun Alliance sued for sex discrimination after she was included in group emails from her boss that was addressed to 'gents'.
The department head who sent the messages admitted that his use of the language was 'thoughtless' and 'lazy'.
