My company’s HR department recently issued a notice on “dress code” at the office, which is so cryptic that even I could not decypher it. See if you can work it out:
【Proper Attire】
While employees are encouraged to place importance on personal taste, employees’ attire should be appropriate to our professional business environment. Generally, following clothing and items should not be worn at workplace during normal workdays:
Jeans
Slippers
Beach sandals/Mules
Sneakers
Tank tops and halter-neck tops
T-shirts (*acceptable for women with wearing/carrying a jacket) (totally sexist!)
Sweatshirt / sweat trousers
Shorts
Revealing clothes
Wearing shirt over trousers
【Proper Appearance】
The pride of a professional begins with good appearance. As a business person, proper appearance is important in making a positive impression on clients and co-workers. Fresh and neat appearance, an orderly work environment, and a quality work product deliver clients a positive attitude and professionalism of you. It is expected that all employees shall think highly of appearance standards as appropriate.
*Employees who are not well attired or improperly groomed may be sent back home when observed in workplace. In case that violation of this policy is repeated, the person may be subject to disciplinary actions.
Confusing, isnt it? I decided to go up to my expat boss, G, and asked him to give it to me straight: what do they mean proper appearance? To which he replied, well... we are talking about “business casuals”.
Ok... Please expand on the definition of “Business Casuals”. What constitues “Business Casuals”. He paused for a moment and responded: you know, the sort of clothes you would wear, say, to a country club, for example.
Right... 1) I live in the city. 2) I don’t get paid enough to have a country club membership.
And that got me thinking: considering that I grew up in a rural English boarding school, surely I knew what people wore to country clubs!
Readers, this is what I wore to work today.
【Proper Attire】
While employees are encouraged to place importance on personal taste, employees’ attire should be appropriate to our professional business environment. Generally, following clothing and items should not be worn at workplace during normal workdays:
Jeans
Slippers
Beach sandals/Mules
Sneakers
Tank tops and halter-neck tops
T-shirts (*acceptable for women with wearing/carrying a jacket) (totally sexist!)
Sweatshirt / sweat trousers
Shorts
Revealing clothes
Wearing shirt over trousers
【Proper Appearance】
The pride of a professional begins with good appearance. As a business person, proper appearance is important in making a positive impression on clients and co-workers. Fresh and neat appearance, an orderly work environment, and a quality work product deliver clients a positive attitude and professionalism of you. It is expected that all employees shall think highly of appearance standards as appropriate.
*Employees who are not well attired or improperly groomed may be sent back home when observed in workplace. In case that violation of this policy is repeated, the person may be subject to disciplinary actions.
Confusing, isnt it? I decided to go up to my expat boss, G, and asked him to give it to me straight: what do they mean proper appearance? To which he replied, well... we are talking about “business casuals”.
Ok... Please expand on the definition of “Business Casuals”. What constitues “Business Casuals”. He paused for a moment and responded: you know, the sort of clothes you would wear, say, to a country club, for example.
Right... 1) I live in the city. 2) I don’t get paid enough to have a country club membership.
And that got me thinking: considering that I grew up in a rural English boarding school, surely I knew what people wore to country clubs!
Readers, this is what I wore to work today.
GOLF (Gentleman Only Ladies Forbidden) 
Morning G, how are you today? My boss, G, had a huge grin on his face as I walk to my desk.
DWR, you look like you are off to play a round of golf!
Of course, G, that’s what people do in country clubs, don’t they? Play golf, drink G&Ts, play bridge. So yes. Today I am in business casuals.
He started to chuckle: You know what? You really are a good management consultant. I like the way you think. You think out of the box.
Why thank you, G. Thank you.
My boss couldn’t stop laughing when he returned to his office. (He's used to my sense of humour)
Give me sensible words, and I shall act accordingly.
3 comments:
Go in nude, technically you're not violating any of the guidelines.
While I have pushed dress codes as far as they can go, I never thought about doing what you did. Very clever. I always interperted the rules in my own fashion and saw just how much flex they (the rules) had.
I went to a private high school and the dress code was rather strict. I was sent home many times to change, which was OK by me, I could sneak in a smoke on the way home and the on the way back, when I decided to go back.
Your out look is very fresh and you are indeed a thinker that is out side of the box. Thus I say you are not just part of the flock as you so put it earlier. While you might mix and mingle with the flock, you still stand out on an intellectual level if nothing else. You would almost have to agree with me there right?
must admit, my colleague who read this post was laughing her head off! yeah, must admit, I view the world from a different angle than most. :) luckily I have a boss with a sense of humour!
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