Is your job "alternative" friendly?

[Sasha Distan]

right then. Does your job allow it's employees to be "alternative" to any degree? I have some good examples of this.

 

A very posh UK supermarket chain i worked for as a student didn't allow visible tattoos or any piercing that weren't the standard pair. i had to remove my cartilage piercing only weeks after it had been put in and this resulted in infection and split growth cartilage (think weird lump of scar tissue and steroid injections to remove four years later, not fun)

 

A friend of mine works at a school where he must wear a t-shirt under his dress shirt all year round because he has a full tribal back tattoo and the school won't allow hints of it to be seen through his shirt. he might influence the kiddies into a life of drugs and crime apparently...

 

My current school (nameless to protect the guilty) allows tattoos as long as they are not vulgar (ie sexual) as well as a large variety of piercings in it's staff. students are not allowed flesh tunnels more than 10mmm, which i think is plenty. several staff have undercut or half shaved hairstyles, but they don't allow colours, even for staff.

 

So what's it like where you are? did you have to change to work there? have you ever lost a job because you refused to change? do you think it's fair/relevant/appropriate?

 

I have four tattoos, all hide-able if i wish,  and fairly normal hair, if rather long. i am getting new ink tomorrow. very excited.

[scotty94]

my last job in a kitchen they didn't allow visible piercing, because it was kitchen and if they fall in to food and you don't notice then there are fine coming your way. but hair had to always be short and female had to tie it back, I had long hair when I first worked there and tied it back but then I was told to get it cut I refused and I went in the next week with the same hairstyle and he fired me.

[Thorn Wilde]

my last job in a kitchen they didn't allow visible piercing, because it was kitchen and if they fall in to food and you don't notice then there are fine coming your way. but hair had to always be short and female had to tie it back, I had long hair when I first worked there and tied it back but then I was told to get it cut I refused and I went in the next week with the same hairstyle and he fired me.

 

That's discrimination. If women are allowed to have long hair and just tie it back or use a hairnet, then so should you.

 

I don't see how your appearance could make you any less able to do a job and it really shouldn't factor into it. It's no better to discriminate based on hair colour, tattoos and piercings than it is to deny a girl a job in a fashion store because she's a little on the chubby side, a la Abercrombie & Fitch, or to discriminate on the basis of religious/cultural clothing such as hijab and turbans. 

[Bumblebee]

Where I work it doesn't really matter what you look like, as long as your clean, tidy and professional looking.

 

We do have a standard of dress when we go to shows (clean, nothing tatty, nothing with holes in, neat respectable clothes that look professional)

but at home as long as you are wearing appropriate clothing (ie not having your belly showing or your boobs hanging out, wearing pants, hair tied back, and no facial peicings that could get caught) then anything goes really.

We don't care about tattoos, pretty much everyone has at least one.

 

I personally don't have peicings besides my ear lobes anymore because I've had several helix peicings ripped out from being caught.

[joann414]

Where I work, the men have to wear boots, hardhats, safety glasses, and earplugs in production.  I'm at the other end of the plant in my shipping office.  Nobody actually comes through my door, but me, my hubby, and my boss.  Even the other supervisors have to knock, and I let them in.  So, in the summertime, I wear jean shorts, tees, and flip flops or tennis shoes.  My tatoo is visible if I wear a low cut shirt, which, I don't at work.  My drivers come to a window.  They can only see me from the waist up whether I'm sitting at my desk, or standing at the window.  During the winter, I wear jeans and boots most of the time.  I love winter, and go outside a lot, whether I have to or not.  So, yeah, they are pretty lenient with me because I'm more or less in my own little world down here

[Aditus]

Nah, never had any problems. Tats are mostly well hidden, if I'd showed them at work I would be in trouble, and not because of the tats. Until some years ago I had waist long hair, my boss had no problems with that, as long as it was braided, only for safety reasons though, working in a lab and all.

[layla]

My job has issues on hair color (had to get the blue out of mine) and blue jeans (can't wear them but can wear black) they frown on piercings, but the managers int he stores i work don't mind my two small eyebrow brings, one DM even complemented them. I have tats, one is usually partially visible, but they don't mind it, in fact they admired it when i got it lol.

[TetRefine]

When I worked at Target unloading trucks in the back room, you could basically wear whatever you wanted. The vast majority of the guys I worked with had tattoos, and I was one of the very few who didn't. Most, including myself, also had piercings, and some had nose rings or ear gages. Target is actually pretty liberal in its employee body accessories policy. 

 

My first job as a ski instructor was vastly different though. For girls, only one earring per ear was allowed, and no piercings were to be visible anywhere else. Guys were simply not allowed any piercings. Tattoos weren't an issue because everyone wears winter jackets and ski pants, so unless you have face or neck tattoos your set. My last year working at that mountain they actually didn't hire a pretty qualified individual (probably) because he had a tattoo that went high up on his neck. The reason they didn't want many visible piercings or tattoos is because most of our clients were upper-middle class suburbanites and tattoos/piercings are still taboo to that group of people. 

 

My second and current job as a ski supervisor is a little more liberal, but not much. When I started out as a ski instructor, both guys and girls were allowed however many ear piercings they wanted, but no other earrings anywhere else on the face. Tattoos also had to be covered, but again its winter working outside so this wasn't really an issue. When I got promoted to a supervisor, it was highly discouraged for guys to have any piercings and for girls to adopt the minimalist approach. 

 

I don't have piercings anymore and don't plan on ever getting any again, and my tattoo (while large), can be completely concealed with just a t-shirt. I don't understand why people get tattoos in places that can't be concealed. 

[Arpeggio]

When I worked at T-Mobile, you could wear your pajamas into the call center for all they cared, but now I'm working for Whirlpool, and even though you can wear jeans and t-shirts, most people wear business casual. I only have a tongue piercing and I take it out during work (if it grows in, I don't care but it hasn't yet), and I've always dressed casual so it's not an issue with me, but this one girl at work seems to be struggling with the fact that she can't wear short shorts or leggings with a t-shirt.

[Thorn Wilde]

People talking about multiple ear piercings not being allowed for females, that surprises me. My mum's had five ear piercings since, like, the 70s. She's been a school teacher for over 30 years, and I don't think anyone's ever even commented on that being somehow risqué. I guess that just goes to show the cultural differences, really.

[Sasha Distan]

People talking about multiple ear piercings not being allowed for females, that surprises me. My mum's had five ear piercings since, like, the 70s. She's been a school teacher for over 30 years, and I don't think anyone's ever even commented on that being somehow risqué. I guess that just goes to show the cultural differences, really.

 

well you Nordic lot are rather different...

[Celethiel]

oh yes my last job was alternative... erm lifestyle friendly, I could walk in in drag and did 3 days out of 10

 

actually in seriousness my in my last job, the manager didn't appreciate guys wearing earings... you know the whole "left ear queer" crap, I also don't think he liked peircings at all...or tattooes... However... we were allowed he didn't actually and couldn't actually do anything about it, other than complain.

[Zombie]

That's discrimination. If women are allowed to have long hair and just tie it back or use a hairnet, then so should you.

 

I don't see how your appearance could make you any less able to do a job and it really shouldn't factor into it. It's no better to discriminate based on hair colour, tattoos and piercings than it is to deny a girl a job in a fashion store because she's a little on the chubby side, a la Abercrombie & Fitch, or to discriminate on the basis of religious/cultural clothing such as hijab and turbans. 

 

In the UK many employers have always had dress codes and that's still OK provided they can be justified for the job role if there's a claim that they're discriminatory. Health and Safety could be one justification. Another might be the nature of the job itself, so a claim by a health worker or teacher, say, not allowed to wear a burqa or niqāb would almost certainly fail due to the core requirement for person to person communication with patients and pupils where facial expressions are a key means of effective communication in those jobs.

[Thorn Wilde]

In the UK many employers have always had dress codes and that's still OK provided they can be justified for the job role if there's a claim that they're discriminatory. Health and Safety could be one justification. Another might be the nature of the job itself, so a claim by a health worker or teacher, say, not allowed to wear a burqa or niqāb would almost certainly fail due to the core requirement for person to person communication with patients and pupils where facial expressions are a key means of effective communication in those jobs.

 

Fair enough. But if women are allowed to have long hair and tie it back or use a hairnet to, say, work in a kitchen, then a man should be allowed to do the same.

[Zombie]

Fair enough. But if women are allowed to have long hair and tie it back or use a hairnet to, say, work in a kitchen, then a man should be allowed to do the same.

 

Don't see this guy being Barclays CEO anytime soon

 

[Thorn Wilde]

Don't see this guy being Barclays CEO anytime soon

 

 

Neither would a woman with that hairstyle.

[W_L]

Ask yourself, "do I feel good wearing this to work or will it impede my job?"

 

If what you wear, tattoo, or whatever doesn't alter the character of your performance or ability to do the job, but instead makes you happier in the workplace, why banish it?

 

I wear the same boring things week by week, but I don't care if another manager wears cargo shorts and a T-shirt, unless a client is making a visit or has a sales meeting. Being a professional does not mean that you must always look and behave like a drone in the office; if your office permits it, bring a pair of running shorts and a sleeveless shirts with sneakers for an after lunch jog.

 

As for alternative lifestyle or alternative....Well, it's Massachusetts for me, so Gay is not on the fringes. We have a Vegan IT guy, who has a section of the fridge with hummus, almond milk, and other stuff. We have a Born-Again Christian, who has a Bible near her during work. (I can imagine a reality TV show based on our setup, "the Real American Office" ). The only alternative lifestyle that we may have problems in accepting well is "Cat people", since most of the office are either former dog owners or current dog owners

[Ashi]

Ask yourself, "do I feel good wearing this to work or will it impede my job?"

 

<snip snip>

 

As for alternative lifestyle or alternative....Well, it's Massachusetts for me, so Gay is not on the fringes. We have a Vegan IT guy, who has a section of the fridge with hummus, almond milk, and other stuff. We have a Born-Again Christian, who has a Bible near her during work. (I can imagine a reality TV show based on our setup, "the Real American Office" ). The only alternative lifestyle that we may have problems in accepting well is "Cat people", since most of the office are either former dog owners or current dog owners

 

Oh, I resent that last statement.    You dog people wear dogs like an accessory, us cat people respect cats as fully individuals. 

 

LOL.  Seriously though, your work place indeed sounds like a nice reality TV program premise or maybe just a good old setting for a nice novel! 

 

Anyways, back on topic.  Many of my former work places have strange dress codes.  Some of them are probably manager's imagination at work....  I mean, I couldn't imagine my rather liberal clothing company I used to work for (again, hide the name to protect the innocents) would implement a no tattoo policy.  I am pretty sure these weren't official company policy, but only her personal discretion.  Why people couldn't wear anything except closed-toes dress shoes (she asked me not to wear Converse-style sneakers to work, umm..., does she realize this is a fashionable casual clothing company?).  Her later yielding to flip flops really told me the closed-toes policy was really her figment of imagination.  Before she came, we have never had such policy and never had our butt checked for whether we were wearing the company's jeans or not.  Our old policy had always been " wearing something neat and fashionable."  She invented so many policies so she could fire people.  If you have tattoos?  Fired.  You said you're bisexual on Facebook, fired.  Too many piercings?  "Oooh, I don't like that!"  (in the most annoying nagging voice)  Fired.  She basically fired everyone she didn't like. The music we played while we were folding clothes during after hours had to be approved by her....  I could actually get away with a whole tons of stuff she fired other people for, only because she liked me.  Many of the front-end managers really have mental problems (not just her, though she is the best example hard to believe exists until one has the honor to work for one).

 

For the food service industry, it's a lot more different.  I can understand the merit-based policy.  I don't know about UK, but in the U.S., all food service companies are required to have at least one person (usually in supervisor position) who is certified with knowledge in food safety and sanitation standard, and I had the ServSafe certification (I didn't renew mine).  Personal piercing is spelled out not adherent to the food safety requirement.  The only jewelry allowed is wedding band (not gem stoned wedding rings or any ring with elaborate carvings, just the simple, religious ring to symbolize the infinite nature of marriage).  There is a reason for it, because people could get sick by it.  Not just customers, but germs can hide in pierced area and cause infection to the wearer.  No artificial nails either, just like rings, it can harbor bacteria.  No scratching ass on the job either, but you know why. 

 

Anyways, if it's merit-based policy, I'll condone, but policy for policy's stake, thank you so much, "have a life," my wish to these managers.

 

So the answer to the original poster, no, majority of the companies I worked for were not alternative friendly....  But I think it largely due to the person who enforces the policy, rather than the company itself. 

Edited August 22, 2013 by Ashi

[Zombie]

Oh, I resent that last statement.    You dog people wear dogs like an accessory

 

 

Truth!

 

Edited August 22, 2013 by Zombie

[W_L]

LOL.  Seriously though, your work place indeed sounds like a nice reality TV program premise or maybe just a good old setting for a nice novel! 

 

 

 

Don't get me started

 

On the flip side though, I have a lot of things to say about restaurant culture; it is so aggressive and angry. Cooks, chefs, and owners might look nice on the outside, but underneath it all, they have horrible tempers (Gordon Ramsey might play angry asshole for TV, but the reality isn't that far from Reality TV)

 

As a Chinese kid growing up in the US, where every 1/3 of you Chinese friends' dads work at restaurants (Mine does too), it is like "So did he a) Yell and lecture you to stop playing Sega and do your chores, b. He brought home some left over roast pork lo mein for dinner, or c): He tells you about his crappy life and warns you to study hard and never work in a Chinese restaurant.

 

I guess that's another alternative lifestyle that guys can try for work, be a Chinese line cook.

Edited August 23, 2013 by W_L

[Sasha Distan]

Truth!

 

 

oh hell no!

[Daithi]

I don't care who owns that dog that is just wrong no matter how you look at it!!!

[Ashi]

Don't get me started

 

On the flip side though, I have a lot of things to say about restaurant culture; it is so aggressive and angry. Cooks, chefs, and owners might look nice on the outside, but underneath it all, they have horrible tempers (Gordon Ramsey might play angry asshole for TV, but the reality isn't that far from Reality TV)

 

I guess that's another alternative lifestyle that guys can try for work, be a Chinese line cook.

 

Oh, don't get me started. 

 

I took a brief gig as a grill cook (thanks economy...), and I couldn't take it!!!  The working condition was beyond miserable.  I had to quit because my kidneys were hurting like crap and I am having a spot baldness problem (a quick Wiki shows it's an autoimmune disease, that's how little sleep I had...).  I think the job is not worth it for the near minimum wage, I think....  And yes, the kitchen was a zoo.  If you worked in it, you'd understand why cooks are always in bad temper: under appreciated (customers and managers are always complaining), too much work, manager doesn't know nothing about fridge and never stock enough foods (or buy the wrong foods/wrong utensils/wrong size of anything).  But on the flip side, as a grill cook, I got to meet so many different people.  Some were very interesting characters for the novels.  Actually I already have the idea down for a short story, but I am putting it off for another one (or maybe somehow integrate the two so I don't have to write two stories...).

 

OMG, I used double negative in one of the above sentence.  Gosh, that job really got into me....  Yes, people spoke in double negative all the time in the kitchen....  Grammar, what grammar....  I was probably the only writer in the room....

[Sasha Distan]

Oh, don't get me started. 

 

I took a brief gig as a grill cook (thanks economy...), and I couldn't take it!!!  The working condition was beyond miserable.  I had to quit because my kidneys were hurting like crap and I am having a spot baldness problem (a quick Wiki shows it's an autoimmune disease, that's how little sleep I had...).  I think the job is not worth it for the near minimum wage, I think....  And yes, the kitchen was a zoo.  If you worked in it, you'd understand why cooks are always in bad temper: under appreciated (customers and managers are always complaining), too much work, manager doesn't know nothing about fridge and never stock enough foods (or buy the wrong foods/wrong utensils/wrong size of anything).  But on the flip side, as a grill cook, I got to meet so many different people.  Some were very interesting characters for the novels.  Actually I already have the idea down for a short story, but I am putting it off for another one (or maybe somehow integrate the two so I don't have to write two stories...).

 

OMG, I used double negative in one of the above sentence.  Gosh, that job really got into me....  Yes, people spoke in double negative all the time in the kitchen....  Grammar, what grammar....  I was probably the only writer in the room....

 

all the things you say are true. working in short-order kitchens sucks.

[rustle]

I work in government. No one in our office has a visible tat, and I don't think anyone has a piercing, aside form women's earrings. Most just have two.

 

Would I get fired for coming in altered? Probably not, but I might not be hired, either.

 

I have no piercings or ink, though I considered both. Couldn't decide on a design to live with the rest of my life, and just never had the drive to get pierced. Now that I'm older, it might look like a desperate attempt to deny my age.