22 November, 2007

Grrr...

I am so annoyed at the moment.

Our work has a casual dress policy - we can wear smart casual clothes. It's company wide, however some parts of the company are customer facing so they wear business attire. Most of our callcentres are not open to the public though, so our clothing is more relaxed and comfortable. There's obviously certain rules - no inappropriate slogans on t-shirts, no revealing clothing, no ripped/dirty items etc. All fair enough if you ask me.

Now we've had a directive from management to say that no shorts of any kinds will be allowed. Nothing that shows the ankles will be permitted. This leaves the guys with one option - long pants. We're coming into summer and it's going to be a hot one I think. We've had some very hot days already and we're not even into summer proper yet. I really don't think that's fair for them.

Women can wear skirts apparently, but there's a few problems that I have with this - one is that the few skirts I own (I'm not really a skirt person) are the full flowing type of skirt. I just don't feel that I'd be business like enough in them. I feel more business like in my long shorts (capri pants). If I don't wear the skirts though, I'm going to be stuck with long pants (and the only long pants I have are jeans). I really don't want to have to wear jeans to work in 40 degree days!

To me, it feels that they want business wear policy back again so they're kinda doing it by stealth... When I started we had to wear business attire and it seemed so pointless. We never saw anyone but our workmates. We were thrilled when they brought in the casual dress policy. People still had the option of wearing business attire but hardly anyone did - in our building at least.

I'm not sure what's brought this on. I've never seen or heard of anyone wearing inappropriate shorts. It really doesn't seem fair on the guys - almost discriminatory.


I'm currently trying to convince the guys in my team to wear skirts/kilts to work...

13 comments:

LBA said...

I'd say someone has offended someone... although the kilts are a ripper idea !! :)

I don't like the idea of shorts on men at work though ( even in a call centre ) - it seems very unprofessional, unless they are of the tailored variety ?

Doesn't the company have aircon ? I used to like wearing capris though, as a summer staple. Flowing skirts sound fine.

Unknown said...

I can understand a ban on surfing shorts and that sort of thing, but no shorts at all? That's ludicrous.

I wear jeans and a polo shirt with my logo on it and have NEVER had a comment from a client. In summer I wear shorts (tailored ones) and that looks fine too.

One thought would be for the guys to wear a jellibaya, as the arabs do. If the bosses complain then the blokes say they're Muslim and the bosses are stuffed.

Or how about the easy answer. Everyone, literally EVERYONE, turns up in shorts. They can hardly sack you all and they just might get the message. Especially if the press get to hear about it. :D

Stomper Girl said...

Or they could all wear socks with their shorts. Their ankles are still 'hidden' that way....

Long socks with shorts. Now there's a look.

Dogbait said...

I'm afraid I'd be sacked!

Anonymous said...

That sounds ridiculous. Surely tailored shorts is better than hot, sticky and grumpy staff!

No ankles...what about girls in skirts shorter than floor length then?

Anonymous said...

Someone obviously has offensive ankles and has ruined it for all of you!

Does covering your ankles make you SOUND more professional? No one knows what you are wearing over the phone.

meggie said...

Haha, I love the idea of kilts!! Or lava lavas such as the Fijians wear! Of course the ankles would be covered by socks for the kilts but sandals seem ... oh well nice try!

velcro said...

get them all to wear kilts - men are so incredibly sexy in them!

I used to work in a call centre who decided to bring in a dresscode and outlawed my fab flowing bright orange trousers. swines!

Melinda said...

Sounds like typical beauracratic nonsense to me. You need to do an ankle check to see who has the offensive bits. The latest fashions in capris and long shorts are actually very professional looking. Some combinations actually look like abbrievated business suits in summerweights.

Anonymous said...

In addition to kilts (fabulous!) I think a building full of folks wearing loudly colored chef's pants would comply with the letter of the new rule.
Here via Zazamataz

Unknown said...

I'm a terrible person and left the bloggin' world for a while.

Go check my blog to see a picture of my bea-u-tiful little girl!

caramaena said...

Heh, great suggestions guys. There's been lots of complaints to the managers about it - not that it's really going to do much good. I'm told the aim is to make the centres more 'business' looking but all I saw was everyone wearing jeans instead (with the obvious exception of the managers who tend to wear business type stuff already). I think all it's going to do is annoy people on the really hot days.

Unknown said...

I have to remind myself that your seasons are backwards from the States everytime I read this.

Right now I'd kill for forty degree days! It's only 18 F here and it's supposed to get to -7 tonight.

I'm lucky because I can wear any damned thing I want at work. My boss could care less, as long as I show up. When clients are coming in I try to dress the part though.

I've only wore shorts to work once, when I was the only one in. But then again, I work at a law office so I guess there are some limits to what we can do.

Capris are my summer staple though.