Acronym

Thanks for posting these HR items, Scott. Too many of our colleagues are reluctant to challenge longstanding mores that are often nonsensical.

I once met with represenatives of a health club that required its administrative staff to wear white shirts and ties (men and women). The staff looked stupid and the practice was dropped.

As CEO of Chicago Area Runners Assn. I wore shorts and a t-shirt during the summer. Board members often changed out of business attire before attending a Board meeting. Blue jeans and running clothes were usually the most appropriate - even at banquets and award ceremonies.

I totally agree and have argues with my ED more than once about it. He believes we staff should look as good as the best dressed volunteer, either in the office or at an event. I think that is intimidating and unnecessary, and would trust my staff to not wear anything inappropriate (and if they did, I'd simply ask them not to and we'd be done with it). He won the argument, but only for now... ; )

Maddie, back in the 60s there was a bumper sticker that said, "Question authority!"

Some folks (including me) would always pencil in the phrase, "And if it answers, will you listen?"

Someone has to set the organizational dress code. Once set, how important is it to keep revisiting it--really?

Just a thought. Sorry you're having a not so good day. If I had to retype the same stuff 3 or more times, I'd feel the same. Got to be a better use for a data base and content management. Get ahold of one of the IT/data geeks--they'll know a way to improve.

Fats Domino (before your time) had a song: "Blue Monday". Friday's not far away. Nothing bad is ever allowed to happen on Friday. Believe it.

I have to agree with Scott.

One of my biggest dress policy dilemmas was a couple of years ago. My work pants (business casual style) were starting to get worn looking and I needed to get new clothes. But the only thing I could find in the stores (that I could reasonably afford) in a business casual style were capris length. The association I worked at didn't allow capris length pants--but at the time, it seemed that was all there was out there. I even asked store clerks and they apologized—it’s the style they said. Even the affordable business suits were capris length. I bought the longest pair I could find—cut above the ankle.

I wore them to work twice. The second time, my poor, embarrassed manager had to tell me at the end of the day to never wear them to work again as they were against dress policy (someone complained). Not only was I embarrassed, but also bewildered. What was I to do?

So I spend a few more seasons wearing my worn looking full length pants, sewing them back together every once in a while, waiting for the styles to change. Thinking it ironic that I had to wear worn out clothes instead of nice, new clothes because a conflict of dress policy and the current business fashion.

Thanks for sharing, Caron. It's been a while, but I once worked at an office where open-toed shoes were on the "do not wear" list.

Not much of a problem for me as there's not many men's open-toed shoes that would be appropriate. But the policy was obviously written at a time before open toe was the fashion for women. Fortunately, the organization had the good sense to ignore the policy.

Re: the embarrassed manager: My own philosophy that I tell my staff is that I trust them to dress responsibly and I don't think I will ever say anything to them of my own accord. If I do say something, it is only because human resources is telling me to.

"Question authority."

At the risk of starting another back-and-forth with you, Virgil, I have to say this is an important quality to me.

Your response, "And if it answers, will you listen?" means to me that you are suggesting a dialog take place. That's good, I like dialog. You use the word "listen" as opposed to hear, which means to me that consideration is given to the reasoning behind whatever authority says. That's good, I like consideration, reason, and listening. I also infer, and tell me if this is an incorrect reading, that you think it is too common for people to reject authority for the sake of rejecting authority, rather than only rejecting authority after careful reasoning.

If that's true, I wholeheartedly reject the notion. Yes, I think that happens, but I think the far more dangerous issue is that authority is not questioned enough. And when it is, the power dynamic is such that I think it is far more likely that if a dialog is blocked, it is authority who is refusing to listen, not the questioner.

So I do say, proudly, question authority. Listen, if there's anything to listen to. Take the action you think most appropriate. Live with the consequences knowing that you are doing the right thing by you.

Hey, Virgil, I still have my "Question Authority" button. The concept was very controversial years ago. Today, though, many people take it for granted. I think that's good. Authority figures should have a logical reason for their rules and should drop them when that logic is not valid.

I'm late to this conversation, but I feel compelled to say... my experience is that the more prescriptive we are, the more we're setting ourselves up to be disappointed by staff. I've worked at places that listed every kind of pant, material, shoe, etc., that were "not permitted." That just sets up a mindset like, "They say I can't wear "beach" flip-flops, but it doesn't say I can't wear "leather" flip flops, so hey, I'm going to." If we treat adults like adults in the workplace, chances are they will live up to that expectation. It's time to stop making rules for the lowest common denominator and start setting high standards and expectations. And this goes beyond dress code.

I'm a big fan of this uncommon sensical HR policy.