Business Casual 6

[Welshbird]

My company have just announced that we are to change to a set dress code. At present, I am reasonably casual for work, but not dressed-down, and apparently everything I wear for work will be inappropriate under the new rules.

I generally wear trousers styled like jeans but never in denim, and a shirt, together with shoes (never trainers). I always thought that this DID count as busiess casual!

I feel really quite affronted by this, as I have been transfered from another part of the group with no option but to go. Previously I usually worked at home, and ALWAYS in casual attire.

I'm beginning to feel that all of the reasons I took my current job have vanished. I liked it originally because I was never customer facing; I worked from home with flexible hours and I could dress casually. Now I am expected to be customer facing part of the time, always be in the office between 8:30 and 5 and dress in 'business casual'.

Am I just being difficult?

I wondered if anyone else had experience of this. I don't want to be overly political and fight agains it all just for the sake of it; and I do like my job (in general) and am very fond of many of my colleagues.

It does just feel that my favourite 'perks' of the job have vanished. And also not working from home and having to buy a new wardrobe puts me out-of-pocket!

I'd appreciate views /opinions/advice. Thanks.

Fee

The question should be [red]Is it worth trying to do?[/red] not [blue] Can it be done?[/blue]

 

[strongm]

[qoute mmorancbt]Companies can ... change dress code as they see fit – usually it is a ... performance driven response

You also mention in an earlier post that there are studies that show this. Can you provide any references? All I've ever found are surveys which show that some employers believe that dressing up 'professionally' improves performance - but this is very different from a study that shows it to actually be the case - and for every one of those I can find a similar survey that says the opposite. These surveys then get reported as research in the press, but they are no such thing

 

[jsteph]

Hey! That wasn't part of the deal.

This hit's it right on. Part of the total compensation package are the perks--and not having to spend gobs of money on a more 'dress-up' wardrobe, and feeling comfortable--are definitely perks.

That said, it's just as if the employer said "Everyone on the third floor is getting a 10% pay cut." Ok--if you don't like it you can leave. However, the original poster is valid in being upset--I'd be upset if I was given a 10% pay cut--or forced to dress up a notch or two. But the bottom line is you've got to do it.

Yes, the employer has the right to expect and enforce a dress code, just as they have the right to cut your salary. In both cases you also have both the right to be ticked-off about it, and the right choose to leave or stay.
--Jim

 

[Welshbird]

I agree Jim.

I decided in the end that if we could re-instate some of my 'perks' then it was worth hanging on in and seeing what I could achieve.

And I only have to dress up three days a week cos the other two days I'll be at home and can happily work in my jimmy jams if I choose.

I'll need to remember that we have video link to talk to each other though..... ha.

Fee

The question should be [red]Is it worth trying to do?[/red] not [blue] Can it be done?[/blue]

 

[pbunyon]

Business casual at MS is shorts, tee shirts and flip flops.
Business casual at IBM is shirts with collars, slacks, no tennis shoes. Unfortunately this does not exclude blouses? Gender equality?

Paul

 

[Stella740pl]

Business casual at IBM is shirts with collars, slacks, no tennis shoes. Unfortunately this does not exclude blouses? Gender equality?

It depends on how you define blouses.
Aren't they, in most cases, are the same shirts with collars? Or, some times, blouses can be without collars - but still they are no t-shirts. But do you really want to wear collarless blouses, in the name of equality? Somehow, I don't think so.

 

[flapeyre]

Try wearing a kilt to work. "The Hollywood saying, "There's no such thing as bad publicity" does not apply to the corporate world.

Feles mala! Cur cista non uteris? Stramentum novum in ea posui!

 

[aarenot]

personaly,
to the original posting person, which i can not scroll back to because my mouse wheel wore out scrolling through this whole post.

1 your original contract had terms.
2 terms can change
3 when terms change negotiation is in order
4 when negotaiting try to let everyone win some
5 you should get more, if you give more, including anything which increases your costs of working, including time. commute added to duties versus home. attire budget versus jammies.

suggestions,
contract was work from home, so commute time is work time, and part of the work day. meaning commute departure is equal to arival at office, and arival at home time is equal to departure from office time. that said, it is a starting position in negotiation to make this point, dont expect it, but state that is what the term of your current contract is.

document the cost of upgrading, and upkeeping your smart attire versus your casual contractual agreement.

put it in a spreadsheet, so it is business like, and make the spreadsheet look smart. then after making your starting position of negotiation clear, compromise. just get something for it, any true business person should appreciate the bottom line of the contract, and its alterations.



You do not always get what you pay for, but you never get what you do not pay for.

 

[Welshbird]

Thanks aarenor. That is almost exactly what I did, and you are correct - it gave me much leverige (sp?)

Had I gone to see my boss and just winged like a wingey-thing I doubt I would have acheived anything.

But because I had worked out the costings for my worries and also because I knew the budget restraints, I was able to explain what I would like to keep me happy, and to have calculated other things that were not monitary that would help me out. Had I not began with the finacial implications I doubt I would have got away with the other extra's I now have.

(My only real compromise was to accept the new rule that headphones will no longer be allowed, so music is out whilst at the office, but will be fine on the days I work from home. And the office move means I can buy a kitten, cos I'll be near enough to pop home for lunch until he/she is a bit bigger.)

This way my boss is still happy, and so am I!

I do appreciate all the advice I have recieved here, and I can certainly vouch for it having worked.



Fee

The question should be [red]Is it worth trying to do?[/red] not [blue] Can it be done?[/blue]

 

[aarenot]

sorry i did not get on board with my post until after you did your thing with your boss. it seems you did well with the advice you recieved here though, what a great forum community tek-tips is.


You do not always get what you pay for, but you never get what you do not pay for.