Comments on: Was relaxing dress code a morale booster or just a bad idea?

By: R. B.

R. B. — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 16:55:59 +0000

We dress up for Halloween (on a voluntary basis…not required) and when we have our annual Chili Cook-off, the competing teams decorate their booth and dress up to support their theme. I think things like this are healthy, fun and help employees to feel good about their place of employment. Now if someone dressed in a way that was provocative or totally inappropriate in some way (explicit or derogatory t-shirt, bra exposed, etc.), we would have to step in. Otherwise, as long as the safety standards aren’t being violated, it’s great fun.

I think to some extent the dress code has to be realistic for the position. We wouldn’t require a machinist to adhere to our business casual dress code. We do require they wear clean jeans (or knee-length shorts in the summer) that aren’t exposing underwear or skin. And machinists can’t wear jewelry because of the safety hazard while long hair must be tied back, but we don’t have that same requirement for those who don’t work around heavy machinery / equipment. Sounds like the position wasn’t really taken into consideration here initially. If a little common sense had been applied to begin with, it wouldn’t have become such a huge issue. I’m glad they let him wear his hats when all was said and done because I do think they would be a good way to get driver’s attention and to connect with the kids. We could use a few more imaginative, lighthearted and creative people like this gentleman. Keep us from taking ourselves so darn seriously all the time!

By: Lori

Lori — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 20:48:24 +0000

Most crossing guards are voluntary. If he is a volunteer, where do they even think they have the right to tell him what to wear? He is doing a service AND having fun! People in charge need to loosen up just a little.

By: Ed

Ed — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 20:44:37 +0000

I was going to agree with you – and still sort of do.

However, a thought just ocured to me regarding the need for crossing guards to be respected by both the children and drivers. Nice line for them to walk. The decay of respect that parents have for teachers and other authority figures is seen by and therefore learned by children.

As long as the level of respect is maintained I say let crossing guards where anything that is respectable and not offnesive (to more than two people.)

By: Starinin

Starinin — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 20:17:38 +0000

It seems every time I see alot of people happy or smiling I see atleast a couple of people determined to destroy it. It does take alot of concentration to watch out for children on the street and TALK ON THE CELL PHONE!!! I think drawing attention to himself is a very smart and caring thing to do. They should put “Cat in the Hat” hats on all crossing guards.

By: Ed

Ed — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 12:25:40 +0000

No problem – there are too many posts on many of these.

By: HR Coordinator

HR Coordinator — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 12:21:51 +0000

Sorry Ed, I went back and read all of your comments (sometimes there’s to many comments on these things to read all) :>

By: Michelle

Michelle — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 22:43:11 +0000

We have a female crossing guard that I drive by each day – same thing – big funny hats, Mickey Mouse Gloves – and around Halloween – full on costumes. She waves to all the drivers & has a consistent positive attitude.

By: Ed

Ed — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 19:38:56 +0000

HR Coordinator –

Read all of my comments and see that I am calm. I was responding to a post that there should be no entity making any judgement, nor imposing any type of dress code or policy regarding this person.

By: HR Coordinator

HR Coordinator — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 19:04:47 +0000

Wow Ed, calm down! I’m sure the gentlemen knew he was working around small children and would know better than to wear a hat that has “boobs” on it. It seems to me that we have to correct most of the younger kids, fresh out of high school to not wear these kind of disrespectful items. You know…the low hanging jeans with holes in them or the girls with the VERY low cut shirts or high skirts.
And who it to say that his hats were not professional in his job, he was working with small children and they were goofy, silly hats that made the kids happy. Even us adults tend to have a smile creep across our face when we see an adult acting or wearing sometime goofy like that…sometimes it’s good to be a kid again…clean cut kid, but a kid again.

By: Justhere

Justhere — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 21:46:39 +0000

I had a female HR manager who thought she was a diva and took business casual and jeans Friday to a new level. She would come to work with very low-cut blouses, skirts so short she could’nt pick up anything dropped, and very tight jeans on Fridays. The male employees would think of every excuse imaginable to come to her office. Do you really think other employees followed the company’s dress code?