Personal apperance at work, anyone ever had any comments?

[Horney]

Hello all!

So yesterday I had a meeting with my new Boss, just a general catch up meeting about my probation objectives. Meeting all went well, hitting all my objectives and he's really happy with what I'm doing, how I'm doing it nd how I'm fitting in with the new team. However at the end of the meeting he went on to say that I need to sort out my personal appearance. He doesn't like my hair and I need to get rid of the "Chin fluff". I've had the same hair cut and facial hair since I started at the company 13 months ago and have had it in all the interviews I attended.I was more than somewhat taken aback and didn't really say much after that.

This is me today (same as I looked yesterday) in a shot I took for the company newsletter:


Mug shot of moi for work by Nicholas R Horne, on Flickr

Now in the 18 years since I started working no one has ever taken issue with the way I look. I have been in customer facing roles for over 10 years, meeting boards of directors, MP's and I've even met the queen. I got home last night and I was proper fuming. I'm actually much less scruffy in the hair/beard department than I have been for years and at times in my working like I've had a pony tale and a long goatie.

Anyone else had anything similar? How did you handle it?

He also had a go at me for being a smoker which really did my nut in. I only go out for a smoke at lunchtime!!!!! Tis make make it sound like I don't get on with him, when in fact I do. He's a nice chap, knows his stuff, is well respected in the business and has been very supportive in my first 6 weeks in the new job.

Nick

[archie837]

Sounds like he's picking for the sake of picking.

In my probation review they commented on how I was wearing a polo shirt a lot. Said polo was our team, company branded shirt provided by them to wear.

Wouldn't worry about it!

[golf-sib]

My previous boss use to moan about facial hair, I just ignored him as he never got along with any staff as a line manager, was a tool. I'd say thats clean and tidy in comparison to what some people look like.

Bit baffled by the comment, maybe his testing you to see if you will be his b!tch that he can take dogging 

[bobbarley]

Maybe he just got out of the wrong side of the bed that morning?  As you've said, he's always been ok in the past.

I used to get constantly talked to about my appearance at work.  Despite working in a back office role they had very high standards on personal appearance.  If I had a pound for every time I was told to have a shave or do my top button up, I'd be a rich man.  Most days I'd get away with it, it just seemed to be when my manager was in a bad mood, or if he had nothing better to do.  Sadly he got promoted, and the manager from hell (scouser) replaced him.  She seemed to go out of her way to pull me up on things, despite the fact I performed my job above and beyond what was expected of me.

I remember on one occasion she was monging on about my "beard" as she called it.

"Nigel, we've spoken about this before.  You are not allowed to grow facial hair on work time"
"it's ok, I only grow it when I'm at home"

If looks could kill  

Moved departments shortly after and my new manager prefers men with beards, she actively encourages us not to shave  

[jv]

Take them to HR, racists fluffists.

Alternatively, they saw you talking 911's and thought you don't look middle aged enough  

[Wazzzer]

Is it written down anywhere that you cannot have facial hair? Anyone else have beards/tashes?

Appearance is very subjective and IMO you look fine. You should see the state of me sometimes but that's the beauty of working in a factory. I get called a scruffy git most days at work and at home. If it's not 3 weeks of growth on my face its 7 weeks worth on my head

Unless it's in your contract that you must not have facial hair I wouldn't worry about it. Like achieve said maybe he couldn't think of anything else to find fault with. If it was that bad he would have pulled you up on it before now

[Jack3559]

My guess is that he's stretching his legs in the authority department and establishing his dominance.

A bit like a dog p¡ss¡ng up a lamp post.

[Horney]

I ought to add that the new role is that of account manager and I go out of the office for meetings with our customers. When I do go out I always have a wet shave of the none beard part of my face.

Normally I would have made a stand or at least a sarky/funny comment but my new Boss is also one of the company directors and I'm still in my probationary period.

I do need a bit of a haircut as it's getting a bit long and was going to get it cut on Saturday anyway but it'll still be a but spiky. As for the beard I really don't want to be completely clean shaven. I haven't been since I could grow a beard and I feel naked without it and rathe runcomfortable (probably sounds odd to none beardies!).

Nick

[clipperjay]

Sounds like Big dog pissing on your shoes to make a point Nick the fact he Nitpicked on small issues means its nothing!
I got done by wear shorts, sandles and string vest across a trading floor I lost a bet  

[Horney]

Take them to HR, racists fluffists.

Alternatively, they saw you talking 911's and thought you don't look middle aged enough  

Don't start on that. Having spoken to HR I could actually buy a 911 with the car allowance as they confirmed their is no stipulation fo rthe number of seats and that one of the guys in my team who left shortly before I joined the company had a Boxster he bought with his!

Nick