Mental Health Thread #5 - It's a New Year!

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txls said:
New employee comes to work wearing blue jeans and says "I wasn't sure if it's okay to wear blue jeans."
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If you aren't sure, it seems to me that it's better to err on the side of caution and wear business-type attire, but I guess not everybody's brain works that way!

Speaking of dress codes, most businesses around here have business casual dress codes but I've been observing lately that there are some people who still manage to look too casual, even if they are wearing clothes that fall within the rules. There are a few women who wear basic slacks and blouses but always look so rumpled or unkempt, they may as well be wearing sweats or pajamas. If you mention it to them, they protest that their clothes fall within the guidelines, and it's hard to have to tell them that it's not the clothes per se, it's how they are wearing them and their general grooming. I've always been surprised at the fact that you might have to mention to a 40-year-old woman that it's a good idea to at least make a pass at their head with a hairbrush in the morning before coming to work.
 
It's not the first time I've had someone NOT err on the side of caution. And we do allow blue jeans on Friday if they are really nice jeans. And I asked her if she had received a copy of the dress code. Oh yeah I have it.
If it were me I would feel so out of place for the rest of the day if I wore jeans then found out they were not allowed. Eek.

And yes there are things that technically pass the dress code that don't look so good. Our code does address things that are excessively wrinkled, baggy etc. I can't even imagine leaving the house without brushing my hair.
 
I've run into that as well. I am not surprised when it is a young person in their first job but it is astonishing when it is someone who should be a seasoned professional. I think I still qualify as one of the younger posters around here (though maybe not any longer) and even when I started my career, the expectation for business dress was much more rigid than it is now. When I worked for the school system I was always amazed by the first day for new faculty members. Most of them looked like they just rolled out of bed or were headed to the gym. We finally got them to "dress up" (meaning lose the sweatpants and actually comb their hair) by telling them we were taking their pictures (for their IDs) and that they needed to be in professional attitre.
 
I've found that in banking, many younger people are aware that banks tend to have stricter dress codes so a lot of them will actually make an effort to look professional when they go to work in a bank. We have younger men working for us who wear neckties to work every day when the men in upper management haven't worn them in years!

The ones I'm appalled at are women who are 40 or 50+ and have been in the workforce for many years who look either overly casual or just downright sloppy. C'mon, nobody's telling you that you have to wear a skirt suit, pantyhose, and heels like we did every day back in the 80's, just a pair of decent dress slacks and a top that fits and doesn't look like you picked it up out of the laundry hamper would be fine!
 
Years ago before we allowed jeans I had someone fairly new who wore jeans. I pulled her aside and in a private convesation and told her they weren't allowed. The next day someone who had been here for quite some time and new perfectly well that jeans weren't allowed came in wearing jeans. Of course her explanation was that so and so wore jeans yesterday. Stupid.
 
I woke up this morning (which was good :) ) but then I realized it was still winter (which was not good :( ).
 
We reached 60 Sunday - high today (Mon.) & tomorrow (Tues.) will be single digits - then "some" warmer.
 
Ouch. And that's BEFORE wind chill is factored in?

I'll take my 13 degrees, I guess.
 
Yeah I don't want to compete with that. 18 degrees is cold enough for what little bit of time I have to spend outdoors. I was wondering this morning how all the new oil field workers are enjoying their jobs now.
 
cbg said:
I don't want to be mean, and I feel the need to be slightly cryptic, but do those of you who post on other boards with me share my concern about the level of SPHR candidacy that is being presented in places?
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I know I am late to this party, but I seem to remember that poster stating they don't actually work in HR/payroll, but are a line manager (?) and is trying to gain perspective/knowledge etc. about the field. That said, I do wonder how they passed the PHR (or can you skip it and go directly to the SPHR? And don't you have to have direct HR experience to even take the test? It's been a while since I looked at doing it) I could have them mixed up with someone else though.

I actually don't mind answering because it does keep me fresher and allows me to research questions I haven't thought of yet. But I love solving puzzles.
 
I went back and looked on mid-2012, the OP states they have assumed a "larger role" at their employer. It seems like this poster had moved up with little to no education/knowledge and has little support outside that board. It seems like they are a go getter wanting to learn, which is something I do applaud. But it does scare me on how little training/background they have outside their employer/that board.
 
In theory at any rate, one must work in an exempt position in HR for at least 2 years to qualify for the PHR. To be honest, I am not sure how vigorously that is enforced. One can take the test without the experience but technically doesn't qualify as a PHR.
 
You used to be able to skip the PHR and go straight to the SPHR, with the requisite experience. I did, but then I've been in HR and Benefits since...well, let's just say a very long time. I think the rules have changed since then, though. I was going to recommend to this poster that she do the PHR first, but then she told me she already had it....?
 
The poster noted once that she got her PHR many years ago.
 
Motivation and ability to focus are totally shot today. Only 2 of us in the office today as well. Gonna be an interesting day.
 
I've been in meetings for the last 2.5 days. It's amazing how exhausted I am after sitting in meetings all day long. I sit on my fanny most of the day anyhow, working at my desk, but somehow all-day meetings just leave me completely drained.
 
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