banned from going barefoot at work

Transformers

So instead of sweating in your shoes, you prefer to wipe your feet on the office carpet - nice!

There are many H&S issues around bare feet in the office - your employer has introduced this rule - that is life. You need to ask your Line Manager for honest feedback about the reason behind the ban if you feel it is unfair.

I don't get why you can't use flip flops, mules or Crocs.

I too wonder whether it is the smell that others have noticed and reported - if this is the case then you'll need to consider speaking with your GP about other treatments. In the meantime - frequent swabbing with baby wipes might help with any odour.

Savvy_Sue

Transformers wrote: »

There are many H&S issues around bare feet in the office - your employer has introduced this rule - that is life. You need to ask your Line Manager for honest feedback about the reason behind the ban if you feel it is unfair.

Indeed: when I did an external H&S training course not so long ago, there was a story of an injury which led to extensive time off, which involved an altercation between an open filing cabinet drawer and a pair of sandals or flip-flops. I don't remember the details, I think it was changing into those from a pair of shoes.

Transformers wrote: »

I don't get why you can't use flip flops, mules or Crocs.

There are some workplaces where none of these would be acceptable, but I suggested crocs as perhaps the most likely to be OK given that the original style doesn't leave the toes completely exposed and that they can be worn with a heel strap (although whether that serves any useful purpose I remain to be convinced).

However there are definitely some workplaces where anything which doesn't fully enclose the toes would not be safe, and I am always fairly horrified by flipflops at work.

Transformers wrote: »

I too wonder whether it is the smell that others have noticed and reported - if this is the case then you'll need to consider speaking with your GP about other treatments. In the meantime - frequent swabbing with baby wipes might help with any odour.

You can get deo wipes which I suspect would be more effective, as well as deodorant sprays for feet and shoes.

Gingernutty

I used to work in places where steel toecapped shoes were part of the dress code and people were barred for not wearing them.

Going barefoot, even now, would bring a lot of trouble down on my head.

Savvy_Sue

Gingernutty wrote: »

I used to work in places where steel toecapped shoes were part of the dress code and people were barred for not wearing them.

Admiring the court style shoes on that site! Although if only your toes have protection, you have to hope that heavy objects don't fall closer to your ankles, or you'll have a bit of a mess!

CalumHeath

Boss: "Why have you taken your shoes off at your desk when you know we have a policy that states this is not allowed?"
Op: "Well some people on a forum said they were it sure would be alright."

You see what I'm getting at.

vegasvisitor

If it's a large office I'm sure there are dresscode policies. Many offices allow sandals, however I'd say crocs are probably classed as not business attire, so I'd say they're possibly not acceptable.

I would think perhaps there's a reason for the request to keep shoes on, as some say maybe there's a smell, particularly as OP is aware of the feet sweating. Perhaps cotton socks and shoes would be better, bare feet against closed shoes tends to lead so some sweat.

Southend1

CalumHeath wrote: »

I'm an owner of a company and I (along with others) slip my shoes off at my desk when nobody's looking. I always have socks on.

Having said that, if I introduced a rule that said that wasn't allowed, I'd expect that rule to be followed without having to justify my decision to anyone.

Why do you/would you make decisions that you can't or won't justify? You must be an awful boss.

CalumHeath

Southend1 wrote: »

Why do you/would you make decisions that you can't or won't justify? You must be an awful boss.

Jeez I guess MUST be if an anonymous contributor on a public forum says I am.

Not really sure what you were hoping to achieve with your comment but I award you 1/10 for your attempt at trolling.

Southend1

CalumHeath wrote: »

Jeez I guess MUST be if an anonymous contributor on a public forum says I am.

Not really sure what you were hoping to achieve with your comment but I award you 1/10 for your attempt at trolling.

I was wondering what on earth would motivate someone to behave in such a silly way, but clearly you're above justifying yourself to anonymous contributors on public forums as well as to your employees.

Takeaway_Addict

Southend1 wrote: »

Why do you/would you make decisions that you can't or won't justify? You must be an awful boss.

Why do you make this terrible assumption based on one comment, I expected better from your Southend tbh.