Enforcement of Dress Code

swingaloo

I really dont understand where the problem is. You work flexi time so whatever time you get to work wait for the shower then go to the office.

It really does read that whatever suggestion is made for a solution there is always a reason that you either cant or wont take it. Maybe its more about you not liking having to be told what to wear than the logistics of showering.

Asking about the 'legal' implications gives the impression that you would be happy to force the point to get one over on the person you think has complained which in turn can only cause bad feeling in the office environment.

Not really an expectation from someone in a management position.

DandelionPatrol

swingaloo wrote: »

I really dont understand where the problem is. You work flexi time so whatever time you get to work wait for the shower then go to the office.

The problem seems to be that OP has to walk through the office to get to the shower and change, but he is not correctly attired to walk through the office until he has showered and changed.

thescouselander

DandelionPatrol wrote: »

The problem seems to be that OP has to walk through the office to get to the shower and change, but he is not correctly attired to walk through the office until he has showered and changed.

Ah, at last - someone who can actually understand the problem! Thanks!

And to take things further - probably nobody would mind someone walking to the shower if they went straight in but if the shower is occupied then what happens? They could wait outside but then they wouldn't know when the shower became free. On the other hand they could sit at their desk and crack on with a bit of work while they wait.

sangie595

thescouselander wrote: »

Ah, at last - someone who can actually understand the problem! Thanks! .

I don't think it has anything to do with whether people can understand the problem you have. Your question was what the legal position is. The legal position is that the employer can enforce any dress code they like (or any other reasonable instruction or rule) and if you do not comply with it, then you may be disciplined. If you are a manager who is also responsible for enforcing the rules, then a disciplinary could be a lot more serious, because you are disobeying rules that you are expected to enforce in others.

You could raise a grievance, but that will simply elevate the problem to a higher degree - you might win your point, but you might not; and you might not win any friends doing so. And that can affect your career. If you cannot resolve this amicably, then I think you need to consider carefully whether the harm in arguing about this is going to outweigh your concerns.

theoretica

If it sometimes takes 10-15 minutes for the shower to become free either there is somebody being glacially and inconsiderately slow in there or there are other people waiting and you aren't the only person affected. Are they forming an orderly queue outside? Nipping in before you because you are at your desk so not in the queue?

jrtfan

If it's always the same person occupying the shower when you arrive, maybe you could approach them and strike up some sort of compromise so that they take less time in there/alternate your days so that you take it in turns to grab the "early" shower?

thescouselander

sangie595 wrote: »

I don't think it has anything to do with whether people can understand the problem you have. Your question was what the legal position is. The legal position is that the employer can enforce any dress code they like (or any other reasonable instruction or rule) and if you do not comply with it, then you may be disciplined. If you are a manager who is also responsible for enforcing the rules, then a disciplinary could be a lot more serious, because you are disobeying rules that you are expected to enforce in others.

You could raise a grievance, but that will simply elevate the problem to a higher degree - you might win your point, but you might not; and you might not win any friends doing so. And that can affect your career. If you cannot resolve this amicably, then I think you need to consider carefully whether the harm in arguing about this is going to outweigh your concerns.

I don't think we're into a grievance situation here but I do think it's worth trying to overturn the decision not only because I am affected personally but because I also have obligations to look after my staff and make sure the wider aims of the organisation are met (in this case encouraging cycling as a way of getting to work). In fact, at my level, I'm actually encouraged to challenge decisions if I think they are wrong. I can come up with all sorts of reasons why a degree flexibility should be given but if there were legal considerations that would make a very strong argument and hence my question.

So, if the legal position is dependant on a request being reasonable it could be argued the rule is not reasonable given that:

1) There is no extant dress code except in the special case not wearing sports wear in this very specific location. The general standard of dress is fairly relaxed anyway.
2) The rule applies to only 40 out of several thousand employees on site
3) Regarding those in the affected area it seems that disproportionate constraints are being placed on the majority because of a complaint from one person - I'd have thought a compromise would be a better and more reasonable solution.

alibean121

thescouselander wrote: »

I don't think we're into a grievance situation here but I do think it's worth trying to overturn the decision not only because I am affected personally but because I also have obligations to look after my staff and make sure the wider aims of the organisation are met (in this case encouraging cycling as a way of getting to work). In fact, at my level, I'm actually encouraged to challenge decisions if I think they are wrong. I can come up with all sorts of reasons why a degree flexibility should be given but if there were legal considerations that would make a very strong argument and hence my question.

So, if the legal position is dependant on a request being reasonable it could be argued the rule is not reasonable given that:

1) There is no extant dress code except in the special case not wearing sports wear in this very specific location. The general standard of dress is fairly relaxed anyway.
2) The rule applies to only 40 out of several thousand employees on site
3) Regarding those in the affected area it seems that disproportionate constraints are being placed on the majority because of a complaint from one person - I'd have thought a compromise would be a better and more reasonable solution.

Have you paid any attention to what's been said? Your "legal" position is zero. Take your last point on board and have a reasonable discussion with your manager?

Your shower arrangements are bog standard for an office. We have one shower on each floor and if I'd run in and wanted to shower, I'd just wait until it was free. I might pick a desk/go to my locker and dump my bag etc but there would be raised eyebrows if i sat down in my gym kit and got my computer out. Why not just wait near the shower and stop making a mountain out of a molehill?

skintpaul

turn up earlier? book a shower time?

MacMickster

thescouselander wrote: »

Ah, at last - someone who can actually understand the problem! Thanks!

And to take things further - probably nobody would mind someone walking to the shower if they went straight in but if the shower is occupied then what happens? They could wait outside but then they wouldn't know when the shower became free. On the other hand they could sit at their desk and crack on with a bit of work while they wait.

No. Don't crack on with some work until you are actually ready (in all senses) to start work.

You can either:

Stand outside of the shower and wait your turn. Cycle to work much slower in your work clothes with the aid of a bicycle clip on your trouser leg. Get the bus to work. Get a lift from a colleague who brings a car to work.

I am intrigued to know which large employer with several thousand people on a single site would find it acceptable for ANY employee to start work in a desk job wearing sports clothing. It sounds as if one senior manager is trying to introduce much-needed professional standards to that employer.