Inappropriate attire for work

[p.dath]

I work in the IT field, and travel from customer premise to customer premise quite a bit. About half the time I don't need to take any "freight" bigger than what can fit in a back pack, so I ride my motorbike.
I have a work uniform, and wear Cordura pants over the top of my dress pants, and a leather jacket over the top of my shirt (just a t-shirt at the moment as getting a bit warm in my leather jacket). My work uniform is all nicely logo'd, clean, and I think pretty presentable.

Typically when I get to a customer site I just take the cordura and jacket off, and stash them in a corner somewhere, along with the helmet and gloves.

Well blow me down, for the first time in 10 years, I had someone complain at my office that my "attire" was not suitable for their workplace. A site I've been to half a dozen times before. They implied they had a problem with the look of my motorcycle gear.

I told the client the motorcycle provides a greener alternative for using a larger vehicle like a car to transport such a small load (being me), and that the gear I wear is for my personal protection and safety.

I also told them I would not be changing my safety gear. And I'll interpret their decision by weather they call to book further jobs or not.


Really. Some people do have a personal perception issue.

[slofox]

Yerrrrr....ya get that...

[puddytat]

You'dve been O.K if you had had a tie on....those ones with the elastic.
Some people are just plain anal.

[Fatt Max]

Does happen that,

It's just people, let them get on with it matey

[DarkLord]

Part of my job as an Outbound Sales Rep involves traveling to meet clients. I always take the bike as I have no other way to get there. No one has complained about it yet, in fact some seem to prefer it.

I'm not going to get a car just to make them happy.

[Mom]

I just read the tags. I guess if you have been pinged for it you need to take some steps to ensure that you meet and exceed the clients expectation next time.

[p.dath]

I just read the tags. I guess if you have been pinged for it you need to take some steps to ensure that you meet and exceed the clients expectation next time.

If they have a perception issue about my attire then that is their personal issue. I wont return unless I am accepted as I am. I wont be changing for other people.

[cowpatz]

Why are they complaining about your attire when you say you take the jacket and Cordura off and presumably have your uniform on underneath? Cant see an issue with this in the workplace.

[CookMySock]

I also told them I would not be changing my safety gear. And I'll interpret their decision by weather they call to book further jobs or not.

Yeah I reckon mate. Good on you for standing up for yourself, and LUCKY you being in a position to be able to.

Steve

[Mom]

I wont be changing for other people.

You sound like the optician I have been a client of for the past 30 years that I gave the HUGE flick to on Monday Inflexible, set attitudes will cost you dearly, trust me on this.

Still it is only one client eh?

[YellowDog]

You sound like the optician I have been a client of for the past 30 years that I gave the HUGE flick to on Monday Inflexible, set attitudes will cost you dearly, trust me on this.

Still it is only one client eh?

He fixed your sight and you can now see how ugly he is

[JimO]

tell them to fuck off and next time they have a problem call someone else

[YellowDog]

I work in the IT field, and travel from customer premise to customer premise quite a bit. About half the time I don't need to take any "freight" bigger than what can fit in a back pack, so I ride my motorbike.
I have a work uniform, and wear Cordura pants over the top of my dress pants, and a leather jacket over the top of my shirt (just a t-shirt at the moment as getting a bit warm in my leather jacket). My work uniform is all nicely logo'd, clean, and I think pretty presentable.

Typically when I get to a customer site I just take the cordura and jacket off, and stash them in a corner somewhere, along with the helmet and gloves.

Well blow me down, for the first time in 10 years, I had someone complain at my office that my "attire" was not suitable for their workplace. A site I've been to half a dozen times before. They implied they had a problem with the look of my motorcycle gear.

I told the client the motorcycle provides a greener alternative for using a larger vehicle like a car to transport such a small load (being me), and that the gear I wear is for my personal protection and safety.

I also told them I would not be changing my safety gear. And I'll interpret their decision by weather they call to book further jobs or not.


Really. Some people do have a personal perception issue.

Honest truly, you should wear appropriate attire however I doubt that it is your attire that is the problem.

I had a similar issue a couple of years back. I was wearing a business suit and always well presented for meetings however it was the image thing and changing in and out of leathers that was the problem with one senior member only.

[vifferman]

I used to work for a fairly conservative software company. It amused the hell out of some people there when I turned up all dressed in leathers and miraculously transformed into conservatively-attired cubicle drone.

Current employer is much more casual (although head orofoce isn't) so I wear whatever I like.

Got shit from the owners on the first day in the building though, when I considerately parked in a non park (to save full-sized parks for car drivers) right outside the entrance. Now I park wherever the hell I feel like.

However (but!) the important thing to remember when you're on a client's site is you're representing your employer, not yourself, so what you think or feel doesn't matter. I always bear that in mind, regardless of personal feelings.

[Oakie]

Might have been the bike parked outside their place that they objected to. I've struck that before when dropping off my daughter at her work on the bike.