Article Contributed on: 9/17/2009 9:40:22 PM
Last week we received a memo from senior management complimenting us all on exceeding our goals and satisfying our customers in the midst of a difficult market. We were pleased that someone noticed, truly.
AND we were rewarded...
For improving quality while increasing volume we all earned the privilege to dress casually (including jeans) until the end of the month!
Casual day all month long!
Funny thing about it, we are all pumped. We needn't polish our shoes or press our shirts. No one is going to comment about anyone wearing capris or sandals. Sweatshirts, no socks...all good. Relax.
Also, since we all work in the open except for an upholstered cardboard wall between us, we have been complimented on how well we maintain the quiet. Have a problem with your neighbor's loud conversations? Just put in your earbuds and listen to your tunes. Need to talk with the person sitting next to you? Send them a same time on the computer, that way you'll not distract anyone. Just don't make any noise, certainly don't congregate.
How far we've come from the days when office professionals dressed like office professionals. When adhering to a dress code was one quarter of your compliance review. When we each had a reasonably private workspace, perchance an office with a door to shut out the noise, or in which to hold a face to face conversation. A time when even those of us well behind the scenes at a bank were held to a high standard of personal appearance and comportment.
And more... we once received
cash rewards for exemplary performance. Cash, moolah, greenbacks for exceeding goals, meeting quotas, working well as a team. We never would have believed that wearing slouchy clothing would be a driving force in our career.
Oh...I know... things were different in the olden days... we even thought we could retire one day... sighhh