
Do you think all workplaces should allow unnatural hair colors?


You're free to 'express yourself' by dyeing your hair any color you want.
And companies are free to express their desire for professionalism by not hiring someone with green hair, or by disciplining those who can't follow the simple dress code rules.
Don't like it? Get a job that doesn't care. I can have whatever tats I want, my hair whatever color I want, and (most) piercings are OK, as long as they don't create a safety issue (getting caught on things). But unlike office dwelling cubicle gophers, we actually WORK. I spent 7 hours on a bridge last night, about 600 feet above the ground, with wind gusting up to 45 miles per hour. If I'd fallen, the only question would be are the rocks going to kill me, or am I going to die in an ice cold river? Granted, I get paid well, with good benefits, and the job isn't truly dangerous just unforgiving, but some people need to be safe and warm and comfortable, pushing papers for mediocre pay. Well, again, "People face tradeoffs". And the tradeoff for sitting on one's ass in a climate-controlled building is having to abide by 'codes' for professionalism.
No. They should be allowed to make any rule they want. If they want to only allow brown and green hair that's exactly 5 cm long, they should be allowed to do that. It might be a stupid business decision, but it's their decision to make.
The employees have a choice in which companies they work for. And the companies have a choice in which employees they hire.
I know we're talking about hair, but along the same line of thinking, I have this anecdote:
I was wearing some classic Tripp pants at work one day, because it was near Halloween. I'm standing behind the counter to where you can only see me from the waist up. This lady is chattering at me about all these "messed up kids" with their crazy hair, tattoos, piercings, and their pants with "all those buckles and straps", and how these kids are all so rude and disrespectful and ruining our city.
I just keep politely smiling and nodding and saying "Yes ma'am."
I finish boxing her order, and step out from behind the counter to carry it to her car, she didn't even ask me to, and then she sees my pants. "Oh. But you're such a nice girl."
"Yes ma'am, and my pants don't change that." Most of the people I meet are shocked to find out that I have a tattoo, it's just usually covered by my plain, undyed, brown hair.
Yes. Not just because I love coloring my hair and it isn't allowed in my office right now. For me it's like having a tattoo: it changes your appearance but it doesn't change how professional or competent you can be. My office allows tattoos—they don't discriminate against tattooed people. But once someone colors their hair an unnatural color (say purple) they have a couple weeks to dye it back to a more natural shade (which does not include red, by the way, because we're Asian and there aren't any naturally red-headed Asians, I'm assuming?)
Yess! I don't see what the big deal is about piercings, tattoos, and hair colours. I mean, I'm very conservative when it comes to my appearance, but I love the way it looks on other people and I love their willingness to switch things up. I've never looked at someone with pink hair and thought "gee how unprofessional" because I don't think it is. I don't see how someone's personal style interferes with how well they do their job. It seems to me like it's only the older generations who seem to care.
Who is stereotypical enough to say that people who dye their hair unnatural colours are hard working?
I've never heard so much crap in all my life. Its like saying people with tattoos are thugs.
I think it should be allowed, after all who are we to tell people what they can and can't do. Or how to live their lived.
Thanks for mho
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None of this have anything to do with nature. It's about profits. Unfortunately unnaturally colored hair is currently seen as unprofessional. Most people would hire a lawyer with a plain haircut in a suit before hiring a lawyer who looked like Dennis Rodman. Why? for the same reason I'd hire Dennis Rodman for a comedy show before I'd hire a guy in a suit. Alex Baldwin bases his whole career after this dichotomy. We associate certain looks and behavior with certain activities. Because that's just the way human beings work. Simply put green hair doesn't say look at me I'm serious efficient and conscientious. It says I'm fun creative and expressive. Not every business wants to put out that image. Because people naturally don't go to Taco Bell for gourmet food. It's branding and the companies that adhere to it will always be more successful. That don't do it to restrict your freedom of expression they do it to reduce the amount of dissonance a customer would experience upon entering your store. It has nothing to do with the worker and everything to do with the customer. That's why tattoo shops hire people with a lot of tattoos. Salons hire people with well maintained hair. And the most successful dentists offices hire people with beautiful smiles. It's branding not purposeful oppression.
It depends on the job position. If I were to hire someone to work in the warehouse they could come to work with purple hair for all I care. However, if they are in direct contact with potential customers I will expect them to follow a professional dress code. Things like facial piercing, exposed tattoos other than on the arms, unnatural hair color, etc will not only chase off potential customers, it will cost me money in lost profits.
If you want to have unnatural hair color make sure it fits with where you are employed.
It really depends on the job.
Many jobs that are customer-facing don't allow this, and have strict dress codes and other restrictions that apply to anyone in those positions. And large corporations generally won't promote people with non-mainstream appearance to management or executive positions (nor to customer-facing positions) - though they may allow them to work in "behind the scenes" positions such as programmers, engineers, etc. as long as they don't have direct customer or public interactions.
Obviously, if you work in a bar or a tattoo parlor or teen-oriented retail store, you're good to go.
It shouldn't be any surprise that some companies, by their very nature and market position, are very conservative, while others are much more liberal. When you choose to alter your appearance, you do so knowing that you may be limiting your choices - in fact, that's often the POINT of making those changes.
It depends by what you mean by ''Unnatural'', If say, They were a brunette and died their hair blonde, Sure. (Or another realistic pigment)
But, If you mean, Say, Dying it red, or blue, Or green, Then no... It looks unprofessional, If i was in charge of employment i wouldn't employ someone with lime neon green hair. It looks bad to customers.
We can sport the ''Express ourselves'' card all we want but at the end of the day if your staff look ridiculous the image of the business looks ridiculous
1. You absolutely have the right to express yourself with different hair colors.
2. You have the right to cover your body in tattoos if you desire.
3. Many people in the world will have the belief that you are some kind of nut if you have blue hair or an arm full of tattoos.
4. Employers want to make a good impression on all of their customers/clients, including the one who don't like tattoos or blue hair.
5. In the US, an employer cannot discriminate in hiring based on race, religion, national origin, age, but they have the right to discriminate in hiring based on other factors which would affect your usefulness to their business.
Bottom line: express yourself however you want but there are always consequences for the choices you make.
no thats not how it works. there is plenty u are allowed and can COVER or hide. they have chalk and coolaid and shit u can put in for the night.
there are places that u DONT get to show ur identity. i won't waste my breath on u as u clearly dont understand. and these are jobs u clearly dont apply for nor clear for probably. but there are good reasons. why people try to fight things that are stupid is stupid. keep wasting ur time and energy on stupid efforts while there are real issues in this world that need attention... first world issues...
No way. Not all. Might be fine for some, but not all.
As a general contractor, many of my clients would not appreciate (or feel safe quite frankly) if some dude showed up with green hair or a face full of hardware to work unsupervised in their homes.
Now this doesn't mean green hair bothers me personally (wierd but doesn't 'bother' me per se), but it would most definitely have a negative effect on my business. Particularly with the more convervative homeowners I contract for.
And I'm in the renovation business... not the business of re-aligning my clients' personal preferences and/or values.
Now, if someone's hair was green because of some physical ailment outside their own control and I didn't want them working for me, that's COMPLETELY different. It's discrimination.
Two VERY different situations.
Nope. If you're working back of house, that's one thing. If you're working a position that involves customer/client interaction, it's perfectly reasonable that they are expected to maintain a professional image--limits on piercings and jewelry, hairstyle limits to more conservative, professional styles, and normal colors.
For instance, short hair, professional dress, and short/maintained facial hair can look plenty professional.
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Buuuutt you throw in piercings and hair dyes and crap... it rather deviates away.
Yes. Its 2016 and not everyone wants to look and dress like everyone else. Honestly I would be more comfortable with employees with unnatural hair colors, tattoos and piercings showing because it tells me they are not as uptight and seem more unique and easy to talk to. As someone who dresses and looks different I love having an employee of stores who dresses and/or looks similar to me fashion wise because I think they are easier to talk to compared to someone dressed too nice and with "perfect" hair. You can sense when you are being judged because you are not a "preppy" clone lol trust me!
I usually like it, it can be sexy, and I love people with interesting personalities and aren't afraid to show it, but it's their company, they should be able to set the dress/appearance code. Right or wrong some clientele may not patronize them if they have off the wall hair colored employees, your self expression shouldn't cost your employer money. You wouldn't buy a Rolex or Rolls Royce from a dealer who wore a bathrobe in to the office, or looked in other ways unprofessional right? The employer has the right to decide how the employees will present themselves while on the clock, and you have the right to work elsewhere if your desire for self expression out shines your desire for that job.
No, if they require you to have a professional appearance then abide by it. It's their business and you're a representation of that business. You can look like however you want to look like when you're outside of work, but once you enter that building it's not about you anymore. You become the face of the company and the company doesn't want to look unprofessional.
When you work at a store you are not there to express yourself. You are there to promote a brand. So if your personal style is contrary to the brand you sell then you should not be working there. Example someone tatted with gauges and multicolored hair isn't a great fit for Henri Bendel or an upscale restaurant.
I think that it depends upon the role in which the person would be employed.
If that role is to interface with the public (reception, sales, that sort of thing) then weird hair and piercings are a big no. That would not be the sort of image that any company would want to project to customers.
If the person would be packing boxes in the back room, then it should not matter what they did to their hair.
Although I look upon that sort of hair and piercings as a freak show, I am also thankful to the person for providing an outward warning sign that they are not the sort of person in whom I would be interested as a potential partner. It is a bit like putting a lighthouse on a reef.
Depends on the image the company wants to maintain, which is especially important if there is client face-to-face work expected of the employee's role. Even if no-one finds unnaturally coloured hair offensive, it can change the perception of a company's professional image.
Absolutely self-expression is important and it is that self-expression that helps people's personalities come across. Different hair colors and all kinds of makeup and fashion are all expressions of oneself is nothing to be ashamed of it is something to be cherished. People can still look beautiful, sexy, handsome, smart, professional no matter their hair color or the kind of make up the use or the color of her lipstick. And by people I mean both sexes male and female.
I don't know why people are so against it. I know it use to just the punk and metal heads that use to dye their hair funky colors. But today it's different. It's just a person trying to be who they want to be. If people can bleach their hair blonde then other people should be able to dye their hair pink. None of its natural. I'm glad to see that a good amount of people agree. But not enough unfortunately.
Hmm, I guess. Someone's hair colour doesn't stop them doing their job, after all. I was nervous about going in for my job interview when I still had the ends of my hair dip dyed pink but apparently they thought it was great - the job was for extra tutoring in schools and they've put me with the younger kids like 8 - 10, and they think that my hair would be awesome for working with them :P
I don't think the government should stick their hand into what's allowed and what's not allowed in a private business.
Tho personally I don't see any issue with "unnatural hair colours".
As long as the employee does the job up to standard , then it's not biggie isn't it?
He/she could wear a penguin suit for all I care. Actually that'll be pretty dope.
No i dont think so. Different companies have different needs and expectations for their customers. That being said, i work in an industry and a company that is very open and diverse, our talent pool would be greatly harmed by having such an arbitrary rule.
Yes and then no. It depends on the type of job. Peolle who have jobs in clubs, bar and maybe even more casual relaxed restaurants can get away with wearing different color hair. I dont see why people dont stick with colors that are natural looking. Also, it can bring unnecessary attention to yourself in piblic which can be annoying.
Employees should properly do their job and treat people with respect. Unnatural haircolors should not prevent people from doing that. I have no issues with hair colour but some tools of "self expression" could be a problem in some jobs (e. g. piercings). Some jobs require uniforms, safety equipment, hygiene protocols, etc. Those things are more important than self expression.
I think that hair is amazing but no i dont think all work places should be made to allow hair like that for one the employer will decide if they want hair like that at the discretion anyway unless you give them a quota for hair styles like that.
In effect what you would do is make the hiring process more complex.
Personally if i was a company owner I'd be willing to hire someone like that in a role working with colleges but much less likely to hire them facing customers it would have to be the sort of customers where not such a professional feel was needed like a summer camp that seems unlikely or they would have to make up for it buy being really good value for what else they had to offer.
I actually knew a girl now working in research who has hair as colorful as that.
they have to run a business and do what's best for their business. if they feel like certain hair colors, tattoos, piercings, dress can negative effect their business than they absolutely should have the right to make a rule against it
It's not really feasible for all jobs-ex) in the army. However, for a job like barista, online tech help, cashier, amusement park ride operator, go for it :) go wild and crazy. Also, for something like a judge, I'm not quite open minded on bright green hair. I can see how some people might not like that, I know colorful hair doesn't determine intelligence or ability to do work, however, some jobs require a serious demeanor, and I don't think neon hair is conducive to that.
I've had unnatural hair colour for the last 7 years and I don't see why certain businesses don't allow it.
I'm glad to say my career field wants their educators to be expressive.
I remember when I was 16 and this retail place gave me a position but they said I could start until I got a natural hair colour. I didn't end up working there.
Having purple blue hair has become a part of me and I don't think I'll ever change.
Be valuable and super skilled at you job and your boss will be more acceptable to what you do lol. Mine is when I started breaking uniform or hair rules.
But yes I do think it should be more acceptable, in a retail environment but not exactly in a major office setting.
No. The same way how you have the right to express yourself through your hair color, employers have the right to choose how they run their businesses. Although I don't see a problem with it I do think it would be a problem to force employers to accept it.
Depends on the job. If they want to project a particular image, then unnatural haircolor may not fit that image. If it's just office work and it's not a secretary, then I say no big deal. But if you're a face to the company eh. They're justified in not wanting that. Appearances matter for business.
Definitely nope. There are some workplaces where it's absolutely inappropriate. Banks, hospitals, policemen, fly attendants, etc, etc. And yes, if you are not able stop your self expression needs on your workplace, it means you are not professional at all. And wearing too much make-up, in some workplaces are not allowed as well.
Easy fix is just get a genetic mod when they are available eventually so the hair grows out pink/blue/rainbow/etc. Then you can argue that it IS natural since no dyes are used. Until then simply stay at home and collect welfare, it's not as bad as it sounds when you know how to milk the system.
"Self expression is important!"
To the individual, yes. Your emplyoer doesn't give a single shit about your self-exresspion though. And they don't need to. They need to give shits to be profitable. And if they think unnatural haircolours are unbeneficial to that, they disallow that.
It depends on the industry and what the common norms are. I personally wouldn't hire someone with unnatural hair color, or excessive tattoos/piercings for face-to-face customer interactions, but likely would for behind the scenes support services. I have a fairly conservative customer base and I will not risk the profitability of my company and its reputation because someone felt their freedom of expression extended to my customers' offices. It doesn't.
I will be forming my own company like a music label or a film company someday. I will allow my employees to have unnatural hair colors, tattoos, piercings, and they do not need to wear a suit. Why, because I'm not an asshole that judge other people. To me, it's all about doing your job and have a positive attitude at the same time.
You do realize you are talking about forming companies where such types of expression are more the norm, right? It's not about the company owner judging. It's about the company's customers judging. And they are the ones who provide the company with its revenue stream. If you damage the company's reputation, you've damaged the company profitability. Then you run the risk of no one having job there.
@VirginiaBeachBum It's 2016, tons of companies are more relax and ready do not care. Plus look at the music industry and the film industry, many people have tattoos, unnatural hair color, etc. I'm sorry that you're still old fashioned and conservative. This is the same time period that you grew up in.
*Not the same time period
@LoveHorses, I don't think you understand the way the business world works. If you alienate your customers by sending out people who they don't feel comfortable being in their office in full view of THEIR customers, can you blame them for calling me and saying, "If you send someone out who looks like that again, I'll never do business with you again." I'll NEVER put my company at risk of loss of business because someone feels entitled to force their looks on MY customers and my customers' customers. This isn't about how I feel about it. It isn't about the time period in which I grew up. It's ALL about my customers, the people I have to make happy in order to make a profit. I would, however, consider such alternative looks and styles for positions where they do not have to visit my customers' offices. Do you not understand that? If not, and you someday own a business that deals with conservative customers, you'll learn very quickly or your business will fail.
@VirginiaBeachBum The music industry and the film industry are more liberal and modern. Not sure what kind of business you work in. It also seems like you have customers that like judge people. They need to learn not judge a book by it's cover.
I am an IT/business consultant. My customers pay my bills. It is not my place to tell them who they should let in their offices. To do so would be the death of my business, which I have operated since 1984. There is no way in hell I'll risk my business because someone wants to show off their multi-colored hair in my customers' offices. And for reference, my daughter works in cosmetology and her specialty is dying clients' hair as shown above. Her business caters to that look, and I fully support her. My business does does not cater to that look. It's that simple. And again I remind you, it's not only my customers who would see hair like that, it's my customers' customers. How far down the line do you expect me to tell people to accept what they don't see as a professional look? They have the right to their opinions, too, and I must respect that. Go back and re-read my replies here and you'll see there are circumstances where I WOULD hire someone with dyed hair.
@VirginiaBeachBum Hey, we're just in different kinds of business. One is more traditional while the other one is more modern and open minded. Trust me, I do not know a lot about the IT world. Maybe my style would not work in a traditional conservative kind of business like IT, but I see it can work in the entertainment industry.
That's what I tried to tell you. :-)
"You do realize you are talking about forming companies where such types of expression are more the norm, right?"
@VirginiaBeachBum Than that's my fault and made a fool of myself, but I do wish people stop judge people of how someone look.
Yes but if you are distracted from your work because of a couple of hair colors, than you are the issue not the hair colors. Haha.
No. Not all places should. Certain places it's okay but some people get a little too carried away. I'm all about people expressing their individuality, but there comes a time when it's just not okay in some lines of work.
depends on the place. my employer won't even hire if you can't hide tattoos. no visible tattoos. they wouldn't mind a cute streak or extreme highlights, but I don't think they're going for like in the pic
In some settings, it's a distraction and in some work environments it's not a very professional looking. If I'm about to sign over a deal for a million dollars, I'm not too inclined to take the other person seriously if reach out their hand to shake and they've got some blue-streaked purple hair mess on their head or some other shit. Just sayin'. Appearances DO matter, despite what we wanna believe.
Depends on the job. You won't see any rainbow hair in the military or law enforcement. A simple breakdown could be if you wear a uniform or not. If you wear the company's clothes, you need to meet their standards.
Try working at a Hollister or Ambercrombie store. They have a book with various guys and girls of various races wearing the respective company products. I was told by an employee that your style had to match he book, or you faced termination.
I think it should be at their discretion. Depending on the business they may have a certain image they want to portray. Most workplaces have scaled back a fair bit but I can appreciate those that don't want to
This is pretty much common sense if you think about it, but -- If you meet someone who works in a field that's judgmental about appearances, and she/he DOESN'T look "typical" for that field, then she/he is probably a superstar.
For instance -- The guy who manages our family's money has long hair and a rock'n'roll look, and wears jeans and cowboy boots.
Private equity is a field where MOST men wear suits and conservative short haircuts... so, when I met this guy, I thought to myself, "He must be *damn* good to overcome that kind of prejudice."
And... he is. Dude has beaten the market every year for the past decade.
Once you get to that point, I imagine, keeping an unconventional look is probably a nice way to filter out clients who are mainly interested in appearances, and to keep the ones who are truly interested in you for what you do best.
@redeyemindtricks very true, but I think those would be few and far between.
My work does a fair bit of business with the Saudis and UAE and not a chance in hell would they have given us a second look if we had shown up for our bid in alternative attire no matter how good we are.
You'd definitely have to have reached god like status in your field and grown your reputation
Yeah. All true. The guy is REALLY good.
Appearances are more formalized in the gulf countries -- to the point where people who are broke will go into even further debt to *appear* rich, because that's the only way they'll be taken seriously in business or diplomacy -- so, yah, obviously different when it comes to the UAE/Saudi. I've actually done some business with Emirati, Bahraini and Kuwaiti clients, so, yeah, def on point with that.
Yeah, how about you make the rules for your business and if you don't like mine no one is forcing you to work here,
Besides, coloring your hair some unnatural color is just advertising the following:
"I'm a moron and you shouldn't trust I have clue in the world as I made this decision even though it will affect my livelihood. Please take your business elsewhere as I make poor decisions."
I think it should be allowed, however I understand the reasoning behind not allowing vibrant colors, especially in the service industry. Because some customers will react poorly to colored hair and the company could lose business.
No, I don't think "all" workplaces should allow unnatural hair color. I think this world has more then enough governance to go around. Companies by and large should be able to enforce what ever rules they see fit- within reason.
I agree in the sense that there is nothing wrong with having an unnatural hair color. But in the business world, a [private business] employer has every right to give or deny a job to someone on any basis they want.
Not at all. Private companies should have the right to set dress codes and such fir their places of business. Only racism, sexism and such shouldn't be allowed.
Conservatism is always illogical.
Why not? Does your hair colour lower your work productivity? No. Then why shouldn't you be allowed to go to work with an unnatural hair colour?
It depends on the company you work for. A company that deals a lot with the public is going to be portraying an image and people do judge people by looks. Plus as you get older it gets a little immature.
Yes. What does hair color matter and why are some more professional than others? Who decides these things?
Customers. That's who.
@VirginiaBeachBum customer opinions vary not only by generation but region as well. If we are going by that metric then eventually it will be more socially acceptable.
i personally think Yes, it encourage creativity. Appearance can be deceiving you know, not all good, well dressed people are good in their work
Yes and no. I think it should be allowed in most places. However, you will occasionally find a career where the unnatural hair color can cause some issue. (Coming from a girl with purple hair)
I think it should be allowed in 'almost' all workplaces, but not all. Since it can sometimes be distracting if the job they're doing is dangerous or something like that. We don't want people to get hurt!
No. There are workplaces that rely on people being approachable by the customers. And customers tend to not want to approach someone who looks like an alien.
I think that we should kick out all of the conservative religious freaks that still thinks it's the 19th century. Honestly, why it matter if someone has unnatural hair colors?
Yes! It isn't bothering anyone I don't know why unnatural hair color is frowned upon.
it's XXI century people! Tattoos aren't just for the tribal people or inmates anymore. And unnatural hair colours aren't that uncommon. I agree with you!
If my doctor came in looking like that. Thank you very much, I'll be leaving now, but have a nice day.
Makeup that does not look natural is not allowed. Makeup is supposed to look natural and help look clean and put together.
Exactly what I want to see... my surgeon coming out in a neon green mohawk. Fuck no.
Haha last year I went to the ER and one of the doctors had tattoos all over the place including his neck, a green mohawk and huge Ear gauges... I was glad I had the other doctor lol
@ElissaDido Exactly.
One of the times that I gave platelets one of the nurses (not phlebotomists) had a neck tattoo. Glad I didn't get him.
I think that the company should decide if they want people of unnatural hair colours or not.
Usually people who have unnatural hair colors are a bit crazy, or weird, or just not normal. So I don't support it, no. And its hard to take somebody seriously if he/she looks like he/she came out of a japanese cartoon
Not all workplaces, no, but I think a lot of them should.
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