Work ethics describe a person’s personality and attitude toward their job. Looks don’t matter, instead your hard work matters in the office. Being presentable is important doesn’t matter if you are black or white or if your hair is of any colour. However in this story a woman faces an issue though she has taken a decision but she needs an assurance. Read the story and guide her.
Source: Reddit
I’m 30 and suddenly last summer my hair started to turn white very rapidly. I have long black hair and it’s very noticeable. It’s like in the span of two months a third of my hair suddenly turned white. It does not bother me in the slightest and I never wanted to cover it with dye because I actually like it.
My boss is one of those people who inherited a company and only shows up at our workplace a few times a year (usually to take Instagram pics to show off and post “inspiring” BS about being “self-made”) so I had not seen him since early 2021. The two other times he was in the offices we didn’t coincide so Tuesday was the first time he saw me in about a year.
Without even saying hello he asked “what’s wrong with your hair?”. I told him that since last summer my hair had started turning grey. He said this is a workplace and I have to “maintain my hygiene” and “make an effort to look professional” because I’m representing “his brand”. I work in an office space with 14 other people and I only interact with clients over the phone.
I do maintain my hygiene, my hair is clean and well kept and my grey hair doesn’t represent his brand for sh** because not one of our clients has ever seen my face and I seriously doubt they’d care I have grey hair.
So this morning I arrive at work and HR, who is the owner’s brother in law and has that title just to collect a paycheck but does Jack sh**, asks me why I haven’t coloured my hair yet after my talk with the boss. I told him you can’t be serious right? And tried to explain how grey hair has nothing to do with hygiene or being professional.
He said he gets it but his BIL told me to fix it because he wants me to “be my best self” and if I don’t comply he’s gonna have to discipline me for insubordination. Is that even a thing? What for? For refusing to use chemical products to alter my physical image to please my boss’ male gaze?
So I’m thinking there’s never been a better moment to quit. I have enough money saved to allow myself to stop working for a few months until I get a new job. My job is in demand and I won’t have any problem finding a new one.
I’ve been at work since 9 am, I’ve talked to my sisters and my mum and they all agree I should walk out. So now I’m sorting out some things and as soon as I’m done I’m gone.
What would you do in such a situation? Here are a few comments on the story where it was originally posed:
