To think that “professional” standards shouldn’t apply during periods of extreme weather?

[toohotforallthis]

I live in an area that has a red weather warning for extreme heat for the next two days.

Today the office was sweltering. It’s been 35° minimum all day, but in the office it’s been closer to 40°. We’ve all been unable to function.

We had a “friendly reminder” that the dress code still applies - dresses to mid calf, no shorts, shirts must cover to the mid arm.

AIBU to say fuck it and turn up in a T-shirt and shorts tomorrow? We have no client contact whatsoever, I will not see a single service user tomorrow. The only people I will see are my coworkers.

My line manager has said she’s fine with it, but if the “big bosses” walk in (from their air conditioned office!), we may get in trouble.

Surely the worst they’ll do is send me home, which is a win for me 😂

I’m with you OP, it doesn’t make a massive difference but we’ve had an internal communication that says if you’re in the office this week to dress comfortably. We’re usually smart/casual but for now flip flops and vest tops are in!

I wore loose linen trousers and a similar top today, looked professional, and was perfectly cool.

I used to work in the Middle East where it would be upwards of 40 degrees in summer. Still had to dress professional and wear a suit jacket. While I understand it’s uncomfortable in this heat realistically it doesn’t matter if you’re wearing a longer dress/ skirt and shirt or shorts and tshirt you will still feel hot.

Wow, they really enjoy treating you like school children, don't they?!

I ought?

I don’t think anything mid thigh is going to be terribly professional-skirt, dress or shorts. Something smart and just below the knee (dress or skirt) is fine.

It does seem bizarre that your office is so particular about women’s dresses being calf length, yet men can wear shorts?! I think if men can wear them, women should be able to as well-but not mid thigh.

I so agree about linen trousers or linen anything come to that. Someone at the Linen Marketing Board has done an excellent job of convincing everyone that linen is something other than a bastard fabric which grimly holds on to every last millimetre of sweat in the folds of its million and one creases, leaving the wearer feeling unpleasantly damp and looking like a bag of rags. If linen is so good at keeping us cool why isn't used for exercise clothes? The fact that it isn't tells you everything you need to know!

Cover up arms and legs?! I don’t think the Taliban rules need apply! Why are bare arms in a short top or legs visible in just above the knee shorts or skirt unprofessional? Are clavicles and ankles ok?!

Glad I wfh! OP - wear what makes you keep comfortable, not like you are going to wear a bikini top and micro shorts!

If you are public sector you must have a union. I’d genuinely get them involved on this.

Indeed, it’s amazing that some women seem to advocate for modesty rules that require arms and legs to be covered.

I’m in my shorts AND I have open toe sandals in my bag to change into, because I’m not sitting at my desk with my feet swelling in my trainers all day

I meant light, heat induced stupidity!

It doesn’t seem fair, or right. I have my own theories about it

What century do you work in that stipulates dresses to mid calf???

YANBU at all. I am so glad i have an employer who doesn’t make rules for the sake of having rules. If you’re not seeing customers/service users face to face you should be able to wfh too.

As hotter weather becomes increasingly common, we all need to adapt our habits and attire. OP, you need to invest in a few things you can wear to work in hot weather and your office needs to get you some AC.

I don’t need to invest in £100s on a work wardrobe for one day here or there

It’s discriminatory. You can challenge it with HR.

clothes are not designated by sex.

But that's my point, this is becoming more common. If you don't currently own suitably professional clothing, you need to invest some time into finding a couple of outfits you can afford, that fit the bill, and you might wear elsewhere as well. Adapt your thinking, heatwaves are here to stay.

OP you need a cotton maxi dress, a decent airflow fan, a neck fan and some cool towels for the back of your neck. Also maybe a petcool gel mat to sit on.

This is the thing. I shouldn’t have to do all that to stick to the outdated ideas of modesty and professionalism. I wore a long cotton dress yesterday, and it did nothing

YANBU.

They need to get a grip. I had to grapple with similar issues a few years ago with a manager in HR, who should have known better, and I metaphorically ended up giving her a bloody nose in the process. I’ll post separately about that.

My advice from both an HR and H&S background.

Take the steps you feel will enable you to reduce the impact of heat stress symptoms when it comes to clothing. If you get any nonsense, tell them you’re following guidance from the HSE - https://www.hse.gov.uk/temperature/employer/how-you-keep-comfortable.htm I strongly recommend you read that page.

Take more comfort breaks. Again featured in the HSE guidance - “Take regular breaks to cool down in hot conditions.”

PP who mentioned the Health & Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 was right to. There’s a broad duty for employees under it to take reasonable care for the health and safety of your own self. Heat stress presents risks. All you’re doing is your own part in managing them.

The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations require employers to provide a reasonable indoor temperature in the workplace. You’ll get idiot managers being uppity about this - “how can we control the weather” - but there are obvious things they can do when workplace temperatures are uncomfortable for workers. It is required under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations too.

The HSE’s guidance on what employers should be doing when staff report uncomfortable working temperatures is to assess the risks, talk to staff and agree control measures. Lo and behold a bullet point within the HSE guidance:

• relaxing formal dress codes to allow fewer or more layers of clothing

It’s also notable the first thing suggested in the HSE guidance about what workers can do is to add or remove layers of clothing. Wearing clothing that is more appropriate to the temperature is keeping in with the spirit of that.

Putting it bluntly, what you’re proposing to do OP is basic common sense. it’s also backed up by legal requirements and guidance from the regulator of H&S in the UK. There are obvious reasons why they’ve put this guidance out there.

Here’s a link from HSE about heat stress at work - https://www.hse.gov.uk/temperature/employer/heat-stress.htm Isn’r it telling the example of “ a typical heat stress situation” they give is someone who has to wear protective clothing but is working in hot and humid conditions.
Particular emphasis on the bullet points under that section:

• sweating is restricted by clothing and humidity…
• the body reacts by producing more sweat, which may cause dehydration

For the benefit of obtuse managers, you don’t have to be wearing protective clothing to encounter the same issues.

If you wanted to try and get a step ahead of these berks of managers, email your manager and CC the berks in. Report the temperatures recorded in the office and symptoms you’ve all experienced; ask for details about the revised controls in place on account of the extreme weather conditions and the unreasonably high temperature in the workplace. There’s even a handy heat stress checklist they can work through https://www.hse.gov.uk/temperature/assets/docs/heat-stress-checklist.pdf

As usual, people on MN love to lick the boot!

OP I’m self employed and work from home, I’ve been in pants and a bra top all week- no way would I want actual clothes on my skin. YANBU.

I'm on my way in now on public transport and I'm wearing shorts and a t shirt and a hat. I have linen trousers and a light blouse to change into when I get to the office. Anything I wear to travel in will be gross by the time I get to the office having been on the tube!

Edited to add I'm in charge of a large team of lawyers and they can all wear whatever they want. I don't mind at all.

Why on earth are you employers not letting you work from home ?
They have a duty of care to their staff

Maybe her employer needs to adapt their thinking and make sure the building is a sensible temperature

Likewise. I am in charge of a team of lawyers and I have said they can all work from home. But any who do want to go into the office can absolutely wear whatever makes them feel comfortable (we do have Aircon in the office at least)