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Original poster

New job - is it ok to go shoeless in branch

73 replies

busymom123 · 13/05/2015 15:57

Hi,

Got a new P/T job starting next week in a small b soc branch. Is shoes off behind the counter ok?

OP posts:

burnishedsilver · 14/05/2015 19:48

Would it be ok for men to sit barefoot at work?

Like it or not, feet (unsurprisingly) smell of feet. People don't like the smell of feet.

TwoLittleTerrors · 14/05/2015 19:51

Yes it would be ok if they were barefoot. I don't find people's foot really smell. I'm not down on my knees sniffing am I?

And yes I have colleagues who wear sandals. We are a bunch of professionals aren't we?

BadgersArse · 14/05/2015 19:54

i slipped them off under the bench in court once. was HOT HOT weather. Then the chair suddenly said " the bench will retire" and i couldnt ram the buggers back on.

stumbled out like a fule.

watch and learn

BadgersArse · 14/05/2015 19:56

I have some flip flops under my desk at work. its SCORCHIO in my office. When no one is there I slip them on and flip flop around the place

IN SECRET

Bunbaker · 14/05/2015 20:23

We aren't allowed to wear flip flops in our office. That said, the aircon is always too fierce, especially on hot days and my feet are always cold at work.

Stitchintime1 · 14/05/2015 20:41

This is one of those things where you can see how much easier men's lives are. They are perceived to be smart in clothes that make sense and are comfortable. Women feel they need to wear heels which are useless for everyday wear, so they take their shoes off and look ridiculous.

BadgersArse · 14/05/2015 21:28

but men cant wear floaty summer stuff

AliMonkey · 14/05/2015 22:10

I actually wouldn't work somewhere where I had to wear shoes all day as I just hate wearing shoes. And it's not that my shoes aren't comfortable - I only buy comfy ones. I just don't like having them on my feet and never wear them at home or at friends' houses.

I have always worked in offices and slip them off as soon as I sit down then back on when I walk around. Feet only smell if you wear shoes. If occasionally I have a long lunch hour so have worn them for a while I change my tights (winter) or use a baby wipe to freshen them up - not at my desk though!

So absolutely understand you don't want to wear your shoes all day and don't see why you should as long as customers can't see and you put them back on to walk round.

YouMakeMyHeartSmile · 14/05/2015 22:40

Alimonkey would you ask at interview stage whether they would allow you to go shoe-less?

QueenBean · 15/05/2015 08:58

Stitchintime1 sorry but that's bollocks - a suit all year round is not comfortable at all. Women don't actually need to wear heels to be smarter, smart flat shoes are just fine.

TantrumsAndBalloons · 15/05/2015 09:08

Oh for gods sake just buy shoes that are comfortable.

You are at work. Whoever said- oh but I take my shoes off at my friends house? Well you do not get paid to go to your friends house do you? You don't have to wear a uniform or act in a professional manner.

There is actually a difference between going to work and going to a friends house.

I genuinley don't get this. There's nothing wrong with comfortable shoes for work. I do not want to see bare feet in my workplace. Go barefoot at home, to tesco, wherever you want. But no, not at work.

TwoLittleTerrors · 15/05/2015 10:41

tantrums fgs back to you. I don't have to wear a uniform. I act professionally. It doesn't mean I have to keep my shoes on under the desk. Or do you mean we only can be professionals if we wear a suit or a uniform? How narrow minded? FYI I'm a software developer, hence the extremely casual dress standard in office. One of the places I worked in actually allow shorts, tshirts and sandals. Jeans is smart in that work place. I can assure you we are all very professional. The company is a top Silicon Valley firm. One of those that anyone in the computer industry would have heard of.

And the OP is asking if she could take off her shoes at her desk. No clients can see it. As long as she's presenting an professional face for the company it's all ok in my books. Obviously she has to judge what her boss attitude towards this is first.

Oh btw I noticed all the real estate agents take off their shoes at viewings. I'm surprised the buyers don't all faint from the smelly foot odour judging from this thread.

TantrumsAndBalloons · 15/05/2015 14:02

If it's all ok and professional and wonderful why would she need to gauge her bosses reaction to it?

After all, it's not unprofessional at all is it?

gemmababe · 15/05/2015 15:33

I would say barefeet is a big "no no" but tights or socked feet is ok.

I'm always doing it although usually put them on when a client comes in, although if I've worn boots in I just leave them off. I work for a solicitors in Hereford and have never found it an issue.

TwoLittleTerrors · 15/05/2015 16:06

tantrums because after all you are appraised by your boss. You need to do what is expected of your work place.

Is wearing a suit professional then?

Well I can say categorically it is not ok to wear a suit to all the places I have worked in. None of my boss wear suits. Do you think it's a good idea to dress 'better' than your boss? You will stand out like a sore thumb.

burnishedsilver · 15/05/2015 16:15

If its all ok and professional why are people stressing that no one sees and its done in secret.

holmessweetholmes · 15/05/2015 16:32

I dunno about that, stitchintime - I know that there are plenty of fashion /grooming things which do make it much harder for women than men, but I wouldn't have said shoes were one of them. After all, it is perfectly socially acceptable and normal for women to wear flats, certainly to work. (As opposed to going bare-hairy-legged or bare-hairy-armpitted for example, which would definitely still raise eyebrows. Or even just not wearing any make - up, which many women find it hard to do.) I'm a teacher, and the heel - wearing are definitely in a minority.

Floggingmolly · 15/05/2015 16:37

If a so called professional came shuffling out from behind the desk in their bare feet, I'd take my services elsewhere. It looks lazy and scruffy.

gemmababe · 15/05/2015 16:37

Pretty sure that even if I wore flats I wouldn't want to keep them on all day in the office.

holmessweetholmes · 15/05/2015 17:01

Really? I often wear my shoes all day, whether I'm at work or not. Kids wear their shoes all day at school, presumably, except when they put trainers on for PE.

YouMakeMyHeartSmile · 15/05/2015 17:27

I always wear my shoes all day as I'm usually out and about all day... My feet haven't rotted and fallen off yet!

HopeClearwater · 15/05/2015 21:29

Urghhhh. The problem is not your shoes or lack of, but the phrase 'in branch'.

diamondgirl123 · 23/05/2015 14:54

I very rarely have my shoes on in the office and no one seems to mind me going in my stockinged feet (I have even seen my female boss doing it sometimes).

I started about 6 months ago. I had to put some files on a high shelve so took my heels off to stand on the chair. Then I was going back and for carrying files so just left them off and got used to it.

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