Changing Times: Workplace Taboos That Are Now Okay

As we are becoming global our traditions, cultures and norms are also loosening up. I still remember my father leaving for work in dark shade suit with white shirt and a tie and used to come back the same freshness after 9 hours. His way of work was extra formal with no personal interference as we today say, we leave our personal life outside the office door as we enter the office premises, however could that really happen?

Let’s see how far we’ve come from our traditional office cultures to the modern more accepted work places.

Talking about our relationships. Relationships were the most conservative topics that were a big no no when it comes to discussing at work. This was the far side of the personal life which anyone discussing would considered to have a non-serious attitude. Women especially had to be very careful discussing their personal relationships as it might a wrong impression of theirs at work. Today, if you are not in a relationship and office colleagues don’t know about it hardly happens. When you get an invite you are usually expected to come plus one.

The Office Flings. Having a relationship with someone at work was never a good idea, however as my previous manager used to say, two people can fall in love and get married. You could find your perfect one. Today office policies allow you to open your office relationships so you can have a comfortable working environment and if anything conflicts with the policy is managed on time.

Dressing Up. Back in times, dark colors were the office uniform, however today it’s the completely opposite. With the bold and beautiful fashion all over us, you can now see distinct colors at work. School teachers are expected to dress up in attractive colors that appeal to students to have more acceptability. Corporate Offices, have gone from formal suites to Chinos and dress shirts. Clean shaved has been replaced with Viking beard.

Working from Home. I would still love to wake up one day and tell my boss, “Boss I am too bored to come to work” and every time I think of doing it something just stops me. I know we aren’t that far, but we have been requesting our line managers that today we would be working from home, due to domestic issues and it works. Line Managers are more acceptable to it now.

Having Side Hustles. Everyone wants to have a little bit of money coming from side hustles, it could be something from their hobbies and little side business they are doing, though every employment contract says you are not allowed to have any other job on the side, however managements are becoming more acceptable to the fact that people do have side hustles. I know dor sure many star females who are side business of catering or cooking.

Coming Late and Leaving Early. Telling your boss you have to leave early to attend your kid's extracurricular activities is more acceptable these days. Given how closely tied we are to the offices through our smartphones and computers, chances are leaving early isn't going to compromise your performance. Yes, it may mean you stay up a little later finishing that presentation but at least you've fulfilled your duties to both sides. Tell me how many of us do follow 9 to 5 timings?

Smoking at Work. Though this still needs a little improvement, where men openly smoke at work, females are also joining up with them. You now see smoking areas of work having more and more females and its acceptable if people now know that certain female colleagues smokes. Talk about equal rights, here you have it.

While the above are my observation if you think you have more taboos that work places are now more acceptable, please do share with me.