New job and Kilt

[Ian_G]

Started work again at the beginning of February, after being out of work for 6 months. After a long career in IT, where I made it close to the top, this job is at the bottom; providing administrative support to a legal team. Well it’s good to be back working again, more fun than being stuck at home and bored to death.

I had wanted to wear the kilt into the office but was not too sure how it would be accepted. On Friday 16th March there was a general discussion about clothing, not that unusual in a female dominated office, and I took the opportunity to mention kilt wearing. The reception was a little chilly from my team leader but not too negative from the rest of the team. Over the weekend Wales won the grand slam, a rugby union sporting achievement, and there was an appeal for Welshmen to wear their Cilts to celebrate. I thought what the heck and took the opportunity to wear my Heritage of Wales to work on Monday.

It went ok with most of my colleagues but my team leader didn’t seem too impressed. I received a number of comments from the group of solicitors we serve, most of them positive; even a couple of protracted discussions about Celtic and Scottish heritage and enquiries about the plaid. My kilt wearing was certainly noted and the event relayed to staff who were working away that day, so a few comments were also made later in the week. This last Friday one of the group asked if I was going to wear leaderhosen to work one day, I replied that if he let me know when he was wearing his, I would wear one of my kilts. This provoked a small discussion about the number of kilts I own.

The bottom line is I WANT to wear a kilt to work again, just because I like wearing kilts but don’t want to antagonise my team leader, who could make things awkward if I try to get an extension to my 6 month contract. I have a reputation as a quick wit and am always punning and did gently point out that this is an expression of my ethnicity and that any discrimination is covered by legislation. So far my team leader has been impressed by my work and willingness to pitch in with the group and assist with those little emergencies which occur, when someone forgets an impending court date and a mass of paperwork has to be instantly prepared. Also, I have been told of positive feedback from a number of our customers who are happy with my performance and ready quip whilst delivering the morning mail.

Any comments or advice on my predicament gratefully welcomed.

[Mickey]

Congrats at being back to work!

I am in a similar situation. I, along with a few others, would love to wear a kilt to work. However, while some of our local managers have said yes, some have said no. Company policy allows me to, and at other company locations, kilt wearing is not only allowed but even encouraged. While I technically could show up in a kilt, especially under my current manager, management seems to rotate every year or so. In the past 12 years here, I have had 16 managers though my job hasn't changed.

Personally, I enjoy working and would hate to have a new manager who could hold my kilt wearing against me and toss me into the next group of layoffs for it (while claiming other reasons). I've seen wonderful people lose jobs simply because of personal issues with management, who give them very low performance ratings. I've never seen an instance where one of them was able to "argue" their position back.

In short, my advice would be to talk to your team leader directly and privately to see where they truly stand on the issue, and if they really take offense at the kilt, I personally wouldn't wear it. It just isn't worth the trouble, in my very humble opinion. As a worker, it doesn't matter how good you are... we are all essentially expendable in the minds of many supervisors.