"I Hired Them to Sell, Not to Smell! Why You Should Go Back to Your Pre-Pandemic Persona" - 05/12/21 Edition
Stephen Says Column
Dear Stephen,
I’m a showroom manager at a high-end luxury residential brand that also manufactures office furniture. I’m in Manhattan, and yes, we’re all back to work. Here’s the thing: We’ve been off work for so long, working from our houses in sweatpants, yoga pants, you-name-it, god-knows-what. Dress is one part of the equation, hygiene and cleanliness, I’m embarrassed to say, is another. I suspect some of my co-workers may have skipped showering while at home. Truth is, even I did not brush my teeth once for a full day in the height of the pandemic. I even let my men’s stubble, and I know that it’s the latest in men's grooming fashion. But what I’m talking about is full on BO! Bad hygiene is an equal opportunity offender — both my male and female employees stink.
No one wants to buy a $40,000 dollar sofa from someone whose look has gone from hipster to homeless. This same problem has also started happening with our outside sales people.
They look and smell the same as the people in the showroom. It’s unacceptable. Business is booming, our clients are engaged, I need my sales team to be up to the luxury standards of our brand. Not getting a haircut a year ago was responsible, today it’s unacceptable. I’m holding a sales meeting next week and giving some ultimatums. (Normally, a word I like to avoid — but I need to have a sense of normal back in this office/showroom.) When people start looking sloppy they start working sloppy. They’ll start to come in late and leave early. If I didn’t know better, I’d say my employees miss the pandemic lifestyle. Is it OK for me to tell them what I expect? And if they can’t follow through with a minimal dress and grooming code, I’m going to start to replace people. What do you think? And have you heard of other companies dealing with hygiene issues?
— No B.O. in my showroom!
Dear Mr. Clean,
I hear you. And, yes, other employers are having this problem. Numerous articles in the New York Times and the Wall Street Journal are identifying this as a present-day business issue. It’s very true, people that work in offices, showrooms or retail environments have had more re-adjustment in returning to a normal work routine. The new normal doesn’t mean you should be dirty or sloppy, that’s unacceptable. HR people tell me it’s a growing problem they’re dealing with and actually putting people under review for issues regarding appearance while at work. And as unusual as it seems, hygiene is very much a part of it. Scruffy may be the look right now, but professionals still need to take a shower. This is especially true for those who go to the gym in the middle of the day. As I’ve said before, one of the hardest duties of a manager is to tell people things no one else will (even their office friends and their family), like “your appearance and personal hygiene are not up to professional standards.”
Believe it or not, I’m a big believer in uniforms. They’re usually very convenient for employees in terms of deciding how to dress, but I know it’s not practical or reasonable in a creative industry like interior furnishings where our individuality is a reflection of our creativity. However, most companies have a dress code – don’t assume having one is old fashioned. Fashion and hygiene are a very important tool for salespeople to utilize, which doesn’t mean a traditional tie and suit but it does mean looking professional and put-together. Many years ago, I had a friend who worked at Holly Hunt before it was owned by Knoll. She told me working at Holly Hunt was like working for Anna Wintour. The point is, that’s a good thing. Fashion and interior design have a lot in common, we all know that. Those who work in a visual industry need to use all potential tools of visual communication. Dress is an important way to set the tone.
It’s ironic that during the pandemic people would write to me to complain how tired they were of working from home. Trapped in their houses and apartments — crying about children, needy pets, noisy spouses. We’ve all read the cliche stories of executives standing up in Zoom meetings, having forgotten all they had were their underwear. Now the jokes on us. Half the people I talk to want to come back to work, the other half seem hesitant. Employers tell me those employees are lazy. I’m more inclined to give people the benefit of the doubt. They might just need a little more time.
Bottom line is, there’s no room in any office — luxury brand or not — for someone to look or smell bad. The issue must be addressed because if not attended to it can compound into tardiness and lack of attention to detail. If people aren’t willing to bring themselves fully back to work in the way they look and feel, you’re 100% right, it’s going to reflect in their work ethic. Yes, they’re going to start showing up late: “It’s the pandemic.” They’re going home early: “It’s the pandemic.” Looking sloppy: “It’s the pandemic.” The only thing we can really blame on the pandemic is gaining weight. That is the pandemic. When my clients call and tell me the excuses their employees are giving them for not working up to 100% after not working for so long, most of them are also telling me they’re ready to look for new employees.
— Stephen Viscusi
You can send your workplace questions to Stephen at: StephenSays@bellavista.press
Questions selected to be answered, will appear in this column. Please use the Subject: Stephen Says for all emails. Stephen Viscusi is a bestselling author, television personality, and CEO of The Viscusi Group, global executive recruiters located in New York. Follow Stephen on Twitter @stephenviscusi. Like Stephen on Facebook and follow him on LinkedIn.
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