Bert Le Clos Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 I'm fairly certain, that if you could be arsed with all the hassle, it would be proven that really they can't tell you what kind of facial hair is acceptable. It is quite an interesting point though; why are beards and moustaches considered acceptable whereas "designer stubble" (horrendous term but hey-ho) is so horrific that it would make customers believe that you sleep under a bridge with The Metro for a duvet? I've seen some folk with beards who look fecking brutal, and yet because they have a full on beard it's acceptable. Food stuck in it, hair all different lenghts, impossible to tell where the beard stops and the nasal/ear hair begins. Fortunately my work aren't particularly arsey about stubble, but I look a hell of a lot better trimming every morning with the good old Remington that the boy who tears into his puss with a pair of scissors every 6 weeks. No offence, it's probably not worth taking it further over a job in a supermarket, but I can't see how it's acceptable to have a beard or moustache but not well maintained stubble. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southside1874 Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 I work in a large supermarket and recently there has been changes regarding the appearance of staff. They are saying that you must be clean shaven when coming to work and if you wish to do so, you have to grow a beard 'in your own time'. Staff that have not complied so far have been sent up to the toilet and forced to shave in work. Do they have to right to do this? Surely this is some sort of human rights issue? I am normally clean shaven anyway but feel really uncomfortable at the fact that they can control how we look. Any advice would be much appreciated. I would imagine these supermarkets have a high turn over of staff and that only a certain type of person actually lasts long enough to take this to any sort of tribunal if they got sacked for not being suitable for the job. It's the corporate way and your manager will be asked why he allows someone looking "scruffy" to be working in their store. The sad fact is, someone who has made a complaint about an employee of the company has probably used the adjectives of scruffy and unshaved to describe the employee. Best to find a job that suits rather than stick this one out. They look at you as not being into the company ethos by not being smart and presentable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigC Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 My work states that you must be clean shaven or have a neatly kept beard. I don't think it's unreasonable to ask people to come to work presentable. If a staff member gets pulled up for not shaving they are told to either grow a beard and keep it neat, or shave regularly. What they can't do is shave once a week and think it's acceptable to come in looking scruffy the rest of the time. Incidentally, there seems to be a direct correlation between people's willingness to shave and look presentable, and their ability to get a foot on anything other than the bottom rung of the career ladder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
18scotty74 Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 What if it is just before payday and you can't afford razors/foam/aftershave? Will they provide these for you free of charge? I'm sure I already know the answer btw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigC Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 What if it is just before payday and you can't afford razors/foam/aftershave? Will they provide these for you free of charge? I'm sure I already know the answer btw. At my work, yes, but it's a bic razor and the soap comes from the dispenser in the toilet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJGJ Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 All you do is leak the story to the press They will be all over it like a rash. We will then find out how the company can justify it and if it is a national policy -- publicity for seemingly stupid rules is what a company hates. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cigaro Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 My store supply value razors/foam. The nick some folks faces are in after using them is often worse than before. Scooba - stubble, in my experience, after arguments, is fine. Keep it neat and there's no issue. Jen - Tesco have been at this for years. The service I provide is in no way connected to how hairy my face is, nor has any customer ever commented on it. ( Incidentally, in my experience, I cant recall any 'older' members of staff being pulled up for this. Always seems to be younger guys, regardless of bum fluff or not. ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boomstick Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 Of course they can ask it. Against human rights! Get the ******* UN involved to help save your scaffy chin fluff! See how Ban Ki-moon drops everything just so Tesco trolley dollies can look like minks. If I run a company and my staff are customer facing I want them to look presentable. Right, some middle management types might be dicks but the vast majority of reasonable people will accept 'designer stubble' (a phrase to describe ***** if ever I heard one) as presentable. They can't demand short hair either but if it's a ******* crows nest then they can ask you to do something about it. **** it, I don't fancy showering for the next month. My work can't force me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovecraft Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 Quick related story. Guy at the food counter in Sainsburys, just off St Andrew Square, had the kind of facial hair that looked like someone had glued a collection of long pubes to his face - while they were drunk. We laughed about it at first, but it got to the stage where we were pretending we didn't know what we wanted from behind the counter when he served and waited for the other woman to ask. There is nothing wrong with growing some stubble, IF you can actually grow it. But if you are the type of person that grows shitty little wispy hairs, shave it off. Especially if you work near food. He was forced to wear one of the stupid plastic hats on his head, but he should have had one on his face too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H2 Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 If it was my company I'd say do it my way or bye. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winningways Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 The rules for this are fairly straightforward , you can have a beard,designer stubble for whatever reason(religious or not) you want , you need to be clean shaven if this is not the case and if you decide you wish to grow a beard you should start it off when you are on some time off. Believe all the supermarkets cover this when you start.Classed as personal grooming standards. Not saying it is right or wrong but I suppose we have the choice of following our employers rules or not working there ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buffalo Bill Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 How does one identify what is a beard and what isn't? Do you need to look like Matt McCoy in The Hand Rocks the Cradle? Mind you, I agree with Lovecraft that stuck on pube beards are horrible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stewart MacD Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 If an employer asks people to be clean shaven...what sort of muppet would turn up having not shaved? Guys at my place of work who've been on a bender and not been home. One could often hear electric razors whirring away while having a **** crap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scooba1874 Posted June 22, 2012 Author Share Posted June 22, 2012 How does one identify what is a beard and what isn't? Do you need to look like Matt McCoy in The Hand Rocks the Cradle? Mind you, I agree with Lovecraft that stuck on pube beards are horrible. Exactly, a beard is undefined. Somewhere between a babies bum and Gandalf. There isn't any specific definition of what/how long your hair needs to be in order to be classed as a beard. I've decided I'm not going to shave over the weekend and see what they say Monday morning when I turn up to work displaying some designer stubble. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Del1812 Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Make sure to read your contract thoroughly. It may not say anything about beards in particular, but it may mention something about the employers having the right to make you conform to what their idea of a clean and tidy appearance is. I got stung by this when I worked at Agenda, this was in my contract and they forced me to get my hair cut. I had a trim that basically just tidied it, came in, was met with a disapproving look and a "I was thinking shorter than that". I just told them that if they'd be willing to pay for it then I'd go back. I didn't hear another word on the subject after that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoJack Horseman Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 How does one identify what is a beard and what isn't? Do you need to look like Matt McCoy in The Hand Rocks the Cradle? Mind you, I agree with Lovecraft that stuck on pube beards are horrible. That's the length I'm at. Can you imagine someone asking to shave that off. You'd look like a different person. We're all talking semantics here at the end of the day. Fact is if your beard looks good no one will question it. If you can rock the 5 o'clock shadow, in that you have a full face of potential beard growth, no one will begrudge you a bit of stubble. If you have patchwork facial hair with a wee bit on your chin, a slither of a tache and two blobs on your neck, you're obviously not growing a beard, you just haven't shaved. In such cases, it's more than acceptable to ask someone to remove it as it just looks clarty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rossthejambo Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 I used to get asked if I was going to have a shave when I worked at Sainsburys after I left school. Usually just gave a smile and ignored it. They never explicitly asked me to shave though. My brother just started working at Tesco's and he got told he had to shave his beard off. He wasn't best pleased. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ribble Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 I love the fact that having a beard rips by bosses knitting! She hates it, hence why I have not been clean shaven in the best part of 3 years, well that and the fact that rock chicks tend to dig us bearded chaps! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boomstick Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 I love the fact that having a beard rips by bosses knitting! She hates it, hence why I have not been clean shaven in the best part of 3 years, well that and the fact that rock chicks tend to dig us bearded chaps! Is that why you all look the same? :'> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johanes de Silentio Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 If it was my company I'd say do it my way or bye. Capitalists employers can sook my cheesy helmet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ribble Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Is that why you all look the same? :'> We don't all look the same, there at least 6 different metallica tshirts on show on any given night out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamboy81 Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 I like my shelf stackers to be cut and clean. Show some dignity you maggots. :'> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N User Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 When I worked at scotmid, we shelf packers would regularly try to outdo each other with ridiculous stubble. Minging goatees, handlebars..etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Siphiwe Tshabalala Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 I bet i work in the same supermarket as you. I hate the place, cant wait to leave asap. What department you in? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eldar Hadzimehmedovic Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Stupid managers need guidelines and policies otherwise they haven't a clue what to do. It's too confusing for them to treat each situation differently. For example, there's nothing wrong with either a beard or neatly trimmed stubble. But there's also nothing wrong with telling an employee who comes in hungover, stinking like an old kebab, and with three days filthy growth on his face, to GTF home and sort himself out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scooba1874 Posted June 22, 2012 Author Share Posted June 22, 2012 I bet i work in the same supermarket as you. I hate the place, cant wait to leave asap. What department you in? Which Tesco you at in Edinburgh? They're probably all doing it mate. Sent from my HTC Desire S using Tapatalk 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paolo Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 I work in a large supermarket and recently there has been changes regarding the appearance of staff. They are saying that you must be clean shaven when coming to work and if you wish to do so, you have to grow a beard 'in your own time'. Staff that have not complied so far have been sent up to the toilet and forced to shave in work. Do they have to right to do this? Surely this is some sort of human rights issue? I am normally clean shaven anyway but feel really uncomfortable at the fact that they can control how we look. Any advice would be much appreciated. Interesting. My work has similar rules but do not specify you grow a beard in your own time. You could argue it is indirect sexual discrimination, which could be deemed as unlawful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paolo Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Mind Rangers used to have a ban on beards? Is this a sectarian thing? Walt Disney use to ban staff from having facial hair, even though he did himself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamboJen Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Which Tesco you at in Edinburgh? They're probably all doing it mate. Sent from my HTC Desire S using Tapatalk 2 It'd not just Edinburgh, it's the whole country. Being "dressed for service" (including facial hair etc) comes under the new service standards that everyone's being assessed on since all the new service focus started a few months ago. That's why they're also chucking new uniforms at people all over the place. As I said before, I think lumping dress standards in with customer service is OTT unless you look awful and again is probably not even considered by customers unless you look awful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DougieHMFC Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 Which Tesco you at in Edinburgh? They're probably all doing it mate. Sent from my HTC Desire S using Tapatalk 2 Tesco maintenance do it as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellsbells Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 my employers have this exact same rule! literally have to shave every morning to be clean shaven and have been sent to shave on shift on more than once occasion because they weren't happy! on another note, they insist that all tattoos are covered completely. forgive me but is this not 2012? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoJack Horseman Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 Maybe try not be in a job that force you to shave. Unless you're a youngster, if you're working in Tesco the least of your worries is whether you need to shave in the mornings or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Das Root Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 Or anywhere else. Are you bald all over then? Like a shiny new baby? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redm Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 This sort of thing is difficult really. On one hand people should be free to choose exactly how they look, and on the other I can totally appreciate why some employers view certain 'styles' as being contradictory to the image they want their business to have. Supermarkets are all about fresh and clean and wholesome stuff....as Eddie Izzard pointed out, you never see the loo rolls display as you walk in the door of a shop...so I guess I can understand why they don't want staff with tattoos and patchy stubble all over the place. Many people can carry that look off perfectly well without looking like vagrant scruffbags but an awful lot can't. I'd guess they have to have these rules in place because of the latter group but for clarity they have to implement it across the board. Not great but I can understand it. I wouldn't go to a meeting in jeans and a t-shirt because it's not expected - you just have to dress for the environment within which you work. Every industry has an image they want to maintain I suppose. We're all just cogs in a wheel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southside1874 Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 This sort of thing is difficult really. On one hand people should be free to choose exactly how they look, and on the other I can totally appreciate why some employers view certain 'styles' as being contradictory to the image they want their business to have. Supermarkets are all about fresh and clean and wholesome stuff....as Eddie Izzard pointed out, you never see the loo rolls display as you walk in the door of a shop...so I guess I can understand why they don't want staff with tattoos and patchy stubble all over the place. Many people can carry that look off perfectly well without looking like vagrant scruffbags but an awful lot can't. I'd guess they have to have these rules in place because of the latter group but for clarity they have to implement it across the board. Not great but I can understand it. I wouldn't go to a meeting in jeans and a t-shirt because it's not expected - you just have to dress for the environment within which you work. Every industry has an image they want to maintain I suppose. We're all just cogs in a wheel. Exactly, builders have to wear Hi Viz, hard hats, steel toe cap boots, gloves, goggles and ear muffs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest C00l K1d Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 Tesco moaning about people's appearance when their uniform is a navy blue/black combo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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