I’ve never been keen on rules.
I find adhering to the structured, mass regulations of the playbook that society has created to be rigid and cumbersome, restricting the free-flowing authenticity rearing its head into the forefront of my conscience. I have found, however, as I have aged both gracefully in some aspects and not at all in others that certain guidelines are best not avenged upon; paying bills on time, idolizing punctuality and prioritizing hydration to name a few. When it comes to a career and professional environment - where is the line between living one’s truth and conforming to a predetermined norm, or as the industry calls, maintaining brand integrity? Are we, the rebels of modern day, responsible for causing a pivotal shift to conjoin the gap that has been created over the modest years still lurking between certain work and play? Or, is living with authenticity in our careers under our control as merely a choice in our professional environments?
Coming as we are has become much more of a non-negotiable for strong and wide minded individuals. The general World has picked up the pace magnificently to match our stride, as far as socially acceptable accessories and lifestyles are concerned, but has the workplace followed suit? Tattoos, for example, have been commonly recognized by conservative companies as ‘out of office’ components to an employees attire… causing controversial banter arguing appearance having little to do with determining skill and although no federal law prohibits employers to make hiring decisions based on the presence of tattoos, an unspoken awareness outlines that those on an applicant could disrupt the chances of an offering from a company. Unnatural hair colors, visible piercings and unruly (yet maintained) beards often join this list of expressions not always fitting for industries veering on a more conservative cusp. So what does this mean for us?
Finding ourselves already coexisting within a place of employment whose views are not in line with our own, or whose policies/regulations stray from those we may exude naturally (i.e tattoos) could very well lead to a double-life conundrum that nourishes an internal battle between our professional and personal selves. This feeling of secrecy; keeping parts of who we are at bay in order to maintain a stable job, promotes a restriction against the marriage of our life’s components cohesively as one unit and instead creates a division. Is our job worth suppressing our individuality? Are different avenues around the corner that support our way of living with our professional success?
From a company’s perspective, just as we have the right to bare our tattooed arms, they have the right to uphold a brand image. As long as the company breaks no laws of discrimination towards race, religion or sex, the image of the company is in the hands of the owners/leaders. It would be a double standard for us to declare a brand to support our freedom while we prohibit their own.
As the World continues to expand and perspectives grow day by day, those like-minded will follow the trend of joining companies with style policies as open as our viewpoints, but for now, perhaps we take away a simple understanding of control; grooming our decisions (from our job to our next piece of art) to align with our lifestyle is crucial to living wholly - and live wholly, we must.