Local News

Do your personal grooming at home

By Peter Post

April 1, 2012

2 minutes to read

Q.I am a full-time student and work a part-time job, so there isn’t much time to sleep. I wake up at 5 a.m. every day to get to work by 6. I usually don’t want to wake up as early as 4 or 4:30 a.m. to do my hair in the morning, so typically I do my hair and makeup in the back office where no customer can see me. Is it a faux pas to do your personal grooming at work, even if you have no interaction with customers and your boss hasn’t even come in for the day yet? This is just something I have been thinking about lately. How would you feel about it?

KC, Columbus, Ohio

A. Your choice to do your personal grooming at work is a mistake. Other than a quick touch-up of hair and makeup, do your personal grooming at home. The point here is that you should look professional – in your case ready to do your job – from the moment you leave home to the moment you return home.

I know a young woman who worked in financial services in New York. Although appropriately dressed, she would wear comfortable flip-flops to work and then, once at her desk, exchange the flip-flops for dress shoes. One day as she entered the elevator, the chief executive followed her in. She felt embarrassed that he saw her in less than professional footwear. That was the last time she wore flip-flops to work.

In addition, company time isn’t personal time. It sounds like you take anywhere from a half-hour to an hour to do your personal grooming. You arrive at work at your start time of 6 a.m. and then spend the next half-hour or so of company time – time you are being paid for – on personal grooming.

You point out that your boss isn’t at work yet, as if you mean you are able get away with doing your morning beauty routine. After all, he isn’t there yet and so he doesn’t know you aren’t doing the work you are paid to do. Not a good idea.

At the very least, if you are set on doing your morning grooming at work, you should discuss your plan with your boss and get his approval. The alternative is he will find out what you have been up to, and you may discover he isn’t very pleased. Tonight, I suggest you set your alarm for 4 a.m.