This is something I noticed that is quite common in the US and Canada - people adorning the walls of their office/pod whatever, with drawings made by their kids/grandkids, photographs of wife and kid, other family members, their own photos playing some sport and so on.
Since when and why has this been a tradition/fashion? Are those who don’t do this, considered weird or inept in some way?
Is it just as/less/more common in Europe?
I thinks it’s unprofessional. And tacky.
That’s why I put pics of my coworkers kids up. Keeps em guessing who the real dad is 
It’s pretty normal, but nobody judges you if you don’t. It’s a matter of taste. I think it’s more common among older women in support positions.
One of the secretaries here has pictures of other coworker’s children on her walls.
I have maps and regulations on my wall. And a poster of the Wicked Witch of the West.
I have a pirate flag and some vintage beach resort postcards, a map of sales territories so I know who to yell at, two Kipling poems, my commendations and one family portrait.
Other people have grandkid’s pictures, a Velociraptor-Free Workplace sign, fishing calendars, and cat tchotkes.
Then don’t do it yourself.
Work is not the purpose of my life, not do I expect it to be the purpose of my resume employees’lives. Our jobs are things we tolerate so we can support our families. Pictures of our wives and husbands and children help us get through the day.
Especially our kids.
I was looking at some very unique picture frames once. Three in particular had very cool looking display pictures. I bought and hung them with the display pics. I even had a backstory for each.
Are you implying that for those who not have wife/kids/grandchlidren, work becomes the purpose of their lives? Do you really need to see them all the time to get thro the day?
I don’t have kids, but I do have pictures of my dogs in my cube. Their cute little faces remind me that there is happiness and joy in the world outside of the boredom and drudgery of my usual work day. It’s all that stops me from plunging into a deep pit of misery and despair.
Plus its a good conversation starter when people come into the office and are forced to stand around for a few minutes waiting for whoever they came to see.
I don’t have a personal workspace to put any pictures in butthis one appeared recently near the safe in the back office. I’m not sure how long it’ll stay up, though.
I have a picture of one of my coworker’s dog on my wall. I’ve never even met the dog but the photo just brings me joy for some reason. I also have a picture of my late father and one of my (also deceased) mother and me with my best friend and her mother. Those are on my desk and can’t really be seen unless you’re inside my cubicle, which people rarely are. Personally, I enjoy looking at other people’s pictures and can totally understand the desire to have them. Some of the artwork that was obviously done by a very young child is another story.
Probably unprofessional - in the traditional, conservative manner that term is generally used. But some employees/workplaces aren’t all that concerned with appearing traditionally "professional. If you are not entertaining clients in your workspace, and are doing the job, it matters less what personal items you have in your workspace.
IMO, probably makes a difference if you have a separate office as opposed to a cube. In my current office, a couple of cube occupants have TONS of personal stuff - one a collection of probably 50 stuffed monkeys, another hundreds of Matchbox/Hot Wheels cars, and another - I don’t even know how to describe all the silk flowers, knick-knacks, drapings, etc she changes on a regular basis. My personal preference would be to put some kind of a limit on such displays - but those types of lines can be extremely hard to draw and enforce.
There is IMO a significant difference between someone who has a couple of pieces of kid art up - maybe ones that show a little extra effort/ability, maybe even framed, as opposed to someone who has a vast number of scribbled pages torn out of coloring books. Again, goes to the overall volume and manner of presentation.
When my adult kids were young, I had the walls of my office almost papered with their “art.” For whatever reason it gave me some pleasure, I never entertained clients, and I was hugely productive. Now, I have 3 framed pictures (not by kids) on the walls. Tho I have a new granddaughter. I imagine when she scribbles something fort grandpa, that might make it’s way onto my office wall.
I worked at companies where it wasn’t allowed but most expected it.
Having pictures and personal items around says you’re settled in and not looking to move on.
I don’t ever put photos of myself or my SO up…but I really, really, don’t get people who have a problem with other people doing so. What is up with that? On the contrary, I think it adds a little personality to your office. Me, I reserve the top of my bookshelf for my “geek stuff” - it’s got several Doctor Who monsters, a tiny TARDIS, a hot car, a stuffed puppy, and a Totoro. And a vase with flowers. The rest of my office is professional and neat, but I like showcasing a little bit of my off work side.
I like seeing a little personality in someone’s cube. The people I wonder about are the ones with nothing personal showing, or people with crap plastered over every square inch.
I have one photo of each of my dogs, one of my husband and a “valentine” printout that has an old-timey drawing of a girl eating an ice cream cone, holding a greyhound on a leash with the words “I may seem quiet and reserved but if you mess with my dogs I will break out a level of crazy that will make your nightmares look like a happy place.” The “valentine” is posted sort of behind my monitor so you have to really come into my space to read it. But it’s a good clue as to my personality: I am soft-spoken and gentle but volunteer in animal rescue and have backed down a Hell’s Angel dude when he was threatening someone.
Nice dichotomy you have there. Completely false, but nice nonetheless.
I have one picture of each of my kids on my desk, and have had since they were born. I also have toys, certificates and awards, trophies from the company golf tourney and work related books/reference manuals. Would I be able to make it through the day without the non-work related stuff? Yep. Do I prefer not to? Yep.
So, should I remove my wedding ring before coming to work too? Because that’s just a little personal reminder, that makes me happy, about my personal life, and anyone can see it.
According to my research, many family photos hold clues to solving mysteries. How would any mysteries get solved if people didn’t have personal photos all around their offices?!
I know what you mean; there’s a big difference between someone who may have a few pictures of their wife and kids, along with a picture calendar and maybe a small poster, and one of these people who has like a dozen bobble-heads across the top of their cubicle wall, 5 plants within the cubicle, and every spare spot of cubicle wall covered with kid artwork and/or photos.
I’ve even seen people who have essentially wallpapered their cubicles by pinning wallpaper up over the plain fabric.
