Another thread got me thinking about my old place of employment. I didn’t like working there for a lot of reasons, but the one sticking out in my mind at the moment is there was a lot of office pressure. I liken it to peer pressure. It’s usually an active that one doesn’t want to, or have to do, but others in the office question you for not doing. These activities aren’t work related.
So, do you give into office pressures or do your own thing?
Like birthday parties? After hours drinking? United Way? White shirt and blue tie?
I sometimes like the parties, but no longer feel under any pressure to attend.
Those things except dress, because I assume most jobs have some type of dress code.
Once my former place of employment made a stink because I wore white socks and according to them black socks are more professional. I wanted to ask them how productive (this was coworkers not anyone above me) they were being if they were inspecting my feet. :rolleyes:
It sounds like instead of “pressure”, the P-word you are looking for is “pettiness”.
True, but I notice in their pettiness they often pressure others to do things their way even if it’s no benefit to the person. Like for example, coffee clutches (sp?).
Hmm, I don’t know what a coffee clutch is, but if your group that complains about white socks is into it, I’m fairly certain I don’t want to know.
It’s like a coffee club, but every member seems to have rabies. They have a set amount you have to pay and you have to buy coffee and milk and sugar when it’s your turn. They seem to think everyone who doesn’t buy in wants to drink their coffee when they’re not looking. :rolleyes:
I only get it for the Girl Scout Cookie thing. Not so much corporate pressure, but having coworkers coming into my office regardless of what I’m doing and more or less demanding that I buy their daughter’s cookies, and behaving assholishly when I turn them down. I hate sweets in general and cookies in particular. Even if I did like them, I’d have to buy from all of them or ruffle feathers, so we’re talking dozens of boxes from all the coworkers that try and do this.
These are people I’ve worked with for many many years, but it doesn’t stop them from coming back every single time.
Well, they weren’t wrong.
I don’t get it. The people who work in your office are your peers. You’re describing peer pressure. The location is irrelevant.
Really? White socks are unprofessional? 
'Fraid so. And skate shoes can’t double as dress shoes too. 
Well, I usually wear loafers or heels. I wear heels with stockings, though.
Oh! I thought you were a dude. I don’t know about ladysocks (or “stockings” are they called?)
I withdraw my remarks.
During a brief period in which I was demoted from one position to another due to layoffs at my place of work (I was “lucky” I still had a job), I wore nothing but print socks. Skulls, butterflies, flowers, clownfish, you name it; all in firm defiance of my department’s very strict uniform policy. Unprofessional? Yeah. But it made me feel better about being at a job I disliked. Now that I’m back in my real job, I wear black socks again.
Maybe white socks are less professional, but if there isn’t a policy against it, wear what you want.
I’m a fan of bending the rules until I’m directly told to stop. Until recently, I carried one pair of pink handcuffs and one pair of purple at work. (Real ones, not novelty.) The wrong person finally saw me and made my supervisors put a stop to it, but once those supervisors trickle out, I’ll pull them back out. Screw “office” pressure.
I ignore it. One of the perks of getting older (and also being a temp) is that I am getting better and better at doing my own thing and not worrying about what other people think I should be doing.
I support my husband doing this, too - his company is getting very bad at pressuring him to donate to United Way. If he has to do something drastic to stop the ridiculous pressure for him to donate, I will support him completely.
What business are you in? Where I work, any socks are a plus.
As for the coffee klatch, I kind of see it, because the klatchers are no doubt getting ripped off. They should have a place to contribute for those who drink very little coffee, and you should make a big show of your tea bags or whatever you drink instead.
As for me, being looked on as an eccentric genius is very useful in avoiding pressure. 
I think the only solid socks I own are some tan cotton socks that are meant to be worn with boots.
The main pressures I experience at work are Girl Scout cookie sales and church lunch plate sales. The promotion of such things (outside of a little message on the bulletin board) is actually prohibited by company policy, but every now and then someone does approach me.
I used to work as a buyer, but I was part of a department. There were a lot of power struggles for stupid things at that place. Now, I’m glad I’m doing whatI went to school for.
At a few of my former jobs, people would pester you to buy junk their kids were selling. Thankfully, a clique of parents were formed on the basis of I bought what your kids was selling, now you buy what my kid is selling. I had no problem telling them I wasn’t interested. I ALWAYS hated the women who sold Avon at my old job. They couldn’t take no for an answer. I just had to tell them one day Avon is shit and I don’t want any and NEVER will.