About a month ago I had an interview with Congressman Eric Massa's District Manger in Pittsford at 10am. Luckily, the snow didn't start flying yet so I had no need to worry about the drive, and it was a beautiful sunny day. I looked through the "professional" part of my wardrobe, automatically assuming the workplace would be suit and tie. I settled on a button-down shirt with a sweater over it, black dressy capris, stockings, and 3 inch heels. Capris? Yes. I know. But, work with me here... You have no idea how nice it was. Really. I would have considered the outfit business casual, but this morning I came across an article that would describe that outfit more business professional.
I've talked about this before, but Generation Y has a new and different way of doing things. We are now playing iPods at work, and wearing flip-flops to the White House. Remember the controversial lacrosse team who did that a few years back? Yeah, so do I. I would have hated to be one of those girls in national news the next morning. But then again the more I thought about it... I live in flip flops. My last internship allowed me to wear flip-flops, capris, button down shirts, khakis, and really anything I pleased as long as I looked clean, put together, and appropriate. I'm not saying go to work in shimmery, glittery tanktops, or let your cleavage show, but there is an increasing amount of slack being placed on the dress code. Answer the question for yourself - If you were meeting President Obama today, what would you wear?
An article from USA Today by Olivia Barker and Sarah Bailey describes the ongoing trend: "This is what Generation Y -- and its ultra-casual culture -- hath wrought at work, a place where style and technology trends are more woven in than ever."
Another great quote from the article describes JPMorgan interns... When I hear JPMorgan I think ties, suits, low heels, professional all around, but "JPMorgan interns can listen to their iPods at the office. IM, too, is increasingly becoming an accepted part of the workplace. According to a report in September by the Pew Internet & American Life Project, 21% of IM users send instant messages at the office; a third of those at-work IMers acknowledge that they're usually blitzing friends and family. And even as some businesses brand IM a distraction to productivity and ban it outright, 47% of at-work IM users say it has "regularly provided moments of relief from the daily work grind."
So, it's not just they way of dressing that we are changing. Gen Y is changing the idea of office etiquette completely! I can't imagine bringing my iPod to my internship. I can't even imagine listening to my iPod while working at Career Services. Is Gen Y changing the face of office etiquette completely? Are the baby boomers ready for all the changes we're making? We grew up with computers. We hardly have the option, right? I mean, it's second nature for us to be able to play with our toys.
I think the most interesting part of this entire shift in the office place is that Gen Y aren't slackers. We are motivated. We simply want what we want when we want it...
Is this bad or good? It's up to you to decide.
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