Manic Monday | You Aren't Just What You Wear but Who You Are Representing
Recently while traveling I happened to be sitting next to a uniformed employee who was clearly not working but in transit. I don't know if they had just finished a shift or if their day was about to begin, the fact was, that they were in full uniform complete with name tag and credentials.
Taking a seat next to them I made a couple of casual comments, not intending to make small talk but briefly commenting, positively, on their organization. My attempt at conversation was met with complete disdain, a relatively unintelligible comment, and body language which clearly indicated they were disinterested in any further dialogue. Somewhat taken aback, and even a bit shocked, I turned to my phone as we all do and buried myself in my emails and ignoring them for the balance of the short journey. However, days later I continue to not only ponder the behavior of this ill-mannered individual but to have commented on it with many friends and again, here, in Manic.
Call me old fashioned, but to my way of thinking whether you consider yourself to be on duty or off, you are a representative of your organization when you are wearing their clothing. The attitude this individual displayed not only reflects poorly on them as a professional but additionally caused me to consider the company they work for in a slightly different light. It actually was damaging to the company brand. Imagine all the time, money and effort that goes into creating a brand image only to have it as an employee, in this case, a walking billboard, tarnish that brand so quickly and completely. I liken it to meeting your favorite comedian only to find out that in person they are rude, or worse yet, angry as opposed to funny.
It is something that needs to be considered in the training and development of new employees and a reminder for those that have been around for a while. We are the company, an integral part of the brand, any time we are wearing company clothing. We are what we wear and who we are representing and if that messaging cannot be controlled other options need to be considered.
Glenn Mandziuk, TOTA President & CEO
