[Closed] Do i need to wear a tie in a new job.

I'd wear a tie on your first day and then see what everyone else is wearing. If you haven't got one I can send you one in the mail.

If I was forced to wear a tie I'd end up sweating all over the place and would eventually go mad a hang someone, that'd learn 'em.

Learning to spell and use correct grammar might help!

Good luck though!

you need to leave it at least a week before you can comfortably look scruffy and not bother shaving any more.

If they don't provide them and it is required at work you should be able to claim a very small amount against tax. I get my shoes offset against tax IIRC

Depends on the industry and those around you. I work in a creative job but mostly with finance clients so opt for the Clarkson look of smart jeans, shirt and jacket. Half of my clients wear ties and half do not.

My neck gets cold when I don't wear a tie into work.

Not so bad in the office, but it feels like my commute is always cold.

Thanks for the responces, but why the need for a tie.

Yes! 🙂

I seem to recall that in modern day equality that if they do not make the women in your new work wear ties then they can not force you to wear a tie either (and I am assuming you are a bloke as most people are on this site).

Ties are funny things really and there is a lot of legacy/culture involved in any office that you join about whether or not waering a tie is the done thing to do or not.

Wear one for the first few days and suss out what is really going on and then make your decision.

but why the need for a tie.

it serves no purpose, it's just a convention innit. It is becoming more and more unusual though. I'm office based and my last 3 companies haven't made me wear a tie.

It might help you get taken seriously...

but why the need for a tie

They're useful if you need to find a vein in your arm.

At my last job (financial services place), ties were compulsory until warm weather when they became optional. I agree I don't see that they indicate any ability to work, but if I did work for a company that said they were part of the correct attire and a new employee threw a strop about it, I'd have to ask whether we'd picked someone who had the right sense of perspective 🙂

[i]I seem to recall that in modern day equality that if they do not make the women in your new work wear ties then they can not force you to wear a tie either (and I am assuming you are a bloke as most people are on this site).[/i]

Not true. There needs to be an equivalent policy. i.e "Men and women must both wear suits" or "smart office wear". The company (actually employment benefit office IIRC) that fell foul of this was because they made men wear shirts and ties, but let the women wear t shirts and leggings.

[i]but let the women wear t shirts and leggings.[/i]

Not sure I would complain too much about the dress etiquette if that were the case (nothing above a size 14 mind and no chavs!) 😆

Oddly enough the Job centre dont force a tie policy on their workers any more so they seem to have accepted the point generally. Women still get away with less formal attire than a man would but I know one person who wears a sort of grandad shirt with no collar without issue.
I am sure there are some other cases in the private sector as well but Icant recall them at the minute

No you don't have to wear a tie, you don't even have to turn up for the job 🙄 Company policy or not you will encounter employers, colleagues and customers who will make judgements about you based on your appearance and actions. However irrelevant wearing a tie, suit, cufflinks, etc is it can all effect how you are perceived and therefore treated. You just have to decide how you want to play it. If you want to be that little rebel wear the tie like so and good luck.
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I don't wear a tie nowadays. Most I will wear work wise is a suit and shirt. Dress code for my work is smart casual and not formal. Don't really get on with ties anyway as a tight collar aggravates my throat so have a whole load stocked up for weddings, funerals and school revivals!

When I was brand new in the police and we all got our uniforms given out the ladies were given a choice of ties or cravats. This was a recent change - previously cravats had been compulsory for females - after one made a formal complaint because the ends of the cravat pointed at her nipples and so cravats were sexist.

So I asked if I could be excused from wearing a tie because it pointed at my bollocks. I was told to shut TFU and put my tie back on. Equality my arse.

Equality in the workplace doesn't mean treating everyone the same as if there weren't some genuine differences.

in modern day equality that if they do not make the women in your new work wear ties then they can not force you to wear a tie either

Oddly enough the Job centre dont force a tie policy on their workers any more so they seem to have accepted the point generally.

Civil servants in not looking smart shocker.

Despite not having a dress code, there is a 'dress down Friday' attitude where I work. Amazingly, scruffy ****less numpties manage to drop their standards further on a Friday. Shorts, t-shirt and flipflops is not office attire.

Dicky bow FTW

You never need to but......

Start off by wearing one, I normally go 1-2 weeks and see how relaxed it is, forget the balls about they cant make me it's not about that unless you are 14.

Last time I was challenged I asked if they would believe me more with a tie?
No real answer to that one so not bothered unless I'm meeting people who would expect it

Here you go, problem solved.
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The worst job I ever had was telesales and they insisted all men wear a suit and tie to sit on the phone in an office all day. They had a dress down day which basically consisted of not having to wear a tie but you had to wear a shirt and jacket and no jeans, so thats a suit then!
I lasted three and a half days before going to the manager and telling him that I could feel my life being sucked out of me with every phone call and that if I didnt leave now this very minute they would have a very second hand looking severly damaged phone and computer on their hands.
He thanked me for the work I had done and my honesty, said he'd rather I told him that than be there and miserable every day and paid me for the full week. 🙂
Can count without having to remove shoes and socks how many times i've worn a tie to work since. Just seems pointless to me.

If they don't provide them and it is required at work you should be able to claim a very small amount against tax. I get my shoes offset against tax IIRC

You're right, ties are useless & anachronistic.
That's precisely why they are worn, as indicators of being part of the team, or as wanting to be preceived as partaking in the company culture. Yes you can be a rebel or nonconformist but until you have established yourself you will be regarded as not "one of us".
I'm not saying that this is right, but it's how the world works.

Can count without having to remove shoes and socks how many times i've worn a tie to work since. Just seems pointless to me.

On the contrary, very few ties are pointless.

(Thanks for coming, IGMC, etc)

but why the need for a tie.
it serves no purpose

The tie says 'I am dressed smartly', and your employer might deem that important. That's all. Just an image thing. Image does not follow logical simple rules, unfortunately. Well actually it does. Suit + tie = smart. It's simple but not logical 🙂

You could fight the power, what've you got to lose? Oh yeah - your job!

[i] Shorts, t-shirt and flipflops is not office attire[/i]

It is where I'm sitting. 😀

The jeans I'm currently wearing at work have a hole in the knee.

Give it 10 years and ties will be seen the same way as bow ties are now.

Suit and tie for work here, I don't see the problem myself. I know you shoudln't judge the book by the cover, but first impressions do generally count. A good stylish suit generally hints at someone who cares about their appearance, and might just care about the work they do too. All IMHO, of course.
It's possible to look casual and smart.
It's possible to wear a suit and look a scruffy git.
Whatever you decide, tie or no tie, for god's sake get some decent shoes and keep them polished. 😈

The tie says 'I am dressed smartly',

The tie says 'I conform.'

My day to day work wear is a polo shirt, which is standard fare for our engineers. In meetings where I'm acting as more than an engineer, say I'm there in a consultancy capacity, I'll get suited and booted. That's pretty rare though.

I maintain that ties are a health hazard for techies. Far too easy to kneel on and garotte yourself when scrabbling around with cables under desks.

I'm currently in my dressing gown. I should go sort that out really.

[i]I'm currently in my dressing gown. I should go sort that out really.[/i]

It's a bit draughty waiting at the bus stop but says 'I really don't want to be here.' when you do eventually get to work.

Shorts, t-shirt and flipflops is not office attire

It is where I'm sitting.

I have no idea what your office is like. I only ever phone the IT help desk!

Suit and ties tells me that a company is stuck in a past authoritarian age, top down management interfering with the actual profitable work instead of enabling, and overly bureaucratic.
I wouldn't work at a company where suit and tie was the standard.

I like a nice tie. A suit doesn't look right without one. Agree about decent shoes being a must, and if you are going to wear a tie make sure your top button remains fastened.

I wouldn't work at a company where suit and tie was the standard.

Nicely blinkered approach there. Ambition's a bitch, ain't it?

interfering with the actual profitable work instead of enabling

We usually have to pay an over-eager 'consultant' to have that sort of language spouted at us.

I like a nice tie. A suit doesn't look right without one.

There's a nice, easy way around that 🙂

To be honest I am looking forward to ties coming back into fashion. The way some folk dress at work is disgraceful and unprofessional. I am old enough to remember when even the postman looked smart with the correct outfit and tie. Call me old fashioned if you will but I will always go to work in a suit wearing a tie with my black shoes nice and shiny, because I actually like to be smart and it makes me feel good. And guess what the ladies like a smart looking guy in the office so you know what to do guys to get the ladies attention!!

I guess it's down to the job you do really. I get paid to invent stuff. Dressing smartly doesn't aid my productivity or make things work.

porcaro - Member
To be honest I am looking forward to ties coming back into fashion. The way some folk dress at work is disgraceful and unprofessional. I am old enough to remember when even the postman looked smart with the correct outfit and tie. Call me old fashioned if you will but I will always go to work in a suit wearing a tie with my black shoes nice and shiny, because I actually like to be smart and it makes me feel good.

If it help you do your job better then fair enough but this bullshit dress up or the worst "smart casual" for jobs or time when you are not facing customers is stupid. If you feel that dressing up help you then do it, if not then it's a pointless requirement.

And guess what the ladies like a smart looking guy in the office so you know what to do guys to get the ladies attention!!

Not spouting bullshit works for me.

[i] And guess what the ladies like a smart looking guy in the office so you know what to do guys to get the ladies attention!!

Not spouting bullshit works for me. [/i]

Really? When I was in the market I found spouting bullshit was a better method of attracting ladies than looking rich. Although to be fair both methods were bending the truth.

[i]I get paid to invent stuff. Dressing smartly doesn't aid my productivity or make things work. [/i]

Well since by your own admission you're dressed like a man on holiday, you must have been extra productive today. What have you invented so far?

Ties are for ****s

I was the only one in my old office who wouldn't wear one, didn't make a blind bit of difference to my ability to do my work.

What do you do again, Loddrick? 😉

loddrik - Member
Ties are for ****

I was the only one in my old office who wouldn't wear one, didn't make a blind bit of difference to my ability to do my work.

Cor! What a rebel!

If I'm visiting a customer for the first time I'll pop a tie on. I'm not a suit man though. I think the suit with no tie can sometimes look like you've just left a club. If done right, & on the right person, it can look good, but for eg: a suit with a white shirt & no tie on a chubby bloke looks like somethings missing. We've had customers come in & I've been left gobsmacked that folk can turn up as a representative of their company in jeans & a scruffy polo shirt. If I'm going in front of the board/SMT I'll generally try & look my best. It just feels better.

If I'm visiting a customer for the first time I'll pop a tie on. I'm not a suit man though. I think the suit with no tie can sometimes look like you've just left a club. If done right, & on the right person, it can look good, but for eg: a suit with a white shirt & no tie on a chubby bloke looks like somethings missing. We've had customers come in & I've been left gobsmacked that folk can turn up as a representative of their company in jeans & a scruffy polo shirt. If I'm going in front of the board/SMT I'll generally try & look my best. It just feels better

wot he said.

Ties are for *

comments like that normally come out of a *

If they don't provide them and it is required at work you should be able to claim a very small amount against tax. I get my shoes offset against tax IIRC

That is the most impressive piece of tax avoidance I have ever heard off. You sir, are a genius.

That is the most ridiculous piece of cod tax avoidance I have ever heard of and will inevitably end up in an HMRC investigation at some point. You sir, are an idiot.

random jeremy - it is not actually in the case of nurses there are agreed allowances - see [url= http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/eimanual/EIM67200.htm ]here for shoes and stocking which is really what TJ is claiming for[/url] and [url= http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/eimanual/eim32712.htm ]here for workwear for other areas[/url]. However, there is no way you would be able to claim a tie as a deduction - see Mallalieu v Drummond [1983] 57TC330

We've had customers come in & I've been left gobsmacked that folk can turn up as a representative of their company in jeans & a scruffy polo shirt.

I honestly wouldn't care. What you are wearing is not important, it's what comes out of your mouth that is.

What you are wearing is not important, it's what comes out of your mouth that is.

That is why I wear a suit and tie, at least I've got a chance.

Shorts, t-shirt and flipflops is not office attire.

Im wearing shorts and a t-shirt in my office, I did wear flip flops after I had a couple of toenails removed. Nobody cares that I wear this. However if I am having a meeting or going out to see a customer I will put Jeans or a shirt and tie depending on the occasion, its very relaxed here.

wearing a tie doesnt change my capabilities, it changes the perception of them held by my customers

in my line of work a suit is therefore "compulsory"
no "the man" cannot make me, but i will leave that worthwhile battle to you renegades, thanks.

dress for the job you want not the job you have

work in an IT dept and there's a big mix of dress styles. I go for the more casual end of the spectrum, no tie and trainers with a pair of chinos\cordy jean things.

I'm not called on to meet clients unless they're already a customer of ours and if I'm called on it usually involves crawling about under a desk or behind a video wall etc. Work doesn't pay for my clothing so I'm not going to ruin a perfectly good suit\shoes scrabbling about on the floor etc.

I'm slowly trying to become even more casual, would love to wear shorts\short sleeved shirt in the summer but think that's prob pushing it . . . . .

(I did wear crocs for a month after breaking my foot though as they were the only thing I could get on. that was a particularly good look but it didn't catch on for some reason)

It's casual here, but really frigging warm so I really would love to wear shorts. Some folk do, but not enough so I feel comfortable. However if it gets much hotter I'll have to play the 'women are allowed to wear whatever they want' card.

What you are wearing is not important, it's what comes out of your mouth that is.

And if you can't get through the front door to enlighten the good people?

Wear tie on first day
If nobody else in the office is wearing one, take it off and say "Thank **** for that, I was worried this might be the sort of place that makes you wear a tie
If everyone else in the office is wearing one, improvise.

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If their fashion based prejudices stop them from listening, go elsewhere.

That's a fine recipe for business success! Hope you have no plans on doing business with any of the major Japanese companies, or any major bank, or any major anything, actually.

If their fashion based prejudices stop them from listening, go elsewhere.

Happens to everyone, Don! 😉

I work in space industries, and thankfully it is an industry that values what a person does, rather than what fashion they follow.

The major banks brought the world to its knees with their incompetence, and Japanese companies are still massively protected and subsidised by the government following years of false accounting and actions that would be considered fraud by international standard.
Perhaps you could find some better examples to show why fashion should be considered so important rather than those that display the dangers of such misplaced business values.

MSP: You may be right about Japanese companies & the banking sector, but if you actually want some business from them, you need them to respect you and that means agreeing to common business terms and appearances.

Yes, even creative software companies know that selling to the Man requires thinking outside the standard-sized box of non-conformism. You will even find that your employer's representatives will wear suit & tie when bidding for the business that pays your wages. Why not call them up on the internal and ask? Tell us tomorrow.

I don't think you can blame the tie for the global financial crisis! You appear to be giving far too much credit to the humble tie, personally I would give more weight to good shoes, well polished. I have seen lots of bankers wearing suede shoes, I think this could be the problem.

I just think that enforcing a tie wearing policy is indicative of poor management practices.

And I don't think that sales roles are the most important in business.

There are many roles in business which are equally important.
I'm pointing out that in your industry the people who make the deals to build the products which keep you employed, will be suited & booted.

However, a company with excellent sales & marketing and a poor product will do well; whereas an excellent product with bad sales & marketing will get completely nowhere.

However, a company with excellent sales & marketing and a poor product will do well; whereas an excellent product with bad sales & marketing will get completely nowhere.

I see it the other way around, its the people who make the products and deliver the services that keep the suited and booted deal makers in employment.

Good products sell themselves, sales and marketing can only go so far when the products are bad, get a bad reputation and no sales team will save you.

Why does one have to be more important than the other? No wonder companies have to spend a fortune on team building exercises. Neither is more important than the other but you both need each other for the company to function. The sooner you understand the other side and get on, the better for everyone. It's not a competition, you work for the same team...

I see it the other way around, its the people who make the products and deliver the services that keep the suited and booted deal makers in employment

Not really.

You need both, much as it would pain most of us to admit it. The best products ever sometimes die because of lack of market support. Betamax was technically better than VHS IIRC.

Betamax was technically better than VHS IIRC.

If they don't provide them and it is required at work you should be able to claim a very small amount against tax. I get my shoes offset against tax IIRC

Ooooh - TJ's wrong! (although this isn't a dig as it's a common misconception). In order to claim an item as tax deductable, it has to be "solely and necessary for [your work]".
I.e. I could claim for a (replacement) stethoscope, but not suit, tie, shoes, or uniform, as I could wear it out of work...

DrP

MSP, I've been on both sides.
Here's a thought experiment.

Let A invest in & build a fantastic product and put it on a shelf.
Don't tell anyone about it (that's sales & marketing)

Let B build something that's only half as good, but invest in literature, salespeople, publicity.

After 3 months, who has the revenue?

I agree that all other things being equal you need a great product & service - but the sales process HAS to be there.
I'm pointing out that even in the space idustry which you think is pure and bullshit-free, there is a need for the suit & tie to bring in your wages.

As a rufty-tufty technical person the number of days I've had to spend wearing a suit for work have been very limited (confined mainly to a 1 month rotation to the office during my apprenticeship and a six month secondment to a office based project (that wasn't every day either). I have to say I quite liked wearing a tie, you can express yourself a bit if you know what you're doing. If a shirt and tie is uncomfortable - you probably have the wrong sized collar.
If I had the luxury of sitting around a nice clean air conditioned office, the least I could do was make the effort of a bit of sartorial elegance, though I don't think the girls in the office gave much of a toss.

I work in a school that's a bit alternative. Kids wear what they want and whilst some of them do a damn good job of creating themselves a uniform of their own there are also some pretty eccentric dressers out there which the rest of the school really value for their individuality. No piss taking. I dress in jeans and a casual shirt or tee shirt most days and occasionally jazz it up with a smarter pair of jeans and a jacket and my least worse shirt if I've got visitors or parents to meet. The kids also call the staff by the first name but that's by the by in the context of the thread.

I spent 10yrs in state education having to tell kids off for not having their ties the right length, not doing their top buttons up and tucking their shirts in - it seemed to be a constant battle. I frequently got bollocked by senior management for the state of dress of the sprogs in my charge. Thinking about it now from a distance it seems pathetic, especially considering how many of you lot don't wear ties in the work place. If boys are to be encouraged to be boys in their spare time and actually run around a bit I'd almost consider them a health hazard by current standards. Who didn't get peanutted good n' proper at some point as a kid?

After 5 years of not wearing a tie to work I'd find it hard to go back - I didn't even wear one to my own wedding.

It's casual here, but really frigging warm so I really would love to wear shorts. Some folk do, but not enough so I feel comfortable. However if it gets much hotter I'll have to play the 'women are allowed to wear whatever they want' card.

@Mol - might wanna check your contract for your proposed new job ...