No tattoo, no piercing, using a formal dress code at the office, and many other myths about “personal hygiene”, communication that relate to professionalism in the office. But in this new era is the myths still happening? or do they grow with the times? In addition to answering your curiosity about the myths, I met two fabulous employees from two different companies. They are Bento and Thegar, Bento is working at a drug company as a programmer, and Thegar works as an engineering in an Airline company, and they both work at corporate companies.

During the interview, we discuss a lot of communication, negotiation, adaptation, and professionalism at work. The communication at work both in Bento’s and Thegar’s company can give their opinion about things in the middle of a meeting. This is a very good point because these days freedom of speech is very rare to find a corporate company to give the freedom of speech to their employee because most of the corporate companies that society know are highly authoritarian. Even though the order of giving an opinion is after the executive but while meeting there are no boundaries between the manager, supervisor, junior, and staff. Bento said that “Is it okay and very fair to give the opinion for the company but what should we remember as an employee we need to keep the good ethics, good manners and give the logical opinion that is the professional way to give your opinion”.

But there are differences in task distribution in both companies. In Bento’s company, they often receive different projects between the job desk and the project that given, and unfortunately, the employee could not protest about it and must be done the project professionally even they did not want it. But Bento handles it with positive thinking he feels like with this project he can develop more skills and for him, in this case, his profession is being tested, and fortunately, he can do the project with excellent results makes him be more professional and learn to grateful because he can develop his skill. On the other hand, there’s a company if the employee receives a different project with their job desk the employee could protest, and later the manager will give them the new project that relates to their job desk.

Employees are one of the most important aspects of the company. If there is no employee the company could not run well. There are many ways to maintain and improve employee comforts in the company. Bento’s company build the principle of kinship like the three-musketeer slogan “One for all, all for one”. In There’s the company, they have an event such as an outing event, seminar, and also a psychologist to the employee whether the employee needs someone to talk to.

Different opinions at work between employees? Of course, it happens sometimes mostly when you are a new employee in the company. But how to deal with it? Both Bento and Thegar company have the same strategy to deal with it. The supervisor or manager will bring together the person who has a problem with each other, get to know each other, and talk or discuss. But if it doesn’t help the division will make a meeting to solve the problem.

How about the tattoo, piercing, and dress code in the office? Is it still happening? In Thegar office they have strict rules that no tattoo, piercing, and casual dress code allowed they have very strict rules with the dress code because they work with machines. In addition, personal equipment is extremely needed such as a helmet, google glass, safety jacket, safety shoes, and headphones or headset. Most important is do not to smoke while working unless the machine will be burned. Because his company works in service and meet people all the time. In addition, it could make the company brand bad. On the other hand, Bento’s company doesn’t have any specific rules about tattoos and piercing because they are in the IT division but as long as the company, uses the long shirt to cover the tattoo.

During the interview there are some interesting words from Bento, he said that “Tattoo and piercing as a measure of professionalism in this era is a little bit outdated. Because someone who used tattoo and piercing does not mean they don’t have the skill like any other people who do not have a tattoo and piercing. Maybe this is because of the perspective of the society that someone who uses tattoos and piercing is a criminal and has a very bad attitude. But keep this in mind don’t judge from what you see, recognize it first before judging and after that, you can see whether people who have tattoo and piercing is bad or not, surprisingly most of them have kind heart compared by the people who don’t have tattoo and piercing. Just remember don’t judge before you know them well”.

In addition to the myths of the strict and scary rules about tattoos and dress code in the company, there are still there to the company whom the work related to machines (because they have to wear safety items) and service such as the job that has to meet with people. But not all corporate companies are scary Bento’s company, for example, they could use the tattoo as long if there is a meeting, they have to cover it with a long shirt but they can use the short shirt to make them look professional. The corporate company also allows the giving opinion they are democratic, not authoritarian like people say during the meeting but still in a professional way. The corporate company really respect the professionalism in the company but some of the company already adhere to the start-up company like the casual dress code and allow the tattoo but still have to be professional and know the situation.

Keyword:  Communication, Myth, Professional Communication, Workplace Ethics & Behaviour

By: Caroline Jessica| 2201798080

This article is based on a PR Lab practicum project for the Workplace Ethics & Behaviour course