Confront or Not?

[SlickCountry]

I've been having some adverse reactions since I've gone sly.  I talked about a couple in a previous thread (http://www.slybaldguys.com/smf/index.php?topic=1291.0).  It has taken a different turn.  My boss, who I discussed on the other thread, told my brother-in-law (who got me the job) that he was afraid to send me out on company business because my appearance reflected bad on his business.  Not that it should matter, but his business is land surveying.  I come home every day dirty and nasty.  Should I say something to him, just find another job, or find another job and tell him why I'm leaving when I leave?

[Tyler]

Does your brother have anything to lose if you confront your boss?  Just asking, because I would confront the boss, but I wouldn't want to end up screwing my brother over by doing it. 

Either way, your boss should know that it's very comonplace these days and that there are thousands of customer facing people that shave their head.  Also, do you think your brother-in-law has another agenda and is just trying to use the "boss" as an excuse to get you to grow your hair back?

[Razor X]

I would just ignore anything you've heard second-hand until your boss says something to you directly.  Most people dislike confrontations and it's particularly tricky when you are confronting someone about their personal appearance.  If he hasn't said anything to you directly by now, it's probably because he doesn't feel comfortable doing it.  Just let things ride until he does say something to you.  It might never happen.

[Kajun]

thats messed up slick  ...one question for ya though..do you wear the 2 ear rings to work?...while i think that shaving your head should be perfectly ok for any job......my personal opinion on wearing ear rings to work is a "no-no"......i'd talk to the boss and see if its the shaving or the ear rings that he is buggin about.............it seems like you live in a pretty conservative area....where people are shocked at displays of individuality....so if it was me..i would drop the ear rings...allow the people around you to adjust to one thing at a time.....good luck

one more question....land surveying as in geophysical surveying for oil? or regular land surveying as in tracts of land,property bounderies?

[SlickCountry]

Let me add a couple things and see if any responses change.  He met me with my earrings in, and I always cut my hair to no guard during the summer.  We survey land (corner irons and property lines).  We come home with mud to our knees and cow crap on our shoes, and those are the good days....

My brother-in-law thinks that until the boss gets a complaint on me, then it should not be an issue.  The boss has said something about my hair almost daily since I cut it.

[Sgt. Pate]

You'll probably never know unless you have a closed door with him!   

[schro]

Job performance should be the #1 concern. Do the job well, and all should be forgotten. Sorry if this comment offends you (or anyone else), but if I were an employer, I'd be more concerned about earrings on a guy than a shaved head.

Personally, I'd apply RazorX's strategy. Ignore second hand chatter and address it when confronts you directly. Then, direct your boss to this website. We'll set him straight.

Peace!
Schro

[Cam]

Honestly, I would confront him face to face. I would leave my brother-in-law's name out of it, just tell him that I heard rumors that he's got a problem with it.. then find out why. Just talk through it, but don't give in. He should NOT be able to tell you what to do with your own head. That's what I hate about the job market. I have a shaved head, earrings (actually 00g holes), and 7 tattoos. I get sh*t about that stuff all the time, but it's my body and I'll do what I want with it. If you boss still has a problem, I would find a new job then let him know why.

[David]

I don't understand what the big deal with not having hair is all about.    Seriously?    Geez in most cases it's a vast improvement on a person's overall appearance and this attitude is a joke.  It's not like showing up to an interview with piercings other than earrings, and off the wall hair colors.   

I've been told by family members that I should grow back my hair/shave my beard for job fairs starting later this month only to go back to this look as soon as i'm employed.    I'm sorry, but that is the most asinine thing i've ever heard.    They can either accept me for me or i'll find a profession that does so.     I know I look 100 times more professional than I did going into last years job fairs(I could have passed for a 15 year old).   

And as for your situation slickcountry, I think you need to be looking into other career options.    The boss has seemed to already put you on his blacklist, and is just waiting for you to screw up.   A move might be best.

[Beer Barron]

Is there anything stated in a company dress code that you must have hair?  I can understand if they said you can't have hair below your shoulder or can't have facial hair(I deal with this one), but how can they require hair?

What if all of your hair falls out?  Then what?  This sounds insane to me man.  It is easy enough for me to say, "Find another job", but I first may ask the guy what is with all the hair comments lately? 

Unless you are a hair model, then how does hair help you do your job well?  I'm a little irritated for you Country.   

[Beer Barron]

Unless you are a hair model, then how does hair help you do your job well?  I'm a little irritated for you Country.   

Ok, I've cooled down now.      Maybe your boss secretly wants to be Sly and doesn't know how to say it.  Perhaps he is "taking it out" on you?  Trying to be a little more optimistic here after my last post.

[Paul]

Slick I can't help but wonder if this guy has some other agenda.  I'm one of two men at our school who sport the sly look and the only one who is BBC.  Public schools can be very conservative places and yet nothing has ever been said about my lack of hair and I've had private meetings with superintendents, principals and parents.  In my mind, this guy has something else bugging him.  Maybe you do need to request a private meeting and ask him straight out if he has a problem with your sly look.  It could be he has misconceptions you can clear up.  It sure  can't be good for you working with that kind of tension around.

[PigPen]

I'm a bit upset for you too Slick. That's absurd he would have a problem with it, especially in your profession. If you showed up with mud to your knees, I think a SLY noggin would be the least of someone's worries. I would ask him in passing, "Why all the comments about my hair? Or lack thereof."

[Ian]

I had this problem about 10 yrs back when i first shaved my head.I had told my boss at the time that i wanted to shave my head,he response was 'Shave your head & your down the road' well i was a little pi$$ed to say the least.I spoke to my mum about it (God rest her soul) and she said he couldnt do anything about it.
So down to the barbers i went and had a No 1 all over , his face the next day was a picture 
I told him there & then 'Ive changed my hair cut NOT my attitude'

and the rest his history

Surely it would be unfair dismissal if anything did happen

[Razor X]

I'm amazed that people are still having problems on the job because they decided to shave their heads.  The look is so common now, I thought we were all way past that.   I am an accountant -- one of the most conservative professions there is -- and it has never been an issue for me.  When I first shaved my head, I didn't get a single negative comment from anyone at work.  I got a few compliments, but most people didn't comment at all.  It was a huge non-issue.

 Most of the people I see with shaved heads are also white-collar types.  I see plenty of them on the train and on the street every day.

A larger company wouldn't get away with this, because there are people who are completely bald naturally.  There's nothing that can be done about that.  And if you have one person working in the company who falls into that category, then you can't tell other people that they have to have hair.