CEDR's HR Expert and sage from the 13th Century gives updated Halloween costume guidance.
Every year, we get more than a few calls about dealing with employees who have gone overboard with their work costumes. In the spirit of the Halloween celebrations at work, we decided to call forth our resident Sage, who has a penchant for thirteenth-century old-world language and is a bit over the top. We asked the Sage to write an article about Halloween parties in the workplace. Don’t worry. We interpret the Sage's guidance and simplify throughout.
Let’s start with the typical call.
“I just got into the practice, and I need ya’lls help. Today, we are having our Halloween costume party at work, and of course, we are open. Two of my employees are wearing costumes that are just not workplace- appropriate. Can I send them home? And I don’t want to be a buzzkill, but what can I do to keep this from happening again?”
The HR Sage Speaks:
Once upon a chilly October day, our dear doctor, fresh in the practice and sparkling with anticipation, dialed the sacred hotline of HR wisdom at CEDR, beseeching guidance in whispered tones of distress. “Friends of the Employer and Manager of People Realm,” he implored, “lend me your expertise. Behold, today, we revel in the ancient rite of Halloween festivity amidst our hallowed workplace. Alas! A conundrum most dire unfurls. Two amongst our ranks adorn attire most unbecoming for such a professional bastion.”
With a flicker of curiosity, the Sage at CEDR responded, “Pray, elucidate upon these sartorial choices?”
With furrowed brow and a sigh laden with the weight of propriety, the good doctor lamented, “Without venturing into the realm of the explicit, let it suffice to say that certain...derrieres... and affiliated anatomical locales are overly represented. A spectacle unsuitable for the tender eyes of progeny visiting our lair; and dare I say mine, a steadfast servant to both hippocratic and holy orders.
- The doctor called in for help because the two employees' costumes were not work-appropriate. He also loves dressing up for Halloween, but there is too much butt showing for his taste. He also happens to be a Deacon at his church and has no issue with Halloween when done all in fun and tastefully, but many of the practice’s clients come from his church, and he needs to do something now.
In the hallowed halls of CEDR, Halloween is viewed as a harbinger of innocent mirth, sugared delights, and an excuse to don the visage of beings both mythical and real. Yet, not all tread happily through the pumpkin-strewn path of October’s end. For some, the visages of sorcery, demonic entities, and other nocturnal horrors might ruffle feathers of religious or personal sensibilities.
“Fear not the dawn of All Hallow’s Eve!” proclaimeth CEDR, with a digital scroll unfurling on the sacred screens. "Revel, yet with counsel heeded and wisdom embraced.”
The sage is so dramatic. Plain speak. If an employee expresses concern about this or any Holiday celebrations, please take the concern seriously and call us so we can help you work through that issue.
The scroll whispers caution against attires brushing against the tapestry of adult allure, celebrity faux pas, or those mocking the sacred diversity of humankind. For amidst the jest and revelry, the specter of workplace harmony must remain untarnished, with respect soaring on the wings of bats into the moonlit sky.
“For those entwined in the delicate dance of office adornment,” CEDR advises, casting a protective spell of HR compliance, “Opt for the gentler symbols of autumn's embrace. Let the pumpkin reign supreme, with nary a ghoul nor graphic horror insight, lest ye trigger discomfort amongst thy brethren.”
Tell your people that attire that might offend, such as skimpy dresses and joke costumes in poor taste, can't be worn to work. Pick something else. And tell them in advance because what one person considers funny and tasteful another will not.
With quill, parchment, and the invisible ink of email, let the mandates be proclaimed, with guidelines clear as the harvest moon, and participation as voluntary as the flight of the lone, wise owl. Should doubt cloud thy judgment, seek counsel with the chieftains of management.
The best thing you can do is send out an email or a memo, well before the event, with some guidelines and reminders as to what is OK and not okay to wear at the office for the Halloween celebration. If you have doubts about your costume, run it by a manager. CEDR Solution Center members can find additional guidance, including a team memo that’s been pre-written by our experts in backstageHR.
“So, with twinkling lights and laughter bright, let the workplace echo with joy, devoid of strife, under the watchful gaze of HR’s protective sight.” And with a swish of the cape, CEDR vanishes into the mist, leaving behind an aura of understanding and compliance. For on Halloween, as with every hallowed eve, fun should be the sovereign ruler, with a court of respect and consideration for all.
Tldr: You can and should discreetly ask those two to cover up or make a costume change. There is no need to write them up or make a huge deal. Just bring it to their attention and ask them to adjust. If they have to run home, have them clock out.
