Bowing to company rules can sometimes feel like a hindrance. However, while most workplace regulations are in place for good reasons, some rules are more unusual. Read on as we take a look at the bizarre policies some employees have to live by, from workers at Disneyworld to UK marketers who were encouraged to come to the office naked.
Job candidates at Tesla are warned not to wear any kind of fragrance to their interview, according to a 2018 profile by Wired. Elon Musk apparently has such a sensitive nose that he can become agitated when confronted with odours. It was also alleged that he once became upset that the smell from his factory's liquid silicon would kill him. The billionaire's keen sense of smell isn't the only thing interviewees have to worry about – he reportedly told another candidate he didn't like his blue shoes.
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos had a novel rule during the company's early days. He insisted that every internal team should be small enough to share just two pizzas during a meeting. Rather than being a cost-saving exercise, this was to ensure maximum efficiency.
Employees at Canadian fashion brand Matt & Nat must also be careful about what they bring into the office. According to CBC, the brand wants its employees to share its environmental values; Matt & Nat doesn't use animal products to make its accessories, opting instead to use materials such as recycled plastic and rubber. This means that meat, fish, fur, and leather are prohibited, something potential employees are told at their very first interview. Montreal lawyer Jordan Charness has supported the policy, saying: "if this is a vegan company, they can say that everyone has to adhere to their vegan policies – at least at work."
In the wake of the #metoo movement, Netflix reportedly updated its employee policy on sexual harassment in the workplace. According to one of the streaming platform's showrunners, this included not looking at anyone for longer than five seconds, as doing so was "considered creepy". The new rules, implemented on the set of hit shows, also included no flirting, no lingering hugs, and no asking for colleagues' numbers.
In August 2019, Google CEO Sundar Pichai sent an email to everyone at the company, detailing a new set of community guidelines. The memo was focused on internal message boards and the topics employees are allowed to post about. As well as cautioning against speaking badly about the company's projects, it also banned talk on politics and other non-work subjects that may lead to "debates." The new rules were introduced with the aim of curbing tensions created by conflicting views among staff.
Any new recruit to the Disney cast member team will have to perfect the so-called 'Disney Point'. Employees at Disney World always point with two fingers instead of one, because in some countries – including China, Japan and Latin America – using your index finger to point is considered offensive. There's also a rumour that the gesture started with Walt Disney himself, although some believe pictures that appear to show him pointing with two fingers have actually been Photoshopped to airbrush cigarettes from his hand.
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Employees at Martha Stewart's Living Omnimedia must follow strict rules when it comes to their desk space, according to an employee who talked to Gawker. In 2009 when the media company's new offices were opened, they came with instructions for staff in order to prevent the minimalist design theme being tarnished. This not only included using red or black ink exclusively, but also banned them from bringing any personal items to work, including novelty mugs and framed photos.
The New York Yankees' facial hair policy dates back to the 1970s, when the baseball team's new owner George Steinbrenner stated that only moustaches would be allowed, and hair on the head must not grow past the collar. Despite Steinbrenner handing over control of the Yankees in 2008, the controversial policy still remains today. However, since New York State passed a law banning discrimination on the basis of facial hair in 2019, it's unlikely to be legally enforced if players choose to ignore it.
In 2012, a copy of Apple's internal Genius Training Student Workbook leaked to Gizmodo revealed some of the rules employees must follow when talking to customers. Negative words such as "crash", "problem", and "bug" are banned, and staff members are trained to avoid correcting customers or disagreeing with them. Instead, they must use the phrase "turns out". The guide gives a scenario where a customer wrongly argues that a programme isn't supported on their computer, with Apple staff advised to reply: "Turns out it is supported in this version."
Abercrombie and Fitch's Look Policy Guidelines for staff at its stores became notorious in the early 2000s. The biggest rule for store associates? They had to be good-looking. Former CEO Mike Jeffries told Salon in 2006: "Good-looking people attract other good-looking people... We don’t market to anyone other than that." Thankfully these policies, which included referring to sale staff as 'models' and requiring male staff to work shirtless, were overhauled in 2015 after Jeffries stepped down.
In a 2012 interview with the New York Times, former Evernote CEO Phil Libin (pictured) revealed that he'd taken internal communications at the office back to basics. Phones were first to go, as having them on desks meant they were "kind of encouraging people to talk" on them, and then employees were "strongly discouraged" from sending internal emails. The CEO believed it was too time-consuming and it was too easy to misinterpret the tone when reading it back.
Call centre workers at Norwegian insurance company DNB protested in 2012 after a shocking new rule was implemented. Company bosses had introduced a hi-tech surveillance system that would alert them when an employee spent too long away from their desk, with only eight minutes a day allotted for toilet breaks. While there's no word on whether the rule is still in place, it was branded "highly intrusive" and a breach of human rights by work unions and inspectors.
Staff at major UK engineering firm Sparrows received a stern email in 2013, forbidding the use of company milk for cereal. The message stated that the milk was to be used in tea and coffee only, and anyone doing otherwise would be "dealt with." Richard Wilson, executive director at the company, which had won contracts worth $247 million (£186m) that year, said the rule wasn't to save money, but to avoid running out of milk halfway through the day.
While American Apparel is now an online-only store, the company used to have strict rules on the appearance of its store assistants. Back in 2010, American Apparel staff guidelines were leaked by Gawker, and they included having long, natural hair, no make-up, and advised against blow-drying hair. It also noted that having a fringe was “not part of the direction we’re moving in." Appearance was clearly very important to hiring managers, with interviewees reportedly still having their photos taken in 2018.
Emirates' female flight attendants may be famous for their bright red lipstick, but there are other lesser-known rules surrounding their appearance. Firstly, no artificial hair colours are allowed, and the only acceptable nail polish colours are those that match their lipstick or hat. Staff are also informed which skin care products they should use, and are advised to wear face masks containing Vitamin C during downtime.
In 2016 there was outrage when a female contract employee working at accounting firm PwC in London was dismissed for wearing flat-soled shoes. Receptionist Nicola Thorp was sent home without pay after refusing to go and buy a pair of heels. The company stated that "the dress code... is not a PwC policy", but instead came from Portico, the company that provided temporary workers to PwC. Portico later said it would review its employee guidelines in terms of footwear.
Female staff at UK travel company Hays celebrated the end of an "archaic" rule in January 2020. The company's dress code had previously insisted that its female employees were not permitted to wear trousers, and must opt for knee-length skirts instead. Following a series of complaints, including a Tweet that went viral, the 40-year-old rule was finally scrapped.
An anonymous letter posted on Japan Today revealed some disturbing rules for employees at one unnamed Japanese company. According to the writer, staff are forbidden from wearing make-up and must wear only white or beige underwear. Most shockingly of all, female staff are not allowed to date men under 23 years old, with a cut to their monthly pay a punishment for doing so, alongside the submission of an official "self-reflection letter."
In 2014 a new employee rule at National Health Service (NHS) hospitals in Leicester, England caused quite a stir: medics and other emergency staff were banned from drinking hot drinks in public areas in case patients took offence, believing their doctors and nurses were slacking.
When Ségolène Royal (pictured) was appointed France's Ecology and Energy Minister in April 2014, one of her first acts was to create a new code of conduct for staff. This reportedly included ordering employees to stand in her presence, as well as a ban on having cleavage on show. Royal, who had already been nicknamed France's 'Iron Lady', also demanded that nobody use the corridor next to her private room while she was eating, as it created a "noise disturbance."
Staying with politics, Jacob Rees-Mogg was appointed as leader of the UK House of Commons by Boris Johnson in 2019. While the Conservative politician is known for his ultra-traditional views, office staff were still taken aback by his new rules. A leaked memo showed that, as well as banning the words "got", "very" and "hopefully", he also insists that all men are addressed using the title "esquire" as a courtesy. His workplace commands have allegedly earned him the nickname "the honourable member for the 18th century."
Tired of your office wardrobe? British marketing company Onebestway took 'dress-down Friday' to an extreme when it launched a startling experiment in 2009: its eight employees were asked to come to the office naked. Business consultant David Taylor reportedly came up with the idea to boost team spirit. "It may seem weird," he told The Sun, "but it works. It's the ultimate expression of trust in yourself and each other." The policy apparently came after Onebestway was forced to lay off most of its staff – who were probably glad to have missed out on the unorthodox dress code.
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