EDITORIAL

For some time, right thinking members of society have been offering advice to young people about the world of work and the fact that workplace is becoming more competitive.

In this economy – or even in a thriving one for that matter – there are not any ‘sure’ jobs waiting for most students when they leave school, hence they must strive to be exceptional, not only for Barbados, but worldwide.

Despite the fact that this advice is given to prospective employees for the future, young people who are now entering the world of work or those who have ambitions of promotion should digest these words of wisdom for their personal development and the advancement of the organisation with which they work.

However, a relatively new culture, which brought some shock to employees of yesteryear and even some in this day and age, has persisted, and while it seems to be more accepted than before, it is also acknowledged that senior managers in firms across the island and across the world still outwardly uphold and embrace the values of yesteryear whereas attitude, aptitude and the outward appearance of tidiness and decency are always in place, especially for those who want to achieve more within those said organisations. One should always be aware that outward appearance is still, in this day and age, equally as important as other attributes that the employee may deem important.

This culture which has seen the increase in visible piercings and tattoos in the corporate setting within the last five years, has caused quite a stir with management and other employees who would have entered these establishments years before this trend even broke the surface. Young employees are more and more incorporating their weekend dress into their work wear, and this has become such a popular trend that lines are now blurred in organisations to the point where some managers are now going back to basics and insisting upon a more corporate appearance to ensure that at least the professionalism in dress is seen when clients approach the office.

These trends, for the most part, have permeated into Barbadian society. Many of the established generation have brushed them off as immaturity, while others have expressed annoyance at this emerging 'distraction' that does not seem to bode well for the country or for business practices period. There is a school of thought that if the attire does not match the occasion, the behaviour exhibited will also be mismatched.

Daily, when the average person who is not accustomed to this culture transacts business, the apprehensive train of thought lingers in the subconscious and some may go on to exhibit this apprehension about the visually unconventional styles that stand before them.

Even though we look toward western developed countries to blame for these changes in our corporate landscape, we should remember that most people in the serious positions there still wear the attire to reflect their occupations. Barbados has done well in advancing her people through education, however, for us to truly excel, we must adopt and practise only that which will impact us positively.