Do You Ever Take Your Shoes Off At Work?

My office is small, but it was really nice today to have all three of us in the main room barefoot. One of the girls I work with even commented on how great it is that none of us were wearing shoes. It's funny, you would think it wouldn't be such an issue, but it really can be. One of our former coworkers hated that 2 of us in particular don't wear shoes, so when the job brings you down it's good to appreciate some of the benefits you get, like being barefoot without hassle or prejudice. I love it that my female coworkers are getting comfortable without shoes.

Even if I find it hard to be barefoot 24/7, at the very least I'm barefoot almost always, and that is a wonderful thing!

 

when i wear my crocs, or my flats, i always have my shoes off. i keep them on when ther are spills and whatnot but other than that, i havent been yelled at yet,

 

I work in an open plan office with about 60 others for a multinational company in Auckland, New Zealand. From earlier this year, I gradually increased my barefooting at work until I've reached the stage that most days, I am 100% barefoot , incl going to team meetings. Generally, the only times I put shoes on is when I have a meeting with customers or suppliers. My boss has never said anything about my barefooting, and the others at work also generally say nothing. I've never asked for permission of course!

 

As I recall from my visit, Auckland was pretty unconcerned with bare feet - especially for a big city. Come to think of it, pretty much anywhere in North Island is cool with just about anything. Really the only location where I didn't see anyone walking barefoot was Christchurch. Geez i love that country... for so many more reasons than just this....

 

I only wear shoes when I HAVE to and for work I wear flip flops...I work at a flower shop (lots-o-fun!). And yes, I'm ALWAYS slipping them off at work, just to step into a nice soft pile of leaves, stems, and petals that I created while prepping the flowers. I heart my job!

 

In the UK more and more workplaces are adopting a casual dress code (the thin end if the wedge the traditionists cry!) and flip-flops are becoming more common place, which often get kicked off the minute they get to their desks, a practise I follow when allowed to do so. Unfortunately we have some quite dracochnian health and safety legislation in this country,along with too many personal injury lawyers which mean companies are scared to go too far down this route lest they get hit by a massive bare foot lawsuit :-(

 

I am in the UK too (London) and I am very lucky to be able to go to work in flip flops and take them off when I get in. I am an IT Trainer and I train in my flip flops and i get no comments from the people I train. Actually, some takes their shoes or sandals off under their desks, surely showing signs of relaxing and seeing me in my flip flops.
When I am not training, I take them off and walk around the building barefoot. I dont get any comments as some of the girls in the building do the same. I am so lucky to be working in a barefoot-friendly environment.

Keep em dirty

Mo

 

I agree with those posts about Auckland, and for that matter New Zealand as a whole. I was there about this time 3 years ago, at the height of their winter and even then I noticed a few barefeet, particularly among the Maoris. It was especially popular in Rotoroa where the springs and geysers mean the ground is always warm.It was in New Zealand I took my first tentative steps towards barefooting,although I compromised most of the time and wore flip-flops.The only people who commented were fellow travellers,while for the Kiwis it was no big deal.

 

After finding this thread and this forum, I have noticed that many people including myself often remove their shoes at work. And as I stated in another post, I feel that it is becoming more socially acceptable. I do not go barefoot 100% of the time as some of you on this forum do, but I feel more comfortable being seen barefoot in public or at work. I use to never remove my shoes at work when I first started my position 10 years ago, and never would go anywhere without shoes. Then I started to remove my shoes at my desk if my feet hurt and as time progressed I eventually would run a few errands barefoot and ocassionally remove my shoes after seated at a restuarant. Now if I decide to go barefoot in public I am very comfortable with having no shoes, with the exception of some restuarants, then I usually have a pair of flip flops in my bag if I need them.
I spent 3 days in a very nice hotel earlier this week for a software training seminar. I went to breakfast and diner everyday in the hotel restuarant without shoes and hadno problems, one the the woman that worked the front desk in the evenings did comment on how comfortable I looked when she saw me in the lobby at the nightly hotel managers reception. She admitted that when she was not busy she often removed her shoes when she was behind the counter, she said she always wore black socks and that way no one really noticed if she had her shoes off. I also noticed that the cleaning staff often was just wearing socks when thet were cleaning.

 

As part of a silent protest against our company dress code, I began sitting at my desk BF. When one of my female co workers noticed I was bf, she asked why. I said, guys are discriminated against in our dress code. Ladies are allowed to wear sandals and flip flops, but guys aren't allowed to wear sandals period. She thought it was cool of me to feel this way and agreed with me. Others in the office learned about my protest and encouraged me. I began walking around the office bf such as too the printer, coffee machine, mail room, etc. I happen to sit within 20' of the VP of HR. She caught me one day and asked why I was bf. I explained and she asked if I had read the latest version of the dress code. I hadn't and looked it up. It now says that the only shoes types banned are athletic shoes. Shoes must be comfortable and provide enough protection for the conditions. I asked if it was OK to wander around bf and she said she didn't have a problem with it as long as I didn't enter the workshop. Since then, I've been attending meetings and venturing into more of the building bf. The company is huge and employs approx. 3000 people campus wide. The first time I walked to the cafeteria, which is in another building, I got a lot of stares and a few questions. All comments were positive. Even though I didn't need to protest, I feel victorious. Makes me wonder how long I could have been bf.

 

I'm lucky and have my own office and hardly ever wear shoes there.

 

This is just a follow on from a previous post of being barefoot in the office. Here's a couple of pics:






Keep em dirty!


Mo

 

I don't go to work, but I do go to school! I only ever wear flip flops and I take them off whenever i sit down and on lunchtime breaks (and after school). In fact, I have forgotten my sandals at school on more than one occasion. Boy, did me and my friends laugh The only time I wear my flip flops at school is walking in between lessons, and sometimes not even then (I keep forgetting them lol)

 

We had a really wet morning in London today. I have been wearing shoes all week (yuk!), so today I decided to go to work in my mocassins (being Friday and all). Unfortunately, it got wet in the rain. So when I got into work, I took them off and put them to dry and walked round barefoot.

It was Day 2 of a training course I was delivering and I was barefoot. I told the people on the course what had happened and being barefoot, they called me the "Barefoot Trainer". They didnt seem to mind at all that I was barefoot and I felt so comfortable. It was great.

Keep em dirty


Mo

 

Well I can then but then I can't. I work as a retailer services rep so I'm performing service functions at various retail accounts. The job involves traveling from location to location, I can slip off my shoes when driving, but when I get to my next stop the footwear must go back on.

Many of the establishments I visit are very small and I'm only there for a few minutes. Even though I'm not supposed to, I have in certain places, worn my flip flops with my blue jeans hiding most of my feet. We are allowed to wear jeans, but no flip flops. I always work alone and the people that I deal with don't sign my paycheck. So, as long as I'm wearing shoes, they really don't seem to care what kind of footwear I have on.

 

my kid came home crying from school today because they made him put his shoes and socks back on.

 

Poor kid. Do they ever stop and think that some might learn better if they are in bare feet? He's home now, make sure he gets barefooted, no need to suffer.

Of course that's a switch. I would have came home crying if they told me to take my shoes and socks off !

 

When I worked at the nursery I was good friends with the owner... I'd work barefoot.... I love to get my feet dirty.

 

I don't wear shoes to work anymore.

 

I wish I could.

@ Kool Hand where do you work that you don't have to wear shoes ?