I have a coworker who never fixes herself for work...?

Question

She wears no makeup, no nice clothes, I wonder if she even showers. Nothing nice to see at all! She just ties up her hair and comes in to work. She says that since she has 2 kids and has to wake up early, that she does not have time for that, and doesn't care anyway.

Do most working women with kids feel this way? Is she just being lazy? What do you think?

Answer 1

A few questions: 1. What kind of work is done in your office? Does this person have a lot of personal contact?
2. Is there a dress code for your workplace?

Observations: 2 kids take up a lot of time, especially if they are young. Also, she may be depressed. Only a qualified doctor can help her with that.

I don't wear makeup at work, either. But, my appearance is clean and professional. I work in a library with a large female workforce. Most of us don't wear makeup. I wear moisturizer and some medication for my Roseacea.

Makeup costs money (which may be why the young mom isn't wearing any).

If you are really concerned, talk to your supervisor.

If this woman is doing her job, showing up on time, not taking a lot of sick leave, then, I say leave her alone.

Just my opinion.

Answer 2

You know, she's probably not stuck up and superficial. She is comfortable in who she is not what all the paint on her face makes her look like. You ever heard it's not the outside but the inside that matters. I have 3 kids and believe me getting my face did is not important and people still think it's okay that i go out in public. Maybe you should get to know this woman and take a few of her secrets home with you. I bet you would be a better person. Oh yeah stop being so nosy. Are you jealous of her for some reason?

Answer 3

What do you do that appearance is so important? I used to work in a call center and started at 6:00 am... believe me it was a rarity to see anyone get 'fixed up' for work! I'm sure this woman showers.. you would know if she didn't!

Most women dress up to the standards required by the employer. If the way this woman dresses is acceptable to management it's none of your business. Makeup is certainly not required unless she's a cosmetician :)

Answer 4

I think some people might envy the casual atmosphere of your workplace! There might be a bit of lazy behind her attitude, but likely it's just inattention to detail, since she's involved with other issued in the mornings. But, as a prior person stated, it's not your place to comment on her appearance, but if there's a dress code, management can enforce it.

Answer 5

even as i will completely understand your frustration, i don't think of it morally merely to threaten to end your interest over it. There are slackers at each interest you'll ever artwork, to boot as spineless bosses afraid to hearth suggested lazy worker. yet until eventually this remarkably lazy coworker is really endangering someone, sexually or bodily harassing them or merely being flat out belligerent & arising a unfavourable artwork ecosystem i do not trust you threatening to end over his unfavourable interest performance. Yeah, it sucks, yet he might want to be worse. He can be a bodily abusive pervert. as a lot because it sucks to %. up his slack it is going to come to an end finally. confirm the those that are complaining are doing so in writing also, dated & kept, so as that way if a higher issue ever does get up you may have a case to provide a higher up in human aspects relating why you sense so strongly about him being fired. solid success & perfect needs :)

Answer 6

I think she is probably worn out from being a working mother of 2 and also maybe a little lazy. I don't think it matters if you work with the public or not, people should take pride in their appearance. Yes, I agree that our society puts more emphasis on appearance than is necessary, however, I believe we as women can be beautiful and confident without going over board. I am a mother of 2 and granted I don't work outside the home, however, I am up at 5 a.m. with my husband, getting him off to work, I clean my house, prepare lunches, etc. and I still take care of myself. I go to the gym 6 days a week and I make sure I am fixed up when my husband gets home or when I pick up the kids. There is no excuse in my mind for looking unkempt whether you work or not. I do realize not everyone has that mind set. And I have to agree that if it isn't affecting her performance at work then it really isn't a huge deal. She is the one that looks bad not you.:)

Answer 7

There are lots of reasons why a woman might not wear makeup. She may have a sensitive skin. She may not like the feel of makeup (I don't, it feels like I'm smearing dirt on my face when I put makeup on). She may have come from a background where wearing makeup was considered morally repugnant. Or, more likely, if she's a single mother with two kids, she just can't afford to buy makeup. Good makeup costs a lot of money!

As for her dress, not everyone wants to spend time and money looking like an image from the pages of Vogue. Again, if your co-worker is the sole support of her family, she just may not have the money to spend on nice clothes. Or her priorities may be different from yours-- maybe she's putting money she could spend on makeup and clothing and having her hair done into a college account for her kids, or saving up for a down-payment on a house, or maxing out her retirement savings account.

If her job doesn't require that she interface with upper management, clients, or potential customers, her appearance probably isn't important. If she's good at her job, that's all that matters.

People have different priorities when it comes to spending money and time. Some people might consider it frivolous to spend money on fancy clothes, and phoney to paint their faces up. Would you like to be judged negatively for your priorities? For every physical image, there's a negative stereotype that goes along with it: your stereotype of people who don't care for their appearance is that they are lazy. The stereotype of people who care greatly about appearance is that they are shallow, vain and superficial. Would you like people thinking bad things like that about you because you spend time on your appearance?

I think that quality people do not judge others on appearance alone. They withhold negative judgements that are based on stereotypes and concentrate on the important things about people, like character and personality and integrity. And when they catch themselves making a snap judgement based on someone's appearance, they back off and recognize that it's possible that someone could make a negative snap judgement about them.

Answer 8

My best friend is like this. I love the girl--but she wears jeans and a turtleneck to interviews. It's her position that if they aren't interested in her for who she really is, if all they want is the superficial exterior--than she doesn't want to work there anyway.

A lot of women use that as an excuse. You can have kids and still look nice for your husband. But so many women get married and just completely let themselves go.

I don't believe most women feel that way. Unfortunately there is nothing you can do about it. I've talked to my friend til I was blue in the face...I've made her up before (and that was odd too as I'm really not a girlie girl myself. much more of a tomboy) but I spent 10 minutes on her hair after she washed it and it looked awesome. Perfect ringlets, gorgeous color. I've tried to dress her up on dates and the guys were in shock. But she really doesn't care. She looked like a hobo at my wedding--hair unkept, wrinkled clothes, looked like she just rolled out of bed for it.

Many would say its their own way of rebelling against the restrictions they feel society imposes on them. Anti- women as sexual objects. Makeup and dresses are just another way of men reminded us that we are not suppose to be on equal ground and that women should rebel against this kind of oppression. However I feel I can be attractive and sexual without giving up any of my career goals and ambition.

I think they are just lazy. But you'll never be able to tell this co-worker. Best thing to do is just get with it or avoid her.

Answer 9

What type of work do you do? Do you work in a field where appearance is important (with the public for example) also, if its a problem I am sure her manager or superviser will speak to her about it.

Answer 10

I work in a university environment and most of the professional women do not wear makeup or dress up for work.... usually lower level file clerks, receptionists or dept. store clerks do that.