The dos and don'ts of celebrating Halloween at work
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Utahns' enthusiasm for Halloween is spilling into the workplace, but striking the balance between holiday spirit and professionalism can be tricky.
Why it matters: Not all HR departments outline clear standards for costumes or office decorations and the lack of rules can turn festive fun into an uncomfortable situation or a workplace nightmare.
State of play: Jennifer Chang, an HR knowledge adviser for the Society for Human Resource Management, shared some tips for celebrating Halloween in the workplace with Axios Salt Lake City.
Do:
- Keep your costume work-appropriate, family friendly and dress code-compliant.
- Consider your job duties and safety mandates while planning your costume.
- Bring a change of clothes and makeup remover in case you're asked to change or join an important meeting.
Don't:
- Wear costumes that are sexually suggestive, graphic or offensive.
- Bring real or fake weapons.
- Shame others for not participating or dressing up.
What they're saying: "Halloween is a time to have fun, but it's not a time to accidentally or intentionally offend anyone," Chang advised.
State of play: Axios Salt Lake City recently invited readers to tell us how they plan to take part in the workplace festivities.
By the numbers: 91% of readers told us their office plans to celebrate the holiday and 73% said they intend to wear a costume to work.
- The vast majority — 82% — said management does not provide guidance or policies around costumes or office decorations.
Zoom in: Several readers told us the festivities have led to some awkward moments.
- A subscriber, who works at a research lab, said some gory costumes have caught them off guard, but their main concern is that everyone follows safety standards.
- Another said it's fun seeing other people in the office wearing costumes, but is often put on the spot or harassed for not dressing up.
- One reader said a co-worker made an unwanted advance at them for wearing a lifeguard costume that exposed their arms.
The other side: "I think most adults are capable of using common sense to deduce what is and what is not appropriate for a work Halloween costume," said one reader.
The bottom line: A little guidance can go a long way.