Having to deal with a situation regarding the grooming policy in the very recent past, I can bring another twist to it. I am not opposed to anyone feeling the need to have a tattoo or a body piercing. Like we all agree, it is a form of personal expression and is appreciated and accepted these days. Then of course Grac touched the issue of food sanitation...which could be another issue all in itself. I won't even get into that one because it is just....well I just don't care to reiterate.
However, another issue that arises is that which stems from people not being made to follow the grooming guidelines. Everyone who comes into CP is told long before they arrive what guidelines they have to comform to...Every year I have gotten that grooming sheet as I am sure everyone else has. If we don't enforce the grooming that is required, then where does the leniency stop? If they can wear their earrings or not cover their tattoos, then they figure they can smoke behind their stand or ride in guest view, that they can be late to work and take extra long breaks, that they can just get away with whatever they please. This in turn makes you, the guests, upset that the service has gone down the toilet because the staff has become, well for lack of a better word...lazy!
I know you will say that this is not the issue...the issue is that the rules should be lenient (or "more with the times") to begin with. The bottom line is that it is hard enough to get a job done there in the first place, and some would be virtually impossible if everyone was trying to go off and do the same job in a different manner. It sounds silly that a little earring or a tattoo would have any bearing on this, but I can speak with a bit of experience. Working with around 200 people a year, I have learned that consistency is the key...we hire so many diverse people at CP...from minors to foreigners to college students. The diversity of the staff is something that sets us apart from any other type of employer. I have met many great people from all parts of the world. I have learned a lot about different cultures. I have gotten to know many people as individuals and I have been able to successfully work with a team and be able to see the fruits of my hard labor. I know many other people who have also been able to do this while their earring was on the dresser in their dorm or their tattoo was under a wrap.
I am not in any way trying to stereotype anyone...I know many people who have tongue rings and are extrememly hard workers. I am just saying that with such a large work force, consistency must be the norm, and I can say that I have had negative experiences with people who thought they were "holier than the grooming guidelines". It is a shame at this day in age that I have to make a statement like this, but some things are just better off unchanged...and this is one of those things.