A viral social media post of a purported offer letter from an Indian company has triggered critical reactions for its rather strict and old-fashioned dress code regulations.
The photograph on Reddit’s r/IndianWorkplace site, captioned ‘What even is this’, left netizens shocked and amused.
The Redditor who posted it wrote, “My friend received an offer letter and we were going through it and just wow, what does tucking in shirts or pinning shawls even have to do with the work people do?”
What even is this
byu/anime_forever03 inIndianWorkplace
Boarding School-Like Rules
Reportedly signed for a developer position at Rs. 12,000 per month, the offer letter has under its section ‘Dress Code and Grooming’ rigid specifications for female and male employees.
For men, the policy dictates formal attire with shirts worn tucked in at all times. T-shirts are forbidden and jeans are only allowed when accompanied by a tucked-in shirt. The policy requires beards to be ‘well-trimmed and groomed’.
Women, on the other hand, have even more restrictive dress codes to follow. They are only permitted to wear kurtas and churidars, with shawls that are to be ‘properly pinned’. The code continues further to state that “Loose/open hair is not permitted. Hair should be tied up in a ribbon and kept neatly. Clothing must always be neat, modest, and in order.”
‘Feels Like School All Over Again’
Social media users did not hesitate to ridicule the dress code, comparing it with strict school settings. One of them joked, “Welcome back to school, fellas. And they did not mention anything about running in the corridor and pin-drop silence either.”
Someone else questioned the sexism in the policy and wrote, “Why the hell don’t they just ask women to wear formals if it’s about ‘professional’ clothing? This isn’t about professionalism, this is straight up misogyny.”
Social Media Slam
Most condemned the excessive bossing of employees’ personal attire, particularly considering the meager pay. A user sarcastically commented, “That’s normal. They should also remind you to cut your nails, when to wake up and when to sleep.” Another user stated, “Indian companies are run like schools with headmasters.”
The case has revived debate on old-fashioned corporate culture, particularly in small companies, and the way superficial dress codes tend to overlook true workplace productivity.
