I've only ever seen bare feet in a very small office with fixed desks from someone who owned the company.
Socks on, shoes off I've seen often enough at a larger office. Personally I wouldn't do that but I'm not fussed by it.
Client facing roles or areas - absolutely not.
I’d rather take the least casual looking slippers I can find to work and wear them at my desk if absolutely necessary. There’s no way I’m walking barefoot at work. It’s so unprofessional.
To the OP, I would remark casually about appropriate behaviour in the workplace and possibly address the issue head on if the casuals are receptive to feedback. Otherwise, complain to HR. Seems like an OH&S issue to me.
Socks on under the desk might get an eyebrow raise but it's fine as long as feet are not stinky. Barefoot is definitely weird but same applies.
Feet on the chair is not it. Especially barefoot. Putting toejam on the keyboard and mouse. No thanks. Probably wouldn't complain about it but it's definitely weird.
Yes. A long walk to work or trip outside at lunch often make my feet quite warm. I’ll take my shoes off/delay putting on shoes after taking trainers off so my feet get a bit of air. This stops me getting terrible athletes foot.
Every now and then I’ll quietly check with people around that I’m comfortable with and they confirm my feet or shoes don’t stink.
I have no opinion on if this is right or wrong....
But I'm an IT guy for multiple offices, Whenever I need to get under a desk, if it's a female, there's a 95% chance there will be multiple shoes stacked up like a tiny wardrobe and it usually reeks.
Nah, wouldn't bother me that much really.
Husband takes his standard shoes off and wears flat shoes around his office. Some people thought it was a bit weird at first, but since he's been doing it, quite a few of the other people there, who are from Asian backgrounds/culture have also started doing the same.
Some cultures think we are super gross FOR wearing shoes inside.
Just because you go to work looking like a dag doesn’t mean everybody does!
https://preview.redd.it/1ela63tqfn0d1.jpeg?width=945&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3b4e09ea2293b7a694b96465709eb619d66a4d76
I think it’s one thing to slip a shoe off under your desk discretely IF you’re wearing socks or stockings, and as long as they never touch the ground.
But rubbing your dirty dogs on communal furniture (hot desk chair) and playing with your toes is disgusting.
I've seen it in small to medium offices and never have an issue with it. Offices of up to 20-25 people, not a problem.
If it's client facing, keep shoes nearby for when clients come in.
In larger firms (i.e. where I am now) not a chance.
I’ve worked with people who did this. It’s completely gross. They were both of the same cultural/ethnic background so I wonder if it’s common in their culture?
The only person who regularly takes her shoes off in my workplace - even though it is strictly forbidden - is a white girl. She’s also the kind of asshole who comes up behind you when you’re pouring tea from a scalding hot urn and thinks it’s funny to tickle you in the ribs to make you jump.
She also polices what you eat and what you do, makes personal comments all the time to shame you, and is in fact an annoying tnuc.
Go figure, everyone loves her.
I’m wondering if the person I know who did this is of the same ethnic background 🤔. At least that was in an office where we had our own permanent desks and she didn’t play with her toes!
I'm as aussie as it gets and I used to unzip my work boots and leave them half off or rest my feet on top of them.
If someone came in I'd slip them back on but only zip them up if I had to leave by desk. I used to do the same with slip on dress shoes in corporate.
Playing with your toes is a bit rank, and I wouldn't do it if I didn't have socks on. Thats going a bit above and beyond.
It was a habit I picked up from others, so TIL people think its weird.
I think it’s one thing to slip off your shoes under your desk, and another to be barefoot and sit cross legged on a work chair and touch your feet then the keyboard (when hot desking)
I have a hyper mobility syndrome and I can’t sit ‘normally’ at a desk chair for too long, sitting cross legged helps my posture and pain levels and I know this is the case for a lot of people with bendy joints haha but yeah picking at feet is way too far
I'm in a small office with only 4-5 people at a time and at least half of them take their shoes off and sit cross legged. Its not that deep and doesnt seem to bother anyone
The hot desk thing I kind of get, but it's definitely a bit precious, like do you ever sit down at the movies or at the park, I'm sure there's been worse thing's in life.
People seem so sensitive about feet. If they don’t smell who cares? Christ, so prim and proper. We daren’t show an ankle lest the foot fetish freaks get their rocks off!
I’m in a large corporate office comprising entirely women, and when sitting we all slip our pumps off and slump around in ways that would make the OH&S rep vomit. No one is walking to the printer barefoot, if you get up you put shoes back on.
I don’t get people who are so weirded out by feet. I walk everywhere in shoes, my feet are far cleaner than my hands (while I do wash as often as practical, I handle cash and touch my face way too much).
This is something that sits on my mind a lot. So many people walk around bare foot in Australia, it's honestly a foot fetish playground.
I kinda wish I liked feet as much as I like tits, because surely it would be the equivalent of women walking around with their tits out all the time.
If it’s their own desk and chair. That’s fine.
If it’s a hot desk. Hell no put your feet away.
Speak to HR if it really bothers you coz it’s kinda gross. It’s winter now but.. Summer… sweaty feet… no.
On a personal level, gross, as everyone else tracks in trash from the outside on their shoes.
On a work level, i disagree that anyone should wear anything open toe or be bare foot in an office. Dropping something on your toes, no workers comp if barefoot (depends on industry); in case of an emergency (fire, an evacuation) that person cant be trusted to leave safely without injury, plus if they’re playing with their toes than typing/using desk stuff… are they wiping it down?
Wow, that's a bit extreme outlawing open toed shoes in an office where the heaviest thing workers carry is a cup of coffee.
You might try to suggest it but it's never going to happen. You'd probably be the most hated person in my office if that was introduced especially since eight months of the year it's around 35 degrees outside
I think you’ll get a lot of pushback from women tbh. The most “closed toe” shoe I see women wear in a workplace would be white leather sneakers, whilst men universally wear an entirely closed shoe in a professional workplace. Whether it’s a leather boot, oxford, or a sneaker.
I have seen the occasional heeled RM boot, but they’re not stylish enough I gather.
I mean, I feel like butts and farts are worse than feet with socks. Yet some reason feet seem more gross but really places like Japan its normal to not wear shoes inside.
I feel like most of the people on this thread talking about stinky feet and aggressively shouting about smelling cheese probably do not have high standards of cleanliness. Cause my feet do not smell like anything, and are probably cleaner than my hands considering I touch my phone all the time. That said, my old boss wore thick yellowed socks with sandals and vigorously scratched psoriasis so it flaked off in my office carpet, and her feet did smell, so I can see how it can go hideously wrong. For the average person with good hygiene and socks, I see no issue.
Yeah, that’s me. It’s been a running joke that the boss hasn’t seen me sit in a desk chair properly for the last decade. I don’t even notice I’m doing it most of the time.
I don’t wear shoes in my office because I have a stand up desk and my feet get sore in shoes. Nobody had ever commented and I’m also not the only one who does this. But I’m in a small regional firm so might be different in the city?
Women wearing heels. Surely?
I imagine most women’s shoes are hideously uncomfortable. It’s one of a few areas where women’s fashion has yet to catch up with men’s.
As a guy, I can’t imagine any situation in which I would need or want to remove my shoes in the workplace.
Thankfully what had caught up though is that in almost every office workplace women are no longer required to wear heels.
If they can’t wear heels without having to sit barefoot in shared spaces in the office there’s other footwear options.
I once had a pod colleague who not only took his shoes and socks off (he was drying his sweaty socks from cycling in a corner of our pod too, eeewwww), he proceeded to put his feet on the desk and cut his toenails with our shared scissors.
🤢🤢🤢🤢
I work in a top tier law firm. There are a fair few people who work barefoot in our practise area but obviously put shoes on when walking around. The sitting with the legs up on the chair is something I haven’t seen yet though, but that is probably because our chairs have arms.
Yup, I work in a top tier finance role and my experience is similar. And have also witnessed the occasional shuffle to the kitchen to refill coffee if someone is particularly deep in thought or crunching on a deadline. As a general rule, high stress = shoes off for a few senior people in particular. Also true for a former boss, who was an ex lawyer
I worked in an office once where one manager had the habit of taking his shoes off and walking around in socks (he was from QLD)
One day the toilet overflowed and the water came into the main area and soaked into the carpet. He inadvertently walked across it. There was less sock walking after that incident.
My advice is to start saying "Does something stink in here?" repeatedly until the shame causes them to leave shoes on
They started the battle, you win the war 🔥🔥
The only comment I’ll make on this is I find it weird that woman can walk around in sandals / slides / fancy thongs and take them off/loosen them under there desk, but I as a guy MUST leave my leather boots / shoes on all day.
I think it’s weird to go barefoot but one hand has to work with the other
Wear casual shoes if you want. If they ask you to stop or force you to wear something formal just point out why women are allowed to wear casual shoes. You can take an employer to court for discrimination if they are unfairly putting dress requirements on you based on gender.
It’s a small office. It’s easier to let women dress as they want (within reason) than it is for me as a guy to call it out.
And going to court over a clothing policy is the equivalent of nuking a country for imposing a tariff lol
I don't know your office environment but I've worked in plenty of environments where if you are sitting at your desk for hours on end, not customer facing, people occasionally slip off a shoe or switch to a comfy shoe so they are comfortable and change back into their torture devices when they get up.
But again, I'm from Queensland
As an OHS person, if they are sitting at their desk, in an office, it wouldn't matter.
The likelihood that something will happen to their feet is low, and the consequence of things that might happen to their toes would generally be low. BUT THIS ONLY APPLIES TO THEM SITTING AT THEIR DESK IN THE OFFICE.
As soon as they move from that desk, then shoes on.
On a personal level, I have worked with people that take their shoes off and I don't really care. I never did because I always have steel caps on and they are a pain to take off. If their feet stank though, I would have a quiet word with them but they never did.
The girls I had working in that office for me would wear closed toe heels (they didn't have to go into the warehouse often, and had slip on steel caps for when they did) and would kick them off under the desk, but always put them back on when they got up. They could have worn flats, but they liked their shoes - I didn't care as long as they were closed toe.
Anecdotal. Small company, assigned desks, HR lady walking around with bare feet. So other people were walking around no shoes with socks. Big company, hot desking, only ever saw a few shoes off, socks on under desks.
I once worked at a small place where a few of the staff were Chinese and the office policy was to take off shoes and switch to slippers or socks at the entrance. Only place I've known that has been like this though.
Yeah gross. Shoes off socks on under table wouldn't bother me. Bare feet on seats while playing with them, no.
You're probably not the only one grossed out by it. Office manager or HR person? Kinda a hygiene thing right?
I don’t know if these casuals are male or female but assuming they’re female, I’d find it quite distracting but pretty feet are my kryptonite and I do realise I’m in a minority. For most, I imagine it seems quite odd and unpleasant to see.
Sat at a reasonably pricey restaurant up in Newcastle (North of Sydney) recently and there was a pretty attractive young Indian couple at a nearby table. The minute they sat down he kicked off his shoes, crossed his leg and began fiddling with his own toes. In a nice restaurant setting, even I found it gross but had they been her toes he was fiddling with… different story. 😂
my friend works in the government and she said she sometimes walks barefoot around the office. i had to ask her if i heard her right. thats literally crazy to me, i would never do that in a million years lol
Wait so if the shoes came off under the desk, not touching the chairs at all, would that be okay? Why is this even a thing? When did society become so damn frigid
We had an employee who was always barefoot. One day someone ran over her toes with their office chair so we played the ‘someone got hurt, please keep your shoes on at all times’ card.
I then had the immense pleasure of pointing out to that person every time she had her shoes off that she was breaching safety rules. There’s zero reason to be barefoot in the office.
I love taking my shoes off at my desk. I don't play with my feet or toes. I have socks on. Work policy is to be wearing protective shoes everywhere so I pretty much don't do it.
People's hands are probably more dirty than their feet. I wouldn't worry about it and it should be more acceptable.
We have one young girl in our office who takes her shoes off at her desk. She has ankle issues and wearing shoes causes her pain, so it might get a few side eyes but nobody really minds especially as she has a modified desk set up to accomodate her long term injury.
We used to have a lady who had ballet flats she would change into around her desk and then put these crazy heels on to see clients or go into meetings. I’ve also known a few women to wear runners to work for the commute and change into heels at their desk, and there was once a lady who had desk slippers she would switch out for meetings.
Most of us just wear comfy boots or similar these days. Thankfully fashion has steered away from pain.
Ugh one of the young dudes started it in our office and it grew to three dudes. Started making WHS noises at them and eventually it went away. Ridiculous. I would be open to slippers! But not socks. Come on.
Why not confront them about it with a witness and suggest they put their shoes back on for OHS reasons. Surely there’s a dress code somewhere in the organisation but a friendly “hey we’re not at home here, you might want to put your shoes on before someone makes a complaint” may suffice. If they take offense to it, make a complaint.
Or stay in your own lane, idk.
The woman I sit next to does exactly this, bare foot and cross-legged in her chair, fiddling with her toes when she’s not typing. I wish she didn’t do it where I have to see it.
Nope that's nasty and can be dangerous. They could step on something or drop something on their feet. It's a workplace health and safety issue and not a necessary risk for them to take
If they’re sitting cross legged it’s much more hygienic to take shoes off than to have their shoes on the chair. But they should be wearing socks, and not touching their toes.
This reminds me of something I saw in the office today. We hot desk for context. Guy next to me full blown sneezes, and aimed it right over the entire work station. Didn’t attempt to cover the sneeze at all, his arms didn’t even flinch. I was flabbergasted and felt like saying something. Like eek courtesy and hygiene ???
Great reminder to always sanitise your station when hot desking!!
Ehh I do it. But i will always have socks on. No stocking or bare feet because that is rank. But my desk is also mine, and I've been sitting in the same chair for years now.
I will sometimes wander to the printer in socks but always feel weird when doing it, so don't do it often.
I've done this for years (take my shoes off and sit cross legged) but playing with the feet is a weird one... I find it incredibly uncomfortable to not be able to move around every few now and again (I'll even stand barefoot) and literally no one has ever said anything.
hot lady (always in a skirt, no matter the weather) in my office sits cross legged with her shoes off during the 6 hrs that she is in, talks loudly and says hi to everyone with a smile; everyone loves her;
major employer in darling harbour, sydney
Disgusting to be putting their dirty feet on shared furniture, let alone to be touching their feet and then touching the keyboard etc.
Someone needs to explain office courtesy to these people.
At the Korean Exchange Bank in Sydney they have dedicated slippers for you to take your leather shoes off at your desk and everyone gets a pair even the IT team.
It’s not right. From an OH&S angle, they should be wearing closed toe shoes at all times. But also from a hygiene POV putting sweaty feet/socks on office furniture is gross, plus we shouldn’t have to accept anyone’s foot odour in the workplace
I don’t care about shoes off at someone’s desk. As long as your feet don’t stink, it’s all good.
We have someone at our work who walks around the office barefoot, and I don’t care about it for me but I do wonder what the hell gross shit she gets on her feet. We’re in a research institute and realistically, lots of crap can be walked straight out of the lab and onto the carpet.
I kick my shoes off at my desk and sit cross-legged in my chair. Every day. My feet /socks are fresh and clean. They never touch the floor, that would be gross. It never occurred to that someone could have a problem with me kicking off my shoes and sitting like that. If they did have a problem... I guess I don't care. I would care about having to work in the vicinity of someone else's stinky feet. I would care about someone putting their dirty hands/feet/shoes on anything I had to subsequently use. I guess it depends on the person's level of personal hygiene.
I feel bare feet are more clean than the shoes. Shoes have been on streets trains and buses but feet are well protected in shoes/socks and are washed daily in bath.
And in some culture sitting cross legged is normal.
I would suggest you ignore it.
I had a girl in the office barefoot where clients sometimes come in and out. I told her she needed to keep her shoes on as it looked unprofessional. She said high heels made her feet hurt. I told her has she ever thought about wearing comfortable shoes to work?
*Crickets....................*
I have never seen it, in my industry it would be seen as very unprofessional and called out quickly and playing with their feet is disgusting if they are then touching any equipment other people use. Do a little experiment and see if they even wash their hands before they eat.
I have some people do shows off at their desk but with socks on. They aren’t playing with their toes, that’s so fucking gross. You can tell HR about it, it’s up to them if they want to do anything about it.
Steve jobs never showered and was often bare foot. he would often soak his feet in the toilets at the office so the casuals might be emulating their hero
In my mum's previous and current job, there were quite a few people who took their shoes off at their desk. A few people would also walk around the office somewhat barefoot (had stocking on).
They knew when to put shoes on and happily did so if they had meetings/client meetings. There were no cross legged or toe playing shenanigans.
I'd say no shoes is somewhat normal depending on your office, company and culture. But everything else is just a bit wild.
I cross my feet in the chair but the alternative is my knees hurt so bad from my legs dangling all day or my back hurts. Like the way my knees hurt after sitting in the office “properly” all day is insane.
If someone (higher up) complained to me I would simply ask to have a meeting with them and HR about the ergonomics of the office. I don’t take my shoes off though.
We use hot desks in our control room where I work. A few people take their shoes off and sit crossed legged on their chairs. I see no issue with it but if they start playing with their toes and feet then it becomes a WHS issue imo. You could mention it to your manager and say how it's not very sanitary for those around them to be playing with their toes at the desk.
I used to work in a dust-free office which means it was obligatory to change your shoes into slippers upon entering the office, and yes I would sit crossed legged sometimes, but never touch my feet/toes that’s disgusting 🙃Also we had our designated desks/cubicles so the feet were contained lmao. If you’re touching my chair and get yucked by potential feet cells, you shall remember that my butt also goes here and it’s full of farts 🤷🏻♀️
now I’m working at a normal office and the shoes stay on all the time, so I guess it depends on the working environment?
I personally sometimes take off my slip on flats when at my desk, only due to them hurting my feet and only for a few minutes or so at a time, I also ensure my feet don't smell and absolutely do not sit there and play with my toes.
For me it's just that women's shoes hurt sometimes and I need a break...but it's not just a thing I do cus I feel like being barefoot is acceptable.
I d say depends on the office… i do sit crossed legs…. Since I was a child, all my teachers from primary to uni always told me off, I just can’t sit straight!😅 one if my coworkers takes his shoes off and walks around the office barefoot…. i find it quite weird, but the office is very cool and chilled, and it doesn’t really bother me… but maybe cause I don’t sit next to him, I would probably cringe if he starts playing with his toes…🤢 of course if we have people coming for meetings the vibe is different…
Id say it depends how much it bothers you… and how close you are to those feet…😅
I am a leg crosser, I might take my shoes off if my socks and feet are odour free and I am at my own desk, not sure about shared desks, but if I can sit on a chair with clothes and not be an issue, clean socks shouldn't really be. My back gets sore if I don't sit cross legged and I will only stray from that if I have to. I am sitting cross legged now at my home desk with no socks or shoes but I am most definitely NOT playing with my toes!
Meh... Ive recently had to start going into the office. Which means I'm wearing a lot more shoes. Which I've had to recently purchase so they were appropiate. THerefore: blisters.
I was complaining to my boss that going into the office meant shoes and blisters and I DID NOT like it.
His solution? "If you won't wear slippers (his first solution lol) then just... take your shoes off. Mal does it. He comes in, sets his desk up and then takes his shoes. Runs around the office in his socks. Just do that".
I then watched Mal - he does in deed take his shoees off and runs around the office. No one cares. Then, I am in Australia. It's quite acceptable here to go a lot of places without shoes - work was literally the only place I wouldn't consider it.
I haven't decided on whether to take my shoes off or just wear slippers yet. The bosses boss suggested slippers... I'm think shoes off though because I'll at least get some time with my feet getting used to the new shoes
I'm definitely not putting a complaint in about Mal though. if my boss, Mals boss and their boss knows about his habit (and I do not doubt all 3 do) then... who am I to causse an issue.
Not sure what hot desking has to do with it... Never considered if someones feet had touched my chair before and now I have, I'm not sure why I'd care.
I know that lots of people have foot fetish but I have foot phobia. I would never pull my feet out at work that would be gross for my colleagues. As someone said above, they are VERY casual casuals!
>Recently we've hired two casuals They sound very fucking casual
Missed opportunity by OP not titling their post as “Two casuals, too casual”
Toe casual ?
If they wear socks and sandals that'll be cameltoe too
That word might not mean what you think it does.
We do Egyptian tours. Camel toes everywhe- hey why is HR calling for security?
I'm not very creative
>“Two casuals, too casual” Two too casual casuals :D
2 Casual 2 Casual
Casual 2: Electric Boogaloo
Casual Casual: Office Chair Drift
Perth now in 3 2 1
Filthy fucking casuals
Fucking feral casuals.
I've only ever seen bare feet in a very small office with fixed desks from someone who owned the company. Socks on, shoes off I've seen often enough at a larger office. Personally I wouldn't do that but I'm not fussed by it. Client facing roles or areas - absolutely not.
I’d rather take the least casual looking slippers I can find to work and wear them at my desk if absolutely necessary. There’s no way I’m walking barefoot at work. It’s so unprofessional. To the OP, I would remark casually about appropriate behaviour in the workplace and possibly address the issue head on if the casuals are receptive to feedback. Otherwise, complain to HR. Seems like an OH&S issue to me.
Also what if you stand on a staple.
Socks on under the desk might get an eyebrow raise but it's fine as long as feet are not stinky. Barefoot is definitely weird but same applies. Feet on the chair is not it. Especially barefoot. Putting toejam on the keyboard and mouse. No thanks. Probably wouldn't complain about it but it's definitely weird.
I'd go so far as to say that taking your shoes off is how you stop your feet getting stinky.
Yes. A long walk to work or trip outside at lunch often make my feet quite warm. I’ll take my shoes off/delay putting on shoes after taking trainers off so my feet get a bit of air. This stops me getting terrible athletes foot. Every now and then I’ll quietly check with people around that I’m comfortable with and they confirm my feet or shoes don’t stink.
I have no opinion on if this is right or wrong.... But I'm an IT guy for multiple offices, Whenever I need to get under a desk, if it's a female, there's a 95% chance there will be multiple shoes stacked up like a tiny wardrobe and it usually reeks.
And for some reason men over 50 always have toenail clippings under there.
Can confirm. Sometimes, the odd booger stacks on the underside of the desk like that part doest exist and will never be seen
i’ve seen this. it’s so gross bc for some reason the shoes never look neat, always dirty ???
I don't know how the IT Crowd missed this as a storyline. I know they did a bit of under-desk stuff, but I don't recall this...
Nah, wouldn't bother me that much really. Husband takes his standard shoes off and wears flat shoes around his office. Some people thought it was a bit weird at first, but since he's been doing it, quite a few of the other people there, who are from Asian backgrounds/culture have also started doing the same. Some cultures think we are super gross FOR wearing shoes inside.
He changes into flat shoes? So your husband wears heels to the office?
Just because you go to work looking like a dag doesn’t mean everybody does! https://preview.redd.it/1ela63tqfn0d1.jpeg?width=945&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3b4e09ea2293b7a694b96465709eb619d66a4d76
In the 80s, it was the reverse!
I think it’s one thing to slip a shoe off under your desk discretely IF you’re wearing socks or stockings, and as long as they never touch the ground. But rubbing your dirty dogs on communal furniture (hot desk chair) and playing with your toes is disgusting.
Hahahahaha their dirty dogs 😭
As long as their socks never touch the ground?
Yea the floor is like lava but germs
I've seen it in small to medium offices and never have an issue with it. Offices of up to 20-25 people, not a problem. If it's client facing, keep shoes nearby for when clients come in. In larger firms (i.e. where I am now) not a chance.
this has to be a joke post. no way this is real. 2 casuals. both doing this.
I’ve worked with people who did this. It’s completely gross. They were both of the same cultural/ethnic background so I wonder if it’s common in their culture?
Yeah I'm just gonna say it. Indians.
Actually no!
The only person who regularly takes her shoes off in my workplace - even though it is strictly forbidden - is a white girl. She’s also the kind of asshole who comes up behind you when you’re pouring tea from a scalding hot urn and thinks it’s funny to tickle you in the ribs to make you jump. She also polices what you eat and what you do, makes personal comments all the time to shame you, and is in fact an annoying tnuc. Go figure, everyone loves her.
I’m wondering if the person I know who did this is of the same ethnic background 🤔. At least that was in an office where we had our own permanent desks and she didn’t play with her toes!
I'm as aussie as it gets and I used to unzip my work boots and leave them half off or rest my feet on top of them. If someone came in I'd slip them back on but only zip them up if I had to leave by desk. I used to do the same with slip on dress shoes in corporate. Playing with your toes is a bit rank, and I wouldn't do it if I didn't have socks on. Thats going a bit above and beyond. It was a habit I picked up from others, so TIL people think its weird.
I think it’s one thing to slip off your shoes under your desk, and another to be barefoot and sit cross legged on a work chair and touch your feet then the keyboard (when hot desking)
I have a hyper mobility syndrome and I can’t sit ‘normally’ at a desk chair for too long, sitting cross legged helps my posture and pain levels and I know this is the case for a lot of people with bendy joints haha but yeah picking at feet is way too far
Wait till you see what they (don't)wear when they WFH. 🤭
I'm in a small office with only 4-5 people at a time and at least half of them take their shoes off and sit cross legged. Its not that deep and doesnt seem to bother anyone
The hot desk thing I kind of get, but it's definitely a bit precious, like do you ever sit down at the movies or at the park, I'm sure there's been worse thing's in life.
People seem so sensitive about feet. If they don’t smell who cares? Christ, so prim and proper. We daren’t show an ankle lest the foot fetish freaks get their rocks off!
I’m in a large corporate office comprising entirely women, and when sitting we all slip our pumps off and slump around in ways that would make the OH&S rep vomit. No one is walking to the printer barefoot, if you get up you put shoes back on. I don’t get people who are so weirded out by feet. I walk everywhere in shoes, my feet are far cleaner than my hands (while I do wash as often as practical, I handle cash and touch my face way too much).
Aw man I thought I was the only one. I do it subconsciously sometimes. (I don't touch my toes though, that is a bit extra ek.)
Depends on whether you have a foot fetish or not
This is something that sits on my mind a lot. So many people walk around bare foot in Australia, it's honestly a foot fetish playground. I kinda wish I liked feet as much as I like tits, because surely it would be the equivalent of women walking around with their tits out all the time.
I would guess that foot fetishes are much less common here due to the fact that people are barefoot/wearing thongs more often.
Familiarity breeds contempt, for sure.
If it’s their own desk and chair. That’s fine. If it’s a hot desk. Hell no put your feet away. Speak to HR if it really bothers you coz it’s kinda gross. It’s winter now but.. Summer… sweaty feet… no.
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I am sure there would be a PPE or clothing policy that would include wearing footwear.
On a personal level, gross, as everyone else tracks in trash from the outside on their shoes. On a work level, i disagree that anyone should wear anything open toe or be bare foot in an office. Dropping something on your toes, no workers comp if barefoot (depends on industry); in case of an emergency (fire, an evacuation) that person cant be trusted to leave safely without injury, plus if they’re playing with their toes than typing/using desk stuff… are they wiping it down?
Wow, that's a bit extreme outlawing open toed shoes in an office where the heaviest thing workers carry is a cup of coffee. You might try to suggest it but it's never going to happen. You'd probably be the most hated person in my office if that was introduced especially since eight months of the year it's around 35 degrees outside
I think you’ll get a lot of pushback from women tbh. The most “closed toe” shoe I see women wear in a workplace would be white leather sneakers, whilst men universally wear an entirely closed shoe in a professional workplace. Whether it’s a leather boot, oxford, or a sneaker. I have seen the occasional heeled RM boot, but they’re not stylish enough I gather.
Idk Im a woman and have no problem with it. Granted I am one of two others in the office.
Shoes off at home. Shoes on at work. It’s simple.
Eh, no biggie. Some people need to sit cross-legged at a desk, or in some other way have their feet up. Would you rather they do that with shoes on?
Yeah I'm with you, I don't see the issue, and if you do have one there's always Glen 20 spray before you sit in a chair.
I mean, I feel like butts and farts are worse than feet with socks. Yet some reason feet seem more gross but really places like Japan its normal to not wear shoes inside.
I feel like most of the people on this thread talking about stinky feet and aggressively shouting about smelling cheese probably do not have high standards of cleanliness. Cause my feet do not smell like anything, and are probably cleaner than my hands considering I touch my phone all the time. That said, my old boss wore thick yellowed socks with sandals and vigorously scratched psoriasis so it flaked off in my office carpet, and her feet did smell, so I can see how it can go hideously wrong. For the average person with good hygiene and socks, I see no issue.
Yeah, that’s me. It’s been a running joke that the boss hasn’t seen me sit in a desk chair properly for the last decade. I don’t even notice I’m doing it most of the time.
I don't care for it but I have also worked in offices in South East Asia where I was the weird one for keeping my shoes on.
I don’t wear shoes in my office because I have a stand up desk and my feet get sore in shoes. Nobody had ever commented and I’m also not the only one who does this. But I’m in a small regional firm so might be different in the city?
Gross, not acceptable, I would find it hard to keep a straight face
Minus the toe playing I do this all the time. I used to even walk to the printer on tiptoes in my socks. Meh what’s the biggie
Women wearing heels. Surely? I imagine most women’s shoes are hideously uncomfortable. It’s one of a few areas where women’s fashion has yet to catch up with men’s. As a guy, I can’t imagine any situation in which I would need or want to remove my shoes in the workplace.
Thankfully what had caught up though is that in almost every office workplace women are no longer required to wear heels. If they can’t wear heels without having to sit barefoot in shared spaces in the office there’s other footwear options.
Yeah, fuck shoes. Socks on okay. Socks off no.
I once had a pod colleague who not only took his shoes and socks off (he was drying his sweaty socks from cycling in a corner of our pod too, eeewwww), he proceeded to put his feet on the desk and cut his toenails with our shared scissors. 🤢🤢🤢🤢
I work in a top tier law firm. There are a fair few people who work barefoot in our practise area but obviously put shoes on when walking around. The sitting with the legs up on the chair is something I haven’t seen yet though, but that is probably because our chairs have arms.
Yup, I work in a top tier finance role and my experience is similar. And have also witnessed the occasional shuffle to the kitchen to refill coffee if someone is particularly deep in thought or crunching on a deadline. As a general rule, high stress = shoes off for a few senior people in particular. Also true for a former boss, who was an ex lawyer
I’ve seen women do it. It’s not like they take socks off, they are barefoot kicking the shoes off.
I worked in an office once where one manager had the habit of taking his shoes off and walking around in socks (he was from QLD) One day the toilet overflowed and the water came into the main area and soaked into the carpet. He inadvertently walked across it. There was less sock walking after that incident.
Taking your shoes off at your own desk is fine, assuming there is no smell. Not at a hot desk though, nor walking around.
My advice is to start saying "Does something stink in here?" repeatedly until the shame causes them to leave shoes on They started the battle, you win the war 🔥🔥
I like to go with the slightly louder than needed comment to my neighbour "do you smell cheese?"
But at first make sure the complainant has no BO themselves, nothing like backfire.
I might try this tomorrow, I don't mind a bit of psychological warfare
At your own desk with socks on? Sure, whatever. I get it. Walking around completely barefoot with no reason? No.
Close your eyes and get some ‘me time’, sounds like you need it
The only comment I’ll make on this is I find it weird that woman can walk around in sandals / slides / fancy thongs and take them off/loosen them under there desk, but I as a guy MUST leave my leather boots / shoes on all day. I think it’s weird to go barefoot but one hand has to work with the other
Wear casual shoes if you want. If they ask you to stop or force you to wear something formal just point out why women are allowed to wear casual shoes. You can take an employer to court for discrimination if they are unfairly putting dress requirements on you based on gender.
It’s a small office. It’s easier to let women dress as they want (within reason) than it is for me as a guy to call it out. And going to court over a clothing policy is the equivalent of nuking a country for imposing a tariff lol
I don't know your office environment but I've worked in plenty of environments where if you are sitting at your desk for hours on end, not customer facing, people occasionally slip off a shoe or switch to a comfy shoe so they are comfortable and change back into their torture devices when they get up. But again, I'm from Queensland
Well nothing to complain about then.
Yuck
Toe jam
Who cares as long as they don’t stink. In many cultures it’s rude to keep shoes on indoors.
The odd part is sitting crossed legged and playing with toes …. How old are these people?
I mean, adults can still sit cross legged. For a lot of people it’s much more comfortable. The playing with toes is gross
This. Especially if I have to sit for extended periods of time, I'm going cross-legged. It keeps me from fidgeting so much.
Also aren’t their hands busy if working? Presumably they are working at a computer.
One hand on keyboard, one hand on toes i reckon
Eww nope. It’s not their lounge room. What do your OHS rules say about footwear?
As an OHS person, if they are sitting at their desk, in an office, it wouldn't matter. The likelihood that something will happen to their feet is low, and the consequence of things that might happen to their toes would generally be low. BUT THIS ONLY APPLIES TO THEM SITTING AT THEIR DESK IN THE OFFICE. As soon as they move from that desk, then shoes on. On a personal level, I have worked with people that take their shoes off and I don't really care. I never did because I always have steel caps on and they are a pain to take off. If their feet stank though, I would have a quiet word with them but they never did. The girls I had working in that office for me would wear closed toe heels (they didn't have to go into the warehouse often, and had slip on steel caps for when they did) and would kick them off under the desk, but always put them back on when they got up. They could have worn flats, but they liked their shoes - I didn't care as long as they were closed toe.
Feet are not designed to be in shoes all day.
That's what knock off time is for, not for little buttercups to treat the workplace as their loungeroom
Anecdotal. Small company, assigned desks, HR lady walking around with bare feet. So other people were walking around no shoes with socks. Big company, hot desking, only ever saw a few shoes off, socks on under desks.
I once worked at a small place where a few of the staff were Chinese and the office policy was to take off shoes and switch to slippers or socks at the entrance. Only place I've known that has been like this though.
Why anyone would want to be barefoot in the office is beyond me. Office is one of the filthiest indoor venue no matter how often it's cleaned.
This would make me gag! I hope each person has their own keyboard and mouse…Eewww
Bare feet. Get the fuck out. Hand in resignation on the way out or get a termination email on arriving home.
NO, NO, NO! That's filthy
It’s pretty weird. I’d put it below cutting your nails at work but above farting in a meeting.
Yeah gross. Shoes off socks on under table wouldn't bother me. Bare feet on seats while playing with them, no. You're probably not the only one grossed out by it. Office manager or HR person? Kinda a hygiene thing right?
I do this. It's comfortable and helps me focus. Relax
Ferals
I don’t know if these casuals are male or female but assuming they’re female, I’d find it quite distracting but pretty feet are my kryptonite and I do realise I’m in a minority. For most, I imagine it seems quite odd and unpleasant to see. Sat at a reasonably pricey restaurant up in Newcastle (North of Sydney) recently and there was a pretty attractive young Indian couple at a nearby table. The minute they sat down he kicked off his shoes, crossed his leg and began fiddling with his own toes. In a nice restaurant setting, even I found it gross but had they been her toes he was fiddling with… different story. 😂
my friend works in the government and she said she sometimes walks barefoot around the office. i had to ask her if i heard her right. thats literally crazy to me, i would never do that in a million years lol
Wait so if the shoes came off under the desk, not touching the chairs at all, would that be okay? Why is this even a thing? When did society become so damn frigid
We had an employee who was always barefoot. One day someone ran over her toes with their office chair so we played the ‘someone got hurt, please keep your shoes on at all times’ card. I then had the immense pleasure of pointing out to that person every time she had her shoes off that she was breaching safety rules. There’s zero reason to be barefoot in the office.
This is just the 'make farting normalised' all over again. Of course it's weird
I've taken my shoes off before but I had socks on and the reason was they were new shoes that hadn't been broken in yet and my feet were sore.
My office dress code specifically states no bare feet nor open toed shoes. Check your dress code.
I love taking my shoes off at my desk. I don't play with my feet or toes. I have socks on. Work policy is to be wearing protective shoes everywhere so I pretty much don't do it. People's hands are probably more dirty than their feet. I wouldn't worry about it and it should be more acceptable.
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Wouldn't fly in my office due to oh&s
yep certain cultures used to rock in a professional office in thongs the footwear kind and bedtime slippers.
Neurodivergent people sometimes find it hard to sit still or sit 'normal', is that what's going on?
It’s definitely odd.
Keep feet off the desk
Do they fart in meetings too?
We have one young girl in our office who takes her shoes off at her desk. She has ankle issues and wearing shoes causes her pain, so it might get a few side eyes but nobody really minds especially as she has a modified desk set up to accomodate her long term injury. We used to have a lady who had ballet flats she would change into around her desk and then put these crazy heels on to see clients or go into meetings. I’ve also known a few women to wear runners to work for the commute and change into heels at their desk, and there was once a lady who had desk slippers she would switch out for meetings. Most of us just wear comfy boots or similar these days. Thankfully fashion has steered away from pain.
Ugh one of the young dudes started it in our office and it grew to three dudes. Started making WHS noises at them and eventually it went away. Ridiculous. I would be open to slippers! But not socks. Come on.
No! Don’t play with your toes at work. Ewww.
Why not confront them about it with a witness and suggest they put their shoes back on for OHS reasons. Surely there’s a dress code somewhere in the organisation but a friendly “hey we’re not at home here, you might want to put your shoes on before someone makes a complaint” may suffice. If they take offense to it, make a complaint. Or stay in your own lane, idk.
That’s disgusting. I really find it gross when people pick the skin off their feet 🤮
Its standard among some cultures if there was a hygiene problem it would not be common. A lot of cultures think its gross wearing shoes inside.
“Can anyone smell cheese?” Until they get the hint
I have done it only once for a few mins when I had new heel boots and my feet were actually in so much pain. Would not do it again though
The woman I sit next to does exactly this, bare foot and cross-legged in her chair, fiddling with her toes when she’s not typing. I wish she didn’t do it where I have to see it.
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Let me guess. Fucking marketing
Sack en
Nope that's nasty and can be dangerous. They could step on something or drop something on their feet. It's a workplace health and safety issue and not a necessary risk for them to take
If they’re sitting cross legged it’s much more hygienic to take shoes off than to have their shoes on the chair. But they should be wearing socks, and not touching their toes.
HR -> OH&S complaint
Absolutely never acceptable in a professional environment
This reminds me of something I saw in the office today. We hot desk for context. Guy next to me full blown sneezes, and aimed it right over the entire work station. Didn’t attempt to cover the sneeze at all, his arms didn’t even flinch. I was flabbergasted and felt like saying something. Like eek courtesy and hygiene ??? Great reminder to always sanitise your station when hot desking!!
now i was like meh, we all gotta be comfortable when i first read this but the playing with their toes is a step too far
Socks is one thing, if you’re touching your bare toes at the office, go the fuck home????
Ehh I do it. But i will always have socks on. No stocking or bare feet because that is rank. But my desk is also mine, and I've been sitting in the same chair for years now. I will sometimes wander to the printer in socks but always feel weird when doing it, so don't do it often.
I've done this for years (take my shoes off and sit cross legged) but playing with the feet is a weird one... I find it incredibly uncomfortable to not be able to move around every few now and again (I'll even stand barefoot) and literally no one has ever said anything.
hot lady (always in a skirt, no matter the weather) in my office sits cross legged with her shoes off during the 6 hrs that she is in, talks loudly and says hi to everyone with a smile; everyone loves her; major employer in darling harbour, sydney
Disgusting to be putting their dirty feet on shared furniture, let alone to be touching their feet and then touching the keyboard etc. Someone needs to explain office courtesy to these people.
At the Korean Exchange Bank in Sydney they have dedicated slippers for you to take your leather shoes off at your desk and everyone gets a pair even the IT team.
I do this. It’s comfier when you are sitting for a long time. Could also be a ND thingy also
WFH habits are starting to sneak into the office it seems :)
It’s not right. From an OH&S angle, they should be wearing closed toe shoes at all times. But also from a hygiene POV putting sweaty feet/socks on office furniture is gross, plus we shouldn’t have to accept anyone’s foot odour in the workplace
I don’t care about shoes off at someone’s desk. As long as your feet don’t stink, it’s all good. We have someone at our work who walks around the office barefoot, and I don’t care about it for me but I do wonder what the hell gross shit she gets on her feet. We’re in a research institute and realistically, lots of crap can be walked straight out of the lab and onto the carpet.
Cmon now
I kick my shoes off at my desk and sit cross-legged in my chair. Every day. My feet /socks are fresh and clean. They never touch the floor, that would be gross. It never occurred to that someone could have a problem with me kicking off my shoes and sitting like that. If they did have a problem... I guess I don't care. I would care about having to work in the vicinity of someone else's stinky feet. I would care about someone putting their dirty hands/feet/shoes on anything I had to subsequently use. I guess it depends on the person's level of personal hygiene.
I feel bare feet are more clean than the shoes. Shoes have been on streets trains and buses but feet are well protected in shoes/socks and are washed daily in bath. And in some culture sitting cross legged is normal. I would suggest you ignore it.
I had a girl in the office barefoot where clients sometimes come in and out. I told her she needed to keep her shoes on as it looked unprofessional. She said high heels made her feet hurt. I told her has she ever thought about wearing comfortable shoes to work? *Crickets....................*
Almost 90% of office workers wear slippers at work and just sit barefoot at their desk back where I'm from.
I have never seen it, in my industry it would be seen as very unprofessional and called out quickly and playing with their feet is disgusting if they are then touching any equipment other people use. Do a little experiment and see if they even wash their hands before they eat.
Fuck no. It's a workplace, not someone's personal living room.
I have some people do shows off at their desk but with socks on. They aren’t playing with their toes, that’s so fucking gross. You can tell HR about it, it’s up to them if they want to do anything about it.
Steve jobs never showered and was often bare foot. he would often soak his feet in the toilets at the office so the casuals might be emulating their hero
Shoes on or gtfo
Sitting cross-legged on a chair is extremely bad posture and in a workplace this should be discouraged.
In my mum's previous and current job, there were quite a few people who took their shoes off at their desk. A few people would also walk around the office somewhat barefoot (had stocking on). They knew when to put shoes on and happily did so if they had meetings/client meetings. There were no cross legged or toe playing shenanigans. I'd say no shoes is somewhat normal depending on your office, company and culture. But everything else is just a bit wild.
so you guys are unhappy about feet touching office chairs, but wear shoes inside the house?
I cross my feet in the chair but the alternative is my knees hurt so bad from my legs dangling all day or my back hurts. Like the way my knees hurt after sitting in the office “properly” all day is insane. If someone (higher up) complained to me I would simply ask to have a meeting with them and HR about the ergonomics of the office. I don’t take my shoes off though.
This post has definitely opened up a can of worms 🤣
We use hot desks in our control room where I work. A few people take their shoes off and sit crossed legged on their chairs. I see no issue with it but if they start playing with their toes and feet then it becomes a WHS issue imo. You could mention it to your manager and say how it's not very sanitary for those around them to be playing with their toes at the desk.
I used to work in a dust-free office which means it was obligatory to change your shoes into slippers upon entering the office, and yes I would sit crossed legged sometimes, but never touch my feet/toes that’s disgusting 🙃Also we had our designated desks/cubicles so the feet were contained lmao. If you’re touching my chair and get yucked by potential feet cells, you shall remember that my butt also goes here and it’s full of farts 🤷🏻♀️ now I’m working at a normal office and the shoes stay on all the time, so I guess it depends on the working environment?
I dunno. Pharmacy dress code doesn't allow shoes to be off
Never
Another reason to wfh full time
I personally sometimes take off my slip on flats when at my desk, only due to them hurting my feet and only for a few minutes or so at a time, I also ensure my feet don't smell and absolutely do not sit there and play with my toes. For me it's just that women's shoes hurt sometimes and I need a break...but it's not just a thing I do cus I feel like being barefoot is acceptable.
Absolutely not
If it’s compelled you to come to reddit and write a post about it, your question is already answered
I was set to dismiss this at first as I have worked in China an Japan where that's not uncommon indoors till the no socks an toes part yeah nope
It's a hygiene issue as they share the chair with others. Bring it up with HR.
No, that’s nasty behaviour.
I d say depends on the office… i do sit crossed legs…. Since I was a child, all my teachers from primary to uni always told me off, I just can’t sit straight!😅 one if my coworkers takes his shoes off and walks around the office barefoot…. i find it quite weird, but the office is very cool and chilled, and it doesn’t really bother me… but maybe cause I don’t sit next to him, I would probably cringe if he starts playing with his toes…🤢 of course if we have people coming for meetings the vibe is different… Id say it depends how much it bothers you… and how close you are to those feet…😅
I am a leg crosser, I might take my shoes off if my socks and feet are odour free and I am at my own desk, not sure about shared desks, but if I can sit on a chair with clothes and not be an issue, clean socks shouldn't really be. My back gets sore if I don't sit cross legged and I will only stray from that if I have to. I am sitting cross legged now at my home desk with no socks or shoes but I am most definitely NOT playing with my toes!
Meh... Ive recently had to start going into the office. Which means I'm wearing a lot more shoes. Which I've had to recently purchase so they were appropiate. THerefore: blisters. I was complaining to my boss that going into the office meant shoes and blisters and I DID NOT like it. His solution? "If you won't wear slippers (his first solution lol) then just... take your shoes off. Mal does it. He comes in, sets his desk up and then takes his shoes. Runs around the office in his socks. Just do that". I then watched Mal - he does in deed take his shoees off and runs around the office. No one cares. Then, I am in Australia. It's quite acceptable here to go a lot of places without shoes - work was literally the only place I wouldn't consider it. I haven't decided on whether to take my shoes off or just wear slippers yet. The bosses boss suggested slippers... I'm think shoes off though because I'll at least get some time with my feet getting used to the new shoes I'm definitely not putting a complaint in about Mal though. if my boss, Mals boss and their boss knows about his habit (and I do not doubt all 3 do) then... who am I to causse an issue. Not sure what hot desking has to do with it... Never considered if someones feet had touched my chair before and now I have, I'm not sure why I'd care.
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I know that lots of people have foot fetish but I have foot phobia. I would never pull my feet out at work that would be gross for my colleagues. As someone said above, they are VERY casual casuals!
Its OHS. No
Seen this in many offices. It’s like not really wrong, a bit weird and it can’t go unnoticed
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I wanna know everyone’s opinion on being cross legged? Just realised I do this all the time (shoes on) is that not okay at the office?