My male staff won’t cut their hair! Help.

Dear Aunty B

Our primary business is in hospitality and has grooming standards. My area is back of house, but the same grooming standards apply to all staff.

My problem is that I have asked a couple of my male staff to please cut their hair to the collar length standard and please at least try and comb or brush it before they come into work. The response has been a lack of cutting and that “combing your hair is gay”.

The rest of their presentation is perfect, down to the dry cleaning of their suits. Yes, they wear suits and as a result look like a hippy going to a fancy dress party.

How can I get them to comply?

Diane

Dear Diane,

You told some Gen-Ys to do their hair?? This generation spends more time on their hair than you spend fretting over your bank balance. In fact the product that goes into their hair could glue the fault lines under San Francisco together.

Diane, the “look” that they cultivate while distressing to you, has been finessed over hours! And the idea is to make them look like they don’t give a toss. How insulting of you to even suggest that they come to work and look like they have cared about the way they look.

Confused? Yeah. Me too. The point is that you are dealing with employees caught in some delayed adolescent nightmare where their hair is the one rebellion they will have. Some Gen-Ys don’t really grow up until their late 20s, so in fact bosses are turned into de facto parents forced to tell these rebellious tossers to get their hair cut.

Boring isn’t it? While these guys could be learning useful skills you have to go back to basics. But if you don’t, their next boss will. So sit them down and tell them what is expected.

And a Gen-Y on our staff suggested try telling them this: Not having a job is gay too.

Good luck!

Your Aunty B.