Workplace Rules

I am the type of person who tells you if you have snot on your nose, food in your teeth, smeared lipstick, dirt, etc. I figure, I would want someone else to tell me so I don't go through the day thinking everything is okay while secretly I have a big something on my face making everyone stare, so why wouldn't another person want to know. Generally, I try to be specific and kind in the way I tell the person, to minimize their embarrassment and allow them to correct the issue as quickly as possible.

 

As I was returning from the bathroom, a woman in front of me was also returning. Her skirt had become tucked into her underwear in such a way so that her bottom and both legs were visible from behind.

 

My first response was to catch her and quietly tell her so that she could fix it before someone else walked up behind her. But, then, I had a sudden glaring rules issue pop into my head: would she consider it sexual harassment? Would it be more embarrassing having it pointed out by a man than a woman?

 

I am very touchy about those issues not because of who I am (my personality could care less and I'm not very politically correct in general) but because of the threats of workplace policy. A person here can be fired summarily for sexual harassment, so if she felt that was the case, my attempt at helping her avoid further embarrassment could lead to me being jobless!

 

Luckily, I am fairly quick on my feet. I went to my boss' office, asked her if she could do something for me that I didn't feel it was appropriate for me to do, and explained the situation. She agreed that any woman would want to know but that due to the rules of the workplace and my gender, I had better avoid the issue. She went straightaway and told her and got a profuse thank you from the woman in question. She was "...happy only you noticed." And my boss came over and quietly passed on her thanks to me so that no one, not even the woman in question, need know it was me the entire time.

 

It is, really, too bad that I had to go that route and involve another person. But with the workplace being so cautious today, and people being so touchy in general, it was better that I stayed an invisible partner in the event than make a comment-- no matter how well-meaning.