Office Hours

Packers ties and office politics

Lapel buttons, slogan T-shirts, even sports-team ties: How and when do you reveal a personal allegiance to your boss and co-workers?

February 01, 2011|By Nara Schoenberg, Tribune Newspapers

Here in America we all have freedom of speech, even Packers fans.

But, as the controversy surrounding John C. Stone -- the Chicago-area car salesman who was fired for wearing a Green Bay tie -- so abundantly illustrates, flaunting your personal allegiances at work is a tricky business. Yes, you can wear that highly unflattering tie to work, without, say, being hauled off to prison or deported. But that doesn't necessarily mean you should.

The same goes for pinning your "Rahm for Mayor" button on your coat, wearing a cross or a Star of David, or even, in some circumstances, donning your Ohio State ski hat.

"Most of us have strong opinions and allegiances," says Ellen Gordon Reeves, author of "Can I Wear My Nose Ring to the Interview? A Crash Course in Finding, Landing, and Keeping Your First Real Job."

"If you choose to reveal [them], make it a choice, make it be strategic and be aware that there are consequences."

Among the questions that Reeves suggests you ask yourself before you go to work wearing clothing or accessories that broadcast a strong political, cultural, recreational or religious allegiance:

1. What statement are you making?

Think you're "not saying anything" by wearing a nose ring to your job at a downtown law firm? Think again. If you're going to make a strong statement, "own" it, Reeves says. That means identifying your own intentions and the reactions you are likely to encounter.

2. How far are you willing to go to make this statement?

Are you willing to alienate a potential office ally? Tick off your boss? Lose your job?

3. Could you express yourself just as well when you're not on company time?

Could you be satisfied with broadcasting your views at a party or PTA meeting? Or maybe just discussing them with your friends?

4. Are you willing to hide things you feel strongly about?

There aren't right and wrong answers here, Reeves says, only informed choices that take into account the demands of your conscience and the realities of your job. If you need to express your beliefs at work, that's great. Just choose the right workplace.

Context matters, too. Religious jewelry works in many offices, but a foot-long pendant might make some people nervous. A Packers tie might be seen as a sign of spunk on the average Monday, but if you wore it, say, deep in the heart of Bears country the day after a devastating loss, you could come off as an insensitive jerk.

Sorting through these factors can be tricky and it may be helpful to consult with a friend or family member.

"If you're unsure, then err on the side of caution," Reeves advises.

And that goes double if you're a Packers fan.

Office Hours appears weekly in TribU. If you have a work-related question — and remember, no question is too serious or too silly — send a note to Nara Schoenberg at, or e-mail TribU at