Conforming to Uniformity

At the beginning of the year I randomly decided to create a wreath for each month of the year to adorn our front door. I had so much fun that I decided to create a wreath to hang on the side of my large filing cabinet at work. We aren’t permitted to hang anything on the walls of the building and my old cubicle was really more metal and wall than the fabric dividers. But, when I was asked to move my desk and felt claustrophobic about my new, smaller space, I found relief in having more freedom to decorate the drab fabric walls surrounding me. I turned an old window into a beautiful (in my humble opinion) shabby chic decoration and proudly displayed it on the outside of my cubicle. I decided I wanted to be able to see it more frequently, so I moved it inside my cubicle but left the wreath on the outside. Until Monday, that is.

 

On Monday at work I was asked to move my patriotic July wreath from outside of my cubicle because the administrator decided she wanted a uniform look – you know, the dead, lifeless blue-gray of the cubicles, uninhibited by anything that smacks of individuality or I don’t know, joy? She also mentioned bumping into it and suggested if everyone were to hang such things outside their cubicles it would make the hallway between our desks impassable. I was permitted to move my wreath inside my cubicle, which I did. Consequently, others were asked to move some of their decorative items, such as pictures in frames removed from the top of their overhead compartment and a picture of two co-workers to be removed from the outside space between two cubicles. There was a slight uproar at the indignities and force to conformity. Since it started with me, I assumed my offending wreath kicked off the purging of exuberant decorating since prior to the move and loss of 11 employees things were permitted to be displayed just outside the cubicles with impunity. Uniform conformity has never been something I’m good at. While I consider myself a rule follower and not a rule breaker, I also don’t like being forced into some else’s idea of “normal.” I mean, does anyone?

 

I posted my plight on Facebook and Primero’s aunt had the best response: “I'm in an office setting and probably spend more time at work than I do at home and I'm sure I'm not alone. Do employers not realize you get more when you give more and I'm not talking about money but basic things that can make our day just a little better?  It's the little things that really make a difference!” On the one hand, I understand there are rules to keep our workplace safe and not make it a fire hazard, but on the other hand being happy in our space helps make the day pass by just a little better. Do employees have a right to personalize their workspace? I can see both sides to this issue and I can see how decorating could get out-of-hand, but pictures and wreaths seem like a silly thing to squabble about in the name of uniformity.