Reading through some online discussions about workplace fashion disasters has brought back memories of my two decades in IT consulting. The stories range from mildly amusing to absolutely gobsmacking, and they’ve got me thinking about how our understanding of “professional attire” has evolved over the years.

The tech industry has always been more relaxed about dress codes compared to traditional corporate environments. Working from my CBD office, I regularly see suited-up financial types walking past our building while my colleagues and I sport everything from smart casual to what could generously be described as “startup chic.” But even in our relaxed environment, there’s still an unspoken line that shouldn’t be crossed.

Recently, I stumbled upon an online discussion that perfectly captures one of those universal workplace fears - the dreaded bathroom incident. Reading through the comments about someone’s unfortunate encounter in their office bathroom brought back memories of similar awkward moments in various corporate buildings around Collins Street.

Let’s be honest - bathroom etiquette in corporate settings is a minefield of unwritten rules and social anxieties. The modern office bathroom, with its fancy door locks and private rooms, somehow manages to be both more sophisticated and more prone to embarrassing mishaps than the old-school cubicle setup.

The other day, while waiting for my coffee to brew at work, I witnessed something that made me do a double-take. My colleague’s manager was methodically printing out every single email from their inbox. Not just the important ones - every single one. The printer hummed away like it was 1999, churning out paper after paper of digital communications that were perfectly accessible on their computer screen.

This scenario, shared recently in an online discussion, struck a chord with me. The environmental impact alone is staggering. Running some quick calculations during my lunch break, I figured that printing just 30 emails a day amounts to over 7,500 sheets of paper annually. That’s roughly one whole tree every year, not to mention the energy consumption and toner waste.