A guy at my job walks around the office with his shoes off in his bare socks all day

a lot of people in my office do that, I personnally dont see the issue

I have a guy doing it where I work as well. Nothing weird with not wanting to wear shoes the whole day, just as you take of your shoes when you're home.

Socks are way more comfy to walk around in an indoor space than shoes.

Feet in shoes are enclosed and sweat more too.

I'd be the same as him, depending on the office culture.

Stand on his toes a few times, he'll soon stop.

In my previous workplace every single employee would take their shoes off at the door. It was basically the company's policy. It was awesome.

This guy is living the dream. Sometimes when I sit at my desk if my feet are really killing me and no one is around I'll do the slide my feet halfway out of the shoe maneuver but the whole time I feel like a criminal.

Isn't this normal? I see it (and prtake in it) at my job, its common in Tech company's.

We have some folks that walk around barefoot at the office.
With about 34°C outside it's quite understandable.
As long as there's no stench it's fine.

I feel for people who have foot fetish in your office. Such a tease he must be.

This is pretty normal, or at least everywhere I've ever worked there's been 4-5 people that do it regularly

It's pretty normal in Finland

As a Finn "bare socks" made me laugh out loud.

https://www.businessinsider.com/supercells-no-shoes-policy-2013-11?r=US&IR=T&IR=T

shnurgleton said:

I have worked in places where people routinely walked around barefoot all day including in the cafeteria so this seems pretty tame to me

If it's not a casual workplace then I'd be giving em the ol raised eyebrow

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This doesn't happen routinely in my workplace, but there's one of the foremen who I've seen walking barefeet (so no socks either) in summers atleast. Not just in the offices but also on the store side among the customers. Doesn't bother me of course and probably nobody else either. Though why I personally might not do it because there could be loose screws, nails and such on the floors. Of course not in the offices, but downstairs where the workshops and store are. I work at the recycling centre. I bought flip flops earlier this summer, but only wore those for one day so far since they made my feet hurt.

cvxfreak said:

His feet don't stink precisely because they're not stuck inside shoes all day.

Anyway, this is common in Japan and other Asian countries. I even visited a game dev studio in Jakarta that was sort of like a house, where everyone removed their shoes at the entrance.

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Yup, it's always so weird to me when people talk about smelly feet, shoes especially stink!

Cybersai said:

I'm surprised how common this is. I am 32 years old and this is the first time I've ever seen this at a job. A lot of you guys seem to think it's very common but I've never seen it before now, and I live in NY.

Are you guys millennials like me? I am 32 now so i wonder if it's a thing among us.

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34 from Finland and I don't find it weird. Shoes can be quite uncomfortable and also make feet sweaty and smelly.

I previously worked in an office with a fairly strict dress code, suffice to say, any kind of shoe removal would have been seen as out of place.

However my new job is in a much more relaxed dev environment, where the director regularly come in with sandles, flip flops and a t shirt. The idea of removing shoes is not even questioned, it's almost a given. And as someone who regularly takes their shoes off now, I am a convert. Doing just that one thing, makes my working environment that much more comfortable.

Don't knock it til you've tried it.

Pretty my entire office does this.There's a couple of people that have indoor sandles or shoes, but most like me just walk around in their socks.

Good for him

I always take my shoes off at work, it's way more comfortable.

I have never seen guys do it, but women all the time so as long as it doesn't stink, who cares?

Honestly, when I was at my desk, I always popped those mothers off. Feels so much better to be free footing it all day.

Some people have done it at my office, only one I had any beef with was someone who's feet stank and I swear they'd had the same pair of socks on all week.

Midas said:

I have a guy doing it where I work as well. Nothing weird with not wanting to wear shoes the whole day, just as you take of your shoes when you're home.

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I take it you didn't see that recent thread...

Ask yourself:

1) Is it any of my business?
2) What's it got to do with me?
3) Should I be concentrating on my work at this moment instead of fixating on someone-else?

If the answer to any or all of these questions is yes, then it's no drama.

Sit your bare ass on his desk while looking him in the eye.

The shoe police is finally starting its plan.

I take off my shoes at my desk, and put them back on when I have to move.

I love the feeling of no shoes.

Took me getting used to. I still don't really like it as I come from a mindset of it not being "professional". Main issue is when they're in the toilets like that... Then again, is that any different to walking everywhere with the same shoes, too? It's still gross. I guess Japan have it kinda right. Office shoes and outdoor shoes (but still no toilet shoes/slippers/whatever).

Who cares? If his feet don't smell up the place it's none of your business unless it's costing you clients that visit the office or something.

Maybe he has a foot problem and he discussed this years ago with whoever was in charge at the time.

LabouredSubterfuge said:

Seen it done at my law firm before but we asked they stop usually. Don't personally have an issue with it as long as a client isn't there. Also OP sounds like a cop.

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Yeah I've seen this done at law firms I've worked at too. Usually only partners tho lol

If your shoes are uncomfortable stop buy Sketchers or Wal Mart brands

Anomander said:

In my previous workplace every single employee would take their shoes off at the door. It was basically the company's policy. It was awesome.

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This is the rule in my house. I wish this was a thing at a majority of public places too. There's no point walking around in socks/barefoot if even one other person is walking around in shoes, tracking all the outside dirt all over the floor.

I do this everyday in the office and same with my coworkers. Nothing wrong with it if your feet don't smell and you have matching socks without holes. Of course when we walk out the area or into meetings we wear our shoes.

I've done this in the office before. Though now I have some nice indoor shoes that I can tolerate wearing all day, so i don't do it anymore.

I work 2 days, 2 nights and I do this on my night shifts. Daytime? Nope.

Still, can't see what's wrong with it as long he doesn't stink the place out.

it's hot as fuck, fuck shoes tbqh

I'm mid 30's and do this. Do I work with you OP?

Sorry, my feet get hot and I hate it.

Is this American thing? Because wtf!

d9b said:

Is this American thing? Because wtf!

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I think it's a comfort thing.

In School i sometimes walked around bare feet and washed my feet in the sink on the toilet.

Honestly if the guy doesn't have to do facing with customers, does it really matter? Workplace culture in general can be so suffocatingly self-serious and focused on outdated, entrenched notions of "professionalism" that something like this shouldn't really be a problem if his feet don't stink.

Working 35-40 hours a week is shitty enough already, why make us all be Super Cereal if we don't have to be?

As long as no one in leadership cares, and no one is offended by his activities, there's nothing wrong with it. However, it could easily represent a slippery slope if not checked and more new employees are exposed to the behavior.

Vern said:

You should record a video of it so we can watch

Spoiler

in 1.5x speed

and give you a better idea if it is normal or not.

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How to spot a foot fetishist in one easy post!

Buy him Crocs. They are really comfortable in the office.

I do this all the time OP. What's the issue? Its cool and comfy. My feet are under my desk 80% of the day so they're not really on display all the time. Walking to the printer in socks is nice. I only put my shoes on to leave the office for the toilet or to go out to get lunch.

so many people at my work do this why would it ever be an issue

Must be european, here it's weird if you keep shoes on at the office. Much more comfortable and clean without shoes.

I do it, but only when sitting at my desk. If i walk around, I put them back on. I am on the other side of "the hill" and my feet swell, especially if I walked somewhere for lunch. So, on this guy's behalf, "mind your business, son".

Heh, I work with a guy that must not like shoes. At first, I think he was closeted, because he only had them off if he was in his office. Now though, he'll come to my office to ask a question just in socks. I'm fine with it.

Watershed said:

Unless his feet stink or there is some other issue, I don't see a problem.

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Do be fair, going without shoes may be why his feet don't stink.

Wearing shoes all the time isn't natural. Our feet weren't designed/didn't evolve for it.

Feet stink is the result of overwearing footwear that doesn't breath.

It helps to increase blood flow because shoes can cut of the blood flow if you wear them a long time and stand around. Also you feel more relaxed when you take of your shoes.
I personally would use something like this just for work:
https://www.goertz.de/birkenstock-pantolette-arizona-schwarz-60812703/
Just simple sandals that are open and easy to get in and out so you can take your feet out of it at your desk.