With another sweltering summer pushing office thermostats to their limits, a new workplace debate is heating up: Should employees be allowed to wear shorts to work? Instagram’s boss, Adam Mosseri, recently weighed in that he doesn’t see the problem.
“I’m pro. But not everyone can pull them off, and not all shorts are created equal,” Mosseri said on a recent episode of the Throwing Fits podcast. “I’m definitely a pro. When it hits, it hits. But, when it misses…”
While Silicon Valley has always been known for its more casual workplace culture—with some startups even encouraging people to forgo shoes—Mosseri’s comments come as employers continue to wrestle with evolving workplace expectations, particularly among younger workers who increasingly view self-expression as compatible with professionalism.
Gen Z employees have faced criticism—in some cases, even termination—for wearing attire employers have deemed inappropriate or unprofessional.
Michael Palladino, a lecturer in fashion at City University of New York Kingsborough, argued that companies need to modernize outdated ideas about what professional dress should look like.
