Why Self-Expression at Work Matters: From Desk Plushies to Tattoos
A Winnie the Pooh plushie. A 3D-printed frog wearing a cowboy hat. A miniature Swarovski bicycle. A Hello Kitty figure holding a quote about inner peace.
What do these quirky items have in common? They’re just a few of the many trinkets on my desk at work that reflect my personality. Since my first day at Atomic, I’ve felt free to express myself, whether through my (arguably excessive) collection of fun desk toys or my clothing choices.
I see personality everywhere in our Ann Arbor office. From my desk, I see the Sugar Cube wall where Atoms leave each other handwritten notes, plushies, little dinosaurs, rubber duckies, and a mini koala hanging from a computer monitor. This personality extends to clothing, too. Atomic doesn’t have a dress code — whether you wear mushroom-printed overalls or a collared shirt, it’s up to you.
Could we write software without the plushies while wearing business professional clothing? Of course, we could. But I often think about something an Atom once told me after complimenting my (slightly eccentric) outfit:
