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.
Self-Expression at Work: Personality Everywhere
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:
“I see it as a disservice to yourself to NOT express yourself in your style. You’re missing out on a major benefit of working at Atomic if you don’t dress how you want.”
He shared a story of a previous workplace where a colleague was reprimanded over the color of her socks. Another Atom recently told me,
“At my last job, they suddenly required us to wear collared shirts. I told them my funny T-shirts are part of my personality, and if they made me change, I’d quit.”
These stories made me realize how lucky I am to work at a place like Atomic. As someone who has always valued self-expression through fashion and décor, it’s hard to imagine working somewhere that didn’t allow for that or that discouraged it, even subtly. One of Atomic’s statements regarding our values is, “We commit to Atomic Object being a place of respect, support, and belonging. A place where every person can be their genuine self.” I believe this is reflected in the fact that Atoms feel free to dress themselves — and their desks — in ways that reflect their unique identities.
Here’s why self-expression at work is important.
It’s a form of inclusion.
Implementing a dress code runs counter to the principles of diversity and inclusion. For many, clothing, tattoos, and décor are extensions of their identity and beliefs. When we police what people can and can’t wear, we’re telling them who they should and shouldn’t be. Dress codes promote conformity and reinforce the idea that certain types of people are professionals and certain ones aren’t, alienating those who don’t fit the mold. Encouraging self-expression helps us celebrate differences in personality, style, and background.
It creates a more productive, happier workplace.
Hiding who you are is tiring. It’s no secret that people are happier to be themselves than hide who they are. Research shows that limiting self-expression can result in workplace disengagement, which hurts job satisfaction, employee productivity, and, therefore, company profits. Removing the burden of conformity makes people feel accepted for who they are, which promotes a sense of belonging and contributes to higher levels of motivation, performance, and productivity.
It helps colleagues understand each other better and form closer bonds.
Allowing people to show up as who they are creates a more relaxed and authentic environment. As people share more about themselves, it creates more insight into what matters to them and makes easy entry points for conversations. Seeing a symbol of something you enjoy—whether it’s on a t-shirt, a desk trinket, or a tattoo—naturally sparks curiosity. It opens the door to conversations, helping you discover common interests or learn something new about a colleague. These informal exchanges over time help to reduce formality and build friendships, which in turn creates stronger teams.
Bringing Your Authentic Self to Work
I see the encouragement of self-expression at work as an important part of a company’s culture, and culture was a huge factor I was considered when joining Atomic. Creating human-centered work environments that allow people to show up as their true selves creates a shared, inclusive environment where people can see their colleagues as unique contributors to the overall culture.
Do you feel like you can be yourself at work? The average person spends about a third of their life working, so if you can’t be your authentic self at work, you’re spending decades of your life hiding who you are. Think about the creativity and connection we could unlock if we all felt free to be ourselves!