Gauteng reacts to employees going barefoot at work
It's not just yoga teachers and surf instructors who are going barefoot.
In a country like South Africa, seeing people walk around barefoot is a common sight.
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Flip-flops are essentially part of our national uniform.
There are also many benefits to walking barefoot, aside from "connecting with nature".
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Dr Jonathan Kaplan, a foot and ankle specialist and orthopaedic surgeon, says: "The most straightforward benefit to barefoot walking is that, in theory, walking barefoot more closely restores our ‘natural’ walking pattern, also known as our gait."
When you buy a pair of running shoes or sneakers, they often have excessive cushioning and support.
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According to Dr Bruce Pinker, podiatrist and foot surgeon, they can prevent you from using specific muscle groups that can actually strengthen your body.
Other benefits of walking barefoot include:
- Better control of your foot position when it strikes the ground.
- Improvements in balance, proprioception, and body awareness, which can help with pain relief.
- Better foot mechanics, which can lead to improved mechanics of the hips, knees, and core.
- Maintaining an appropriate range of motion in your foot and ankle joints, as well as adequate strength and stability within your muscles and ligaments.
- Relief from improperly fitting shoes, which may cause bunions, hammertoes, or other foot deformities.
- Stronger leg muscles, which support the lower back region.
As much as we love it, even South Africans will agree that there is a time and place for bare feet.
It's not always the most appropriate or safest option.
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People have often shared pictures of exposed feet in aeroplanes, trains, restaurants and more.
Angelina Jolie even sparked a heated social media debate when she appeared on the 'Tonight Show'with bare feet.
Some people find feet gross, while others have no problem seeing exposed toes.
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It's all about preferences, like taking shoes off before entering a home, and you wouldn't expect someone to wear shoes on the beach.
However, there used to be a place where foot lovers and haters could all agree, feet should be kept covered.
At work.
Builders, construction workers, and medical professionals are most likely not to blame here, but it has now become a growing trend that employees are comfortable enough to remove their shoes at work.
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Some employers are also encouraging this behaviour.
In 2013, former UK Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg revealed that he walked barefoot around his office.
At an internationally renowned architecture firm, Amanda Levete Architects, employees are encouraged to work barefoot.
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Architect and founder Amanda Levete explains: "Well, it keeps the carpet clean. Also, it's a great leveller, and it's relaxing: you can put your feet on the sofas."
Those who are anti-barefoot-at-work feel it can represent a lax attitude or create an unpleasant atmosphere.
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Stylist Sarah Stuart shares that: “Bare feet in a professional setting just feel too intimate. Socks don’t help much either; they say, ‘I’ve given up, but not completely’."
Rob Forbes and Rozanne McKenzie asked Jacaranda FM listeners to share their opinions on the matter, and they did not disappoint:
Tune in to 'The Drive with Rob & Roz', on weekdays from 16:00 – 19:00. Stream the show live here or download our mobile app here.
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