I'm not saying I necessarily agree with it, but I can explain exactly why companies do that:

The answer is that companies don't WANT their employees to express themselves. The employee's job is to express the company. To the customers, the employees are the face of the company. If a customer would be uncomfortable interacting with an employee, that customer is uncomfortable interacting with the company.

Companies are very risk-averse. Every risk has a possibility to lose money. Some risks are worth it, because success means earning more money. Other risks are deemed not worth it, because success won't bring in more money or because success is too unlikely. As a result, companies enforce dress codes, because unusual dress is unlikely to earn more money but runs the risk of alienating potential customers.

Because companies are risk-averse, they also tend to be conservative. Not conservative in the political sense (although that is often also true) but in the sense of being slow to accept change. Things that seem safe -- established patterns that have worked well for a long time -- don't seem like a good idea to modify.

Companies ARE gradually learning that it's not always a bad idea to allow employees more freedom, especially in positions that don't interact with customers directly. But it still IS true that companies that serve older people -- that is, people who are more likely to have a problem with radical young people -- are going to be very nervous about looking unprofessional.

I used caffeine to self-medicate when I didn't have access to a psychiatrist.

@Shamus
My brother was one time put on meds that almost killed him, what made it worse was that the school nurse refused to call an ambulance/hospital for him after my real mom told her to for two hours. Then when she finally did call my mom was on the ambulance that was called because she was an EMS at the time. Let's just say that school nurse got into a TON of trouble when it was found out she didn't believe my real mom worked in the medical field, even if it was just mostly transport related.

@Coda
Which, with a position I hope to get, I won't be working directly with customers. Not to mention the colors I'd like to dye my hair aren't really...noticeable? They are more muted when it comes to the 'hey! look at me and how bright and pretty I am!' kind of dying. x'D

This, I use to work at a hospital, no tattoos could be seen, hair had to be natural colors, and no more than 2 piercings an ear.
While I was working I got away with 3 piercing in my left ear and my boss had a nose stud. Several coworkers had Tattoos but kept them covered during work hours. One girl came in with this fire engine red hair though and was immediately sent home and told to make it look natural or to not come back. Another one came in with a purple black color and had the same problem.
Working in Airlines now I have the same issues but cranked up even further. Cant have my roots showing because Ombre color is sloppy, I have to wear pants or tall boots to cover up the tattoo on my ankle and even if I am on an overnight sit they don't like it if you show it out of uniform.
I have friends with crazy hair and plenty of tattoos that go 'oh just do it' what is the worst that can happen. Fired, not get hired, black listed from all airlines? Yeah Uniforms suck but following the dress code lets you go under the radar.

Working, Like I am banned from being hired by some airlines because they don't allow tattoos below the knees.
It isn't about how good they are at their job it is about conforming to a standard that looks like the average conservative american. Plenty of people will fit that goal so they don't change it, and if people stop fitting it then they will just hire less so they can serve the broadest population with out offending them

In an ideal world, no. But body mods and hair dyes are associated with rebellion and counterculture, and whether it ought to be true or not lots of people do get uncomfortable around it, or at the very least consider it to be unprofessional, and being perceived as unprofessional in a business is pretty bad.

That's not necessarily true. Refusal to comply with a dress code DOES reflect on work ethic -- if you can't comply with a very visible rule, then why should your employer trust you with things that they CAN'T see? It's not specifically about the way you look, which is mostly tangential; it's about your response to the rules.

Even discounting that particular part, it's largely a subconscious thing. Our brains are wired to instinctively think "same good, different bad." It's a bias that's very hard to overcome.

Specifically it's employees. Airlines will let pretty much anyone fly as a passenger as long as they're not causing disruptions. (But they'll boot people who are being disruptive pretty quickly because they don't want the other passengers to come away with a bad experience.)

In the cases where it matters, it's rarely a question of one's competence, but rather of how third parties will perceive the company.

Coda: Yeah I tend to drink coffee to mellow me out. Lol.

Ml1201: Thats terrible. I am sorry that happened. Good thing he survived.
My mom was a paramedic, so she was the one on the EMS team to make life saving decisions and usually was the one starting IV's and treatment to keep patients from flatlining on the way to the ER. Its a stressful job, same with your mom's position. So much respect for those who can handle it.

SO IN PLACE OF NATSU POSTING A PICCU, I POST IT FOR HEEM.



LOOK! LOOK AT THAT BOY! AND HE'S ALL MINE MINE MINE MINEEEEEE XDDD;;

I saw that coming xD

that is some glorious hair.

Sank you i am proud of it

FUCKING RIGHT?!

You should see one of the ones I was GONNA post.
But it hasn't shown up in my email yet.

You can post it when it does xD