Dress Codes at Work
The concept of acceptable office wear has changed considerably since the days when going to the office automatically meant putting on a three-piece suit. Especially in hot environments, acceptable office wear has evolved to accommodate tropical temperatures. Many offices have also introduced the concept of "casual Friday" that allow employees to dress in a more relaxed fashion.
However, although the corporate world's expectations about dressing have relaxed, there are still many areas where certain boundaries must be respected, especially by those employees who have frontline jobs such as those in sales or marketing. For better or for worse, customers will judge your business by the way your employees dress.
Number 1
Clearly communicate the dress code to all employees
This is one of the main issues with enforcing dress code policies – i.e. some employees are simply unaware that they are violating the dress code because they don't know that there's a dress code, and/or they don't know what the dress code is.
New employees should be made aware of the code as part of their contract, and existing employees should be reminded via interoffice communications like bulletin board notices and memos. At the same time, emphasize to all employees that any issues with the policy may be discussed in confidence with HR.
If the company has not had a dress code before, you may encounter resistance from certain senior employees, especially those who've been with the company for some time. It may be necessary to take these employees aside and privately explain the reasoning for the dress code, and request their compliance.
Number 2
Once a dress code is introduced, it must be enforced equally
HR must be prepared to take immediate action against any and every employee who violates the dress code, whether a junior mail clerk or a vice-president. However, if an employee is found to be in violation, avoid a public dressing-down. Instead, call the individual concerned for a private meeting to advise him or her of the violation and try to reach a solution. Keep detailed records of each incident.
Number 3
Different jobs require different dressing styles, so plan the dress code accordingly
Keep in mind that the aim of a dress code is to encourage your staff to project an image of competence and ability to do their jobs. For example, an administration assistant would be expected to dress differently from a construction worker. The dress code should reflect a basic trust in employees to exercise good judgment and common sense, but at the same time, it should be particularly specific about the clothing which is not permitted to be worn to work.
It is essential to consider, before implementing a dress code, whether any element of the dress code policy is unnecessary or likely to conflict with religious or medical requirements. Conducting a workplace assessment with input from the employees can help to ensure there are minimal conflicts and also help build employee support for the policy. One US company has a provision in its dress code to allow certain restricted clothing for documented medical or religious reasons (eg. a letter from a doctor or a state religious official stating the need for the individual to wear the particular clothing).
In industries that value initiative and creativity, such as graphic design, the dress code can be more relaxed. But that does not mean that employees in those industries can be allowed to be sloppy. In such scenarios, flexibility in colour and clothing choices should be allowed, but stress the importance of personal hygiene - looking clean and smelling fresh – in order to avoid offending others on a basic level.
Conclusion
Good dressing is unlikely to go noticed, and that's the point. When a person is neatly groomed and dressed well, people are more likely to focus on his or her abilities and professionalism rather than what he or she is wearing. However, people will notice bad dressing and grooming – clothing that is too casual, too revealing, too sloppy, B.O. or dirty fingernails – which could send negative messages about the person's character and capability to perform well. Particularly if your business employs several entry-level staff - many of whom may be on their very first office job - it is necessary to clarify expectations early on so that no one is made to feel uncomfortable in the workplace.
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