The appearance of our employees is a reflection of our organization and our work culture. We must stipulate a minimum standard of dress that we expect from our employees on a day-to-day basis. It is important that all the employees are aware of the dress code expectations. We should frame a policy in this regard to ensure compliance. Some questions to be answered while framing a dress code policy are listed in the section on Policies. When drafting a dress code policy, following should also be kept in mind:
- The dress code should be appropriate to our type of work, our industry norms and practices.
- It should abide by both the company and the social culture. We must be sensitive to religious, caste and race cultural preferences also.
- The dress code must also take into consideration our customer preferences.
- Generally, companies disallow employees from wearing jeans, short skirts, casuals, tight-fitting clothes etc. in the workplace. Also, they may prohibit their employees from having visible tattoos or body piercings, displaying funky hair etc. depending upon their own company cultural preferences and industry norms.
- Even though there may be different dress code guidelines for male and female employees, we should not discriminate for rules on gender basis (i.e. the rules should be same for both the genders for a specific type of clothing. For example, if we restrict female employees from wearing tight clothes, t-shirts or denims at work, the same clothes should not be allowed to male workers.)
- We should consider inputs from employees while drafting a dress code related policy.
- There may be some difference in the dress code standards for employees when they work on behalf of us outside the company, interacting with customers, vendors etc.
- Also, we may allow some liberty in dress code on some specific days (e.g. Friday dressing) for in-house employees.
- Along with a dress code, we must also issue some guidelines about basic grooming requirements for all employees, to ensure some minimum decency level in the people’s appearance while they are at our workplace.
- In case of a dress code, we may gradually learn what to include or exclude in the policy, because fashion keeps changing and the interpretation of what is appropriate or not in a workplace sometimes rests with the individual judgment, which may not be same for all. We may have to modify the policy from time to time as our collective understanding evolves.
- The bottom line about a dress code is that anything which is provocative, inappropriate or distracting must be avoided.
- However, today’s new businesses like software, gaming, call centers allow much liberal and casual dressing. The same need not apply to all businesses.
- Our business has to decide what is appropriate for us based on our own cultural preferences and our understanding.
Uniforms
- Employees working at many industries (e.g. Hotels, restaurants, airlines, healthcare, manufacturing plants, logistics) have to wear their specific company uniforms, while at work.
- This uniform lends a distinct identity both to the employee and to the employer.
- It can significantly contribute to employer brand building.
- Remember, a uniformed employee acts as a brand ambassador of the company, so we must give a proper thought to the design of such a uniform.
- Our uniform must be designed in line with our company brand identity, carrying a symbol or logo which uniquely identifies our company.
- The colors must align with our corporate color schemes followed everywhere.
- The uniform must be such that the employee must feel a sense of pride and belonging when he moves about in such a uniform.
- If we have such a uniform as a dress code, we must prepare clear policy and guidelines regarding that.
- We must provide some remuneration to the employees for procuring this uniform, if we are not providing it directly to them.
- If they want more sets of the uniform, they must be made available at some pre-determined rates.
- Depending upon our company preferences, we may or may not give laundry allowance for the uniforms to the employees.
(Expert advice to GROW your business wherever you are, whenever you want.
WHAT YOU CAN READ NEXT
PREVIOUS POST:
Loans to the Employees
