Job Articles - Dress Codes at Work
Creating and Enforcing Reasonable Dress Codes is Tough Work
in Today's Business Environment
There is little consensus among business owners and HR professionals regarding appropriate dress standards for business. However, as attire tends to become generally more casual and revealing, more companies are seeking to control dress codes at work.
In some industries (delivery, medical, etc.), uniforms are the norm. This identifies employees and tells customers they are dealing with a legitimate company representative. In others, special dress requirements (like company shirts) are used to create brand awareness and proactively ensure appropriate attire. Sometimes, a dress code is put in place to guide employees' choices and reduce inappropriate dress. Safety may also drive dress requirements for those working in certain environments.
In answering these questions, you will better define your goals in determining what, if any, dress code is appropriate for your company:
- Does your industry have generally accepted standards you should meet?
- Is there is a company image to maintain? Fashionable? Conservative? Casual?
- Is inappropriate dress promoting inappropriate behavior or offending customers or other employees?
- Do current dress issues warrant a company wide dress code or is personal counseling for a few employees a better option for control?
- Do you want to regulate appearance (facial hair, tattoos, body piercing) as well? Will your policy limit your hiring pool too much? Do you need more than one set of guidelines for different departments? Are there safety issues to be addressed in the code? Should there be dress code exceptions? Casual day?
Dress Codes Challenging to Enforce
It's important to enforce your policy fairly and consistently. Before you roll out a dress code policy, discuss with your managers how to handle employees who fail to comply with the dress code occasionally or chronically. Prepare a consistent infraction-management program and ensure managers know how to provide personal counseling when an employee shows up to work dressed inappropriately. Safety-related dress issues (like closed-toed shoes in the manufacturing plant) should be strictly enforced.
Communicate Objectives and Requirements
Communicate the dress code to the employees in person. Memos or e-mails are much less likely to be effective and well received. We recommend holding employee meetings (keep the group reasonably sized) to discuss the new policy, and the motivation for establishing it. Relating the policy to important business objectives helps adoption. Be sensitive if employees will have to invest in new work clothes. You may also have to modify your policy for disability or religious requirements (for example, allowing head coverings for women of some faiths). And, ensure new-hire candidates are informed of the dress code before they accept the job to avoid unnecessary friction after hire.
This article is reprinted from the Summer 2003 issue of Outsource! with the permission of its publisher, ManagEase, Inc. The author Jill A. Swedo, nee Solder, is a Senior HR Consultant with ManagEase, which offers outsourced HR products and services as well as consulting and benefits management to companies and nonprofit agencies. Reach ManagEase at 714.378.0880 or www.managease.com. Note: ManagEase is not licensed to practice law or provide legal opinions; readers are encouraged to consult their attorneys for matters requiring legal advice.
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