Finding the right dress code for your office depends on a lot of factors. It can be hard to find the right balance between professionalism and comfort. Should you opt for casual, business casual, business professional or business formal? Or rather should you focus you efforts on prohibiting certain kinds of clothing like sandals, shorts, t-shirts or jeans?
When it comes to office dress codes, there is no one size fits all policy that organizations and businesses should be adopting. You’ll need to put some thought into yours as it will play a critical role in years to come on employee happiness, morale, productivity and office culture. Here are some issues you need to consider when drawing up yours.
The age of your workforce
Generational differences are an important aspect to consider. Many older workers came of age during a period when dress codes, both at work and in public, were much stricter, so many have brought these attitudes with them to the present day. Younger workers, especially millennials, seem to expect a more casual office experience. Choose the dress code that best suits the age of your workers, and if you have a diverse workforce, aim for something in-between.
The kind of work and industry
The nature of your industry and what your employees will also be doing is essential. If your employees perform a lot of manual labour, then you need to promote a dress code suited to those tasks. If you are working in an office, you can worry less about comfort and more about creating a professional environment.
Certain industries also come with a better defined dress culture. Older, more prestigious accounting firms, law firms, etc. often have the most formal dress codes, whereas ad agencies and other more creative, idea driven businesses are more casual. So figure out where you fit in your industry’s landscape and adjust appropriately.
Are clients regularly visiting the office?
Do you have a lot of clients coming to the office on a regular basis? This is important to consider because the impression your staff leaves on them will matter and dressing well is a crucial part of that. Who your clients are and the services you provide for them will also factor into this decision. If you are managing their money, for example, you’ll want to leave nothing to chance. But in any case, if you have clients coming by, you want to create the impression that your workers are professional and motivated.
The culture of your city
Different cities and regions in the world have different expectations for office dress. If your office is located in the Mid-Western United States, local culture in that area is often a lot less formal. In New York City, on the other hand, expectations on how to dress will be much higher. Leave some flexibility to your local office manager to decide on a dress code based on their knowledge of the local area because this will help keep your workers happy and make clients feel at home in your office.
