Work

Why No More Dress Code Is a Really Good Idea

Staff morale and productivity cannot be judged by the dress code.

I always think it is a great idea to find out if a company really does have a dress code before going to an interview. A friend of mine was shocked when he went for an interview. Everyone in the office was dressed casually — he was elegantly dressed in a suit and tie. He was so disappointed that he did not get the job.

We chatted afterward and I wondered whether his preoccupation with appearing smart had anything to do with his failure. Maybe his qualifications and experience were not a good match.

He said- “Lesson learned — always telephone and find out if there is a dress code.”

This got me thinking. Is a dress code really useful? Here are some examples where a dress code can be really relevant and important:-

• Dress code can reinforce the company’s brand- air flight attendants are a good example. I still wonder though why high heels for women are so important. Why do they have to suffer foot pain? It is still obligatory for women in Japan, despite protests from the #KuToo movement there. Interestingly, “kutsu”in Japanese means shoes, and the word “kutsuu” means pain!
• Working in the hospitality industry will require clothes and hair care that meet health and safety requirements.
• Manual labor such as operating machinery or nursing would exclude wearing jewelry or loose/dirty clothing
• Dress code can often be discriminatory as regards disability /age/gender/religion.

Apart from these cases, I do not think that a rigid dress code is really important at all and we should be concentrating on other areas that will make the workplace a happier and more equitable space.

Let me tell you why.

Certain clothes can be uncomfortable.

If the company insists that all men should wear a tie or that women must wear business suits, then this can make them feel less comfortable in warmer weather, for example. I would say these rules are impractical because I feel that any employee should be able to choose what suits them best in that particular environment. If what they are wearing is a better match for their duties, body shape, or even mood, then that should be fine.

I like GM’s approach to this as they state that they only really take note of how the worker performs at the interview rather than what they wear. Their dress code contains two words:- Dress appropriately.

Dress codes are a barrier to transparency and trust.

If I have to wear all these formal clothes, then I may not always be willing to do my best. This is certainly not the way to engage staff or enable worker empowerment.

The other problem I have noted is that some people are judged by what they wear and that will erode a sense of trust in management.

“What to wear: An employee chooses. How to dress: His employer chose.” ― Mokokoma Mokhonoana, Divided & Conquered

It may even be a factor in how performance assessment is carried out and that can be unfair as there may be some sort of subtle discrimination going on here.

If staff is allowed to dress as they wish, this will lead to better teamwork and cooperation. Steve Jobs went around barefoot but that is questionable from a hygienic point of view but nobody dared criticize him on that. In general, though, Apple did place a lot of emphasis on making great things happen without any dress code!

Dress codes should be updated regularly.

Given the massive popularity of piercings and tattoos, many people in the service industries have had to review the rules. The rules have been relaxed and Starbucks has no problem with waiting staff displaying tattoos, except on the face and throat.

They are advised not to wear strong perfume as that might affect the customer’s coffee taste buds. They also invite staff to make a statement in using personal choices of clothes that they can wear under the Starbucks green apron. You can see the latest rules here.

Trying to avoid racial discrimination.

Some companies are still insisting that all their male staff must not be allowed to have beards. But many African-American men have a skin condition which is known as pseudofolliculitis barbae. This means that if they shave their beards on a regular basis, the condition gets worse. Just another example of racial discrimination which could easily be relaxed.

The US Congress still has strict dress codes. Men need to be neatly shaved, so that means a well-trimmed beard is out. Sideburns stretching down longer than the earlobe are also not allowed!

Dress codes are insisting on useless conformity to “rules.”

The school uniforms debate still rages on. It is defended because poorer students do not have to worry about sporting the latest fashion. On the other hand, their individual taste in clothes and appearance is severely restricted.

Women feel that they are generally under too much pressure to dress according to certain company rules such as the dress code. Once they break the rules they will be shamed but men can get away with much more freedom. It is time to make it as fair and equitable as possible for both sexes.

“Pop culture tells [girls], ‘Be cute and pretty and sexy, but if you’re too cute, pretty and sexy, you’re a slut.” — Niv Myasato

Then there are religious issues. For example, many Muslim women feel uncomfortable wearing skirts. They prefer to wear trousers so why not relax the rules here, too? The only advantage of being rigid here is that all the women look alike and that is hardly a useful image to project for a forward-looking company.

At the end of the day, a dress code is not going to have any impact on engagement, innovation, and productivity.

“Google dress code was: “You must wear something”.” ― Eric Schmidt, How Google Works

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