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T-shirts or Ties? Exploring the Trends in Corporate Dress Codes July 31, 2000 (SmartPros) Since the early '90s when casual Fridays were introduced as a perk to attract and retain employees in a tight labor market, casual dress codes have slowly penetrated Corporate America. Once thought of as the uniform of techies, the business casual look now is sported by bankers, lawyers, schoolteachers and webmasters alike, five days a week. Indeed, a poll conducted by the Society of Human Resources Management recently found that an overwhelming 87 percent of companies enable employees to dress casually either every day or once a week. Another survey conducted by Hewitt Associates put the number at 60 percent. Either way, it is clear that the majority of the country has embraced casual dress.
It is easy to understand why. Most people find casual attire more comfortable then suits, ties and pantyhose, and it enables them to be more expressive with personal style. Unfortunately, these same benefits that employees enjoy are becoming detriments to employers. Comfort, too often today, leads to sloppiness or inappropriate attire. In fact, according to a survey developed by staffing services firm Accountemps, 39 percent of managers believe workers appear too casual. In addition, some workers, (partly misled by retailers as to what casual wear for the office should be), choose to express themselves with clothing that is meant for an evening out (translated -- too provocative).
The Downside of Business Casual
These situations can have repercussions. Mary Lou Andre, editor of DressingWell.com and a wardrobe and fashion consultant, said she often hears from employers that as dress codes have become more lax, work habits have tended to become lax also. In addition, provocative dress raises the potential for sexual harassment suits, not to mention lost productivity due to the gawk-and-gossip factor. And then corporate image is always an issue. One CEO whose company spent millions on identity-building, including the construction of a first-class campus, told Andre he often felt embarrassed when bringing clients through the office spaces because of how people dressed. "You don't want that disconnect between human capital and everything else," Andre said.
As a result, some firms are returning to more traditional business dress codes. The SHRM poll, for example, indicates that the number of companies with casual dress codes actually has dropped 10 percent since 1998. And as the economy turns around and it once again becomes an employer's market. Andre said it is likely a growing number of companies will "be more strict about what people wear and institute more sophisticated business casual."
Note Andre said, "sophisticated business casual." She doesn't see a return to the business attire of yesteryears even at the stodgiest of firms. "The way America dresses has evolved through history," she said, citing the example of how people used to wear ties to the Super Bowl. Indeed, casual dress has become ingrained in our society. And in addition, a poll conducted by Ceridian Employer Services found that 80 percent of companies cited casual dress as the most popular perk -- presenting HR a challenge if it tries to take it away.
Enforce the "Code" in Dress Code
What Andre sees more often than 360-degree turns away from casual dress codes is defining those dress codes. Companies she works with are drafting clearer sets of guidelines (see related story), communicating those guidelines to everyone within the company, and providing seminars and coaching, if necessary.
Some are even instituting disciplinary measures for infractions, just as they would for other written policy violations. This is a practice recommended by attorneys from AHI's Employment Law Resource Center, which warns that casual dress should not mean casual discipline for violators. They suggest:
Attorneys also suggest you ensure your policy is in accordance with the law. According to mycounsel.com, dress codes need to bear some relationship to the job, but employers have latitude in setting dress-code policies. "What is not legal," according to the site, "is a dress code or uniform policy that discriminates against one group of employees on the basis of their race, color, religion, national origin, age or sex."
In relation to this, attorneys at the AHI Employment Law Resource Center recommend testing your dress code policy against these questions to see if you are on safe ground:
The key is to not underestimate the significance of dress in your workplace, and to ensure it is treated as any other policy. Because as Max Messner, chairman of Accountemps puts it: "The operative word in 'business casual' is business." Send comments or questions to information@smartpros.com.
Smartpros Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
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