What is a dress code policy?
A dress code policy is a statement of rules for how employees dress at work. Employers make clothing policies to ensure their employees are wearing the right outfits to perform their jobs effectively. Employees may need to wear uniforms or dress in a certain way according to their industry’s standards. Employees who work directly with customers may need to follow a dress code policy, because the clothing they wear can send a message to clients. For example, a lawyer may wear a suit to show courtroom officials their seriousness about their job.
Benefits of having a dress code policy
Here are some benefits of having dress code regulations:
Enhance team uniformity
Requiring employees to wear the same clothing can help unite your team. It can also signal to customers who can answer their questions and provide services. Uniforms or similar styles of clothing can visually connect team members and eliminate confusion about attire.
Show professionalism
Describing what your employees may wear can help them understand how to dress professionally. Dress policies can help your business convey seriousness, legitimacy, and authority in your field. Employees who wear certain clothing can encourage trust in customers. For example, a doctor’s lab coat can express their medical training and background.
Build your brand identity
A dress code policy can be a great opportunity to build your brand image. You can choose dress styles and colours that match your company’s aesthetic and mission. For example, a healthcare company’s employees may dress in blue, since this colour can be relaxing and is common throughout the medical field.
Attract and maintain customers
Dress codes can unite your employees and help them convey professionalism, which can attract and maintain customers. Some customers may expect employees of a certain type of industry to wear certain clothing. By meeting customer expectations, you can build their trust, confidence, and loyalty.
Welcome new employees
Dress policies can be a part of welcoming new hires to the team. Providing them with a uniform or dressing style policy can help them learn about the company and feel like they fit in with their new colleagues. It can also aid them in understanding the importance of their role.
Tips for deciding if your business would benefit from a dress code policy
Here are some tips to help you decide if your business would benefit from a dress code policy:
- Determine if your business is client-facing: If your employees interact face-to-face with clients, consider implementing a dress code policy. This ensures your employees provide the correct visual representation of your business to customers.
- Imagine what your customers may want to see: Think about if your customers come to your business with certain expectations of employee clothing. If they do, it’s a good idea to implement a dress code to fulfil your customers’ assumptions.
- Consider the duties of your employees: It is important that your dress code matches your employees’ job duties. For example, construction workers may need to wear hard hats to protect their heads in a hazardous environment.
- Think about the comfort of your employees: It’s important that your employees are comfortable at work so they can do their best jobs. Make sure your dress code policy supports the comfort and needs of your employees.
Three examples of dress code policies
Here are three examples that may help you form your own policy based on your needs and preferences:
Formal
“At our business, employees work directly with clients who depend on us for excellent work. It is important that our clothing represents our significant responsibilities. We require that employees wear formal business attire, such as pantsuits, sports jackets, business skirts, dress shoes, flats, and heels. Please use good judgement when evaluating your work attire and ask your managers if you have questions.”
Business casual
“At our company, we have a business casual attire policy because we want to express professionalism to our customers. We ask that employees wear pants, jeans, or skirts that end at the knee, blouses, polo shirts, button-up shirts, or sweaters, and close-toed shoes. Please avoid shorts, spaghetti straps, ripped jeans, and sportswear.”
Casual
“We encourage our employees to feel comfortable in casual attire. We allow t-shirts, sweatshirts, sweatpants, jeans, and shorts. Please avoid wearing clothing with graphic images so we can foster an inclusive environment where everyone is welcome.”
Frequently asked questions about dress code policies
How do I write a business dress code policy?
Here are five steps for how to write a business dress code policy:
- Consider what you want your employees to wear. This may be a uniform, business casual, or another style.
- Consider what clothing to avoid by employees. This may be ripped jeans, dirty clothes, or graphic images.
- Write a statement describing these decisions. This can be a paragraph or a bulleted list.
- Mention that you’re available for questions. This can help support your employees’ understanding of the code.
- Think about how to enforce it. Consider what to do if an employee disobeys the code.
What are the types of dress codes for the workplace?
Here are the four main types of workplace dress codes:
- Casual
- Business casual
- Business professional
- Business formal
What are the types of clothing to avoid when dressing for work?
Avoid wearing graphic designs, overly casual clothing, and ripped and dirty clothes to work. It’s important that employees wear clean, wrinkle-free, and professional attire.