Should you be implementing a corporate dress code for your company?

Your business brand is important to your reputation. It lies at the heart of your sales, marketing and client relationships, but an aspect of that brand which is commonly overlooked is your staff.

Especially, what your staff wear to work.

When was the last time you looked at your employee dress code?

Do you have a written policy at all?

It might seem somewhat superfluous to insist on a dress code for the business professionals you employ, but consistency can make a real difference to the overall impression your clients take away with them.

How do I know if I need a corporate dress code or not?

Many corporate companies start with small numbers of staff, often family, that grow into a sizeable operation employing countless people with numerous job descriptions. If you have a Human Resources Manager, then you have the number of employees where dressing guidelines become essential.

Do you have different types of employee with different levels of customer interaction?

For example, an office team that welcomes clients to your offices and make them feel at home before their meeting?

A team of professionals they’ll meet, negotiate and close deals with?

As we discussed with our psychology of clothing colour blog, we all have expectations of how certain people will dress, often associated with their professional role. And that’s why it’s a good idea to create a corporate dress code to confirm professionalism in the eyes of your customers.

Setting standards for professional appearance at work can ease staff tension too

We all have slightly different ideas on what’s appropriate to wear to work, and sometimes those bright Hawaiian shirts can start to get a little tiresome on the eye of the beholder.

But without a dress code in place, it can be extremely difficult to turn point out to Fred in accounts that his bright pink suit perhaps doesn’t give the right impression. A suit is corporate wear after all, right?

Employees can often feel aggrieved that other staff members ‘get away with’ wearing the wrong things, hemlines being a little too short or ‘smart casual’ being more casual than smart. A written policy that highlights what is considered acceptable for your company can prevent these issues from occurring and ensure that everyone moves forward on the same page.

Implementing a new dress code for existing employees can be tricky to get right

Many won’t understand the reasons for a dress code and might feel that their individualism is being taken away.

A formal letter or explaining the reasons and introducing the dress code is often the best approach to take, followed by the directors and higher management leading by example.

To soften the blow, giving corporate vouchers to appropriate corporate wear retailers can ensure that the right clothing is purchased and worn in future, and an expense with a potentially high return – increased professionalism often leads to increased sales.

You can discover our range of corporate shirts for ladies and men here.