There’s business casual, and then there’s just plain too casual in the office. With the temperatures rising, it can be hard to dress appropriately and still be comfortable. How can you ensure your employees are dressing professionally, even in the summer?
Define your terminology. To your company, khakis may slide, but to another, business casual requires dress slacks only. It’s important to define your terms, especially for new workers.
Spell out your gender-neutral terms. Make reference to articles of clothing, such as shirts and pants — not to gender.
Discretion doesn’t mean lacking style. Create an open dialogue with your employees, so they can ask you questions about their wardrobe. Personal style is a way of self expression — you don’t want people assuming that they can’t be themselves.
Dress with intention. With Facetime, Skype, and Beam, video conferences have become ubiquitous in the business world. But this doesn’t mean that your workers should come in as if they just rolled out of bed. Jeans and a night blouse, or a button-down shirt should suffice.
Make accommodations. It always increases your company’s happiness and productivity levels when you bring a little fun to the office. Have Friday’s be the one day where you can bend the rules a little (i.e. allowing cami shirts, shorts, or sandals).
Do you have any helpful tips when it comes to workplace dress code? We’d love to hear your management experience and insight. Connect with us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, or visit our website to learn more about Madison Approach Staffing.
