Should you be implementing a corporate dress code for your company?
Posted on January 11 2018

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.
Recent Posts
- The Three Types of White Shirt Everyone Should Own!
- how to stay focused, professional and productive while working from home.
- Is It Acceptable To Wear a Short Sleeve Shirt For Business?
- Why pink is proving to be a popular choice in menswear
- How To Overcome That Office Stress by Working Out At Your Desk
- The Most Popular Menswear Colours For Spring and Summer 2019
- Suit wearing rules you really should follow
- How Adaptive Clothing Is Making Fashion More Accessible
- 7 Menswear Trends Set to Dominate in 2019
- 7 Types of Trouser Every Man Should Own
- A Gentleman’s Glossary to Buying a Suit
- Sweater style – how to wear knitwear well
- What to wear to the office Christmas party this year
- Why you should be comfortable with cardigans this winter
- How to Wear White Jeans the Right Way
- 8 Essential Items Every Man Should Have in His Wardrobe
- 4 things to consider when buying a shirt
- What to wear with a black shirt
- Discover the best jackets on the High Street this Autumn and Winter 2018
- 5 Autumn Winter Fashion Trends to Wear in 2018/19
- 3 Hacks for Looking Sharp as a Shorter Gentleman
- Slim fit or regular? Which one should you choose when it comes to buying a suit?
- Linen shirts vs cotton – which is better this summer
- Everyman’s Guide to Wearing Tailored Separates
- Wedding Suits and How They Started
- A Brief History of Men’s Braces
- What’s the best way to care for my bespoke shirt?
- How to wear a blazer this summer
- The remarkable history of the necktie
- Summer shoes and how to wear them
- Top Tips for Staying Cool in the Office this Summer
- This Summer’s Big Shirt Trend – Vertical Stripes
- How to wear a checked shirt with style
- A gentleman’s guide to organising his wardrobe
- How to wear a short-sleeved shirt well this summer
- Formal Dress Codes Revealed – what they really mean
- The Denim Jacket – for the casual smart look this summer
- Why every man should own at least one Oxford shirt
- Suit colour combinations that work
- From field to shirt – explaining the cotton industry
- Nanotechnology – the future of modern clothing
- The impact of social media on menswear
- 21st Century Office Wear - have we seen the last of the three-piece suit?
- How to get the most mileage out of your shoes
- The gender differences of shirts and suits
- From Nightgowns to Business Wear – the Interesting History of the Humble Shirt
- Upcoming Fashion Trends for Spring/Summer 2018
- Why a tie can be more of a fashion disaster than a fashion statement in the office
- Valentine’s Day – a date to dress sharply for!
- The overlooked clothing item of the corporate world – socks
- best white shirts
- cotton
- focus
- home working attire
- productivity
- professional
- top tips for working from home
- what to wear on zoom meetings
- what to wear when working from home
- White
- working from home
0 comments