Dress Code vs doing your job...

[mjr]

Putting aside the fact that some places require uniforms...

I work in an IT department. Our "customers" are basically the people that request the changes.

We very rarely (if ever) deal with outside customers directly.

Our dress code is "business casual" (i.e. slacks and polos for guys, equivalent for ladies).

I don't see how business casueal, though, has anything to do with my ability to write code, or the quality of the code I turn out.

It's not like I'm going to turn out less, or lower quality, code because I wear jeans, sneakers, and a t-shirt to work every day.

[Seanette]

Reminds me of another puzzle: why do call centers bother with dress code when the customers NEVER see the reps?

[mjr]

Reminds me of another puzzle: why do call centers bother with dress code when the customers NEVER see the reps?

Yep. It's the same thing. I guess maybe they think if we look professional we'll act professional.

Honestly, call center people should be able to dress casually, especially considering the crap they put up with.

[KuariKaydrith]

Well, there's a few reason why dress codes are a thing:

1) If there weren't there's a good chance we'd see way more skin than we ever wanted to see. Case in point: at one place I worked at they relaxed the dress code and one woman thought it would be appropriate to wear a skin-tight black latex dress that left nothing to the imagination. It was not a flattering look, and management couldn't send her home due to the lack of dress code. I can tell you that the following week that was corrected to prevent that sort of thing happening ever again.

2) Dressing up has been found to increase productivity. I don't have links to back me up, but I've seen this in action at several call centers, including the one I'm at now. It's like if you make an effort to wear something other than what you'd wear at home or out shopping then you actually take your job more seriously and apply yourself that much more.

3) Visiting bigwigs like to see their employees looking like good little peons who tow the company line.

We have a pretty lax dress code in the call center I currently work at. Jeans are definitely permitted, so are t-shirts as long as there is nothing vulgar on them. Yoga pants are sometimes worn but with the caveat of 'if we can see your underwear when you bend over then the pants are not appropriate and you will be expected to change'. Also, thin leggings are not pants - they are fine under dresses or skirts, but not on their own. No spaghetti straps - all tank top straps must be a least as wide as the narrowest part of your work badge, and please please please no manky bra straps showing.

[taxguykarl]

Yep. It's the same thing. I guess maybe they think if we look professional we'll act professional.

That was the stated reason at a telemarketing firm where I worked.

[mjr]

1) If there weren't there's a good chance we'd see way more skin than we ever wanted to see. Case in point: at one place I worked at they relaxed the dress code and one woman thought it would be appropriate to wear a skin-tight black latex dress that left nothing to the imagination. It was not a flattering look, and management couldn't send her home due to the lack of dress code. I can tell you that the following week that was corrected to prevent that sort of thing happening ever again.

Sure. I understand the need for a minimal dress code or expectation of dress when working.

That said, in my industry I don't necessarily see how the way I dress affects how I code. Maybe I code better in a t-shirt and jeans.

I don't think a tie around my neck is really going to improve my software development skills all that much.

3) Visiting bigwigs like to see their employees looking like good little peons who tow the company line.

Does that mean that I can't dress at the level (or above: see my thread about wearing a tuxedo to work) of the bigwigs when they visit?

[greek_jester]

That said, in my industry I don't necessarily see how the way I dress affects how I code. Maybe I code better in a t-shirt and jeans.

I don't think a tie around my neck is really going to improve my software development skills all that much.

To be honest, there have been many studies which show that staff in general (as always, there are exceptions to every rule) tend to behave more professionally and knuckle down to work better when they are dressed in office-appropriate attire, minimum being smart-casual.

I've actually noticed it at the office where I work. The last Friday of every month is dress down day, where we put £1 in the charity pot so that we can wear casual clothes to work. On dress down day everyone tends to goof around more, there's a lot more shouting across the office or standing in a group nattering when we're supposed to be working.*

I've also noticed it affecting me; if I'm wearing my gypsy skirt and wooden jewellery I'm a lot more unfocused. I'm used to wandering around car boot sales, going shopping or walking along the seafront. I associate the outfit with "play", whereas I associate my work close with "head down and concentrate".

*No, the extra noise doesn't affect me. I'm partially deaf, and on days where I've forgotten to dress down I have no problems getting on with the job in front of me.

[notalwaysright]

To be honest, there have been many studies which show that staff in general (as always, there are exceptions to every rule) tend to behave more professionally and knuckle down to work better when they are dressed in office-appropriate attire, minimum being smart-casual.

I'd be interested to see how this works outside traditional offices. I see how it would work in an office, or "upscale" type jobs. When I put on a formal dress and heels, do my hair, etc, I feel spiffy.

At my work we used to have to wear khaki or black pants. I always wore khaki, but when I had to get down on the floor I kept trying to minimize the amount of dirt I got on my pants. It showed terribly, and khaki pants wore out pretty fast. That doesn't make practical sense. Now that they switched to allowing jeans I totally crawl under shelves or whatever without any worry about dirt.

That being said, I know programmers, and I don't think they register any difference in what they wear.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

In my line of work, there is no reason why we employees need to look like we're going to church. None.

I would understand if we worked at a desk all day, or if the stuff we were selling was high-end. We sell toilet paper to extreme couponers, cat food to cat hoarders, and jorts to preteens. So why do I have to do it in a polo shirt that holds in sweat and dirt and doesn't breathe, and khakis?

Especially since my job is to handle all the freight. It's hot and it's dirty and there are limitless things I can spill on my clothes or can rip my clothes on. Then I just look like a grubby bum.

I'm really envious of those workplaces that allow their employees to wear a company t-shirt and jeans. It's functional and we can still be identified as employees. Plus jeans hold up to wear and tear longer.

And maybe--just maybe!--my company will be joining that trend. We're undergoing a re-branding that starts this fall and part of it is uniform changes. Our polo shirts will be replaced by t-shirts. Better yet we don't even have to pay for them right away; the company will give us one t-shirt free for every polo shirt we trade in.

[WishfulSpirit]

I totally think back room employees should be allowed to wear breathable clothing. It's not just for comfort (though that's important...you can't be happy at work if you're uncomfortable, and happy employees are good employees) but also for safety. If you're over-heated you're likely to faint on the job. The cost of cotton shirts is a lot less than the cost of a workman's comp claim. Or several.

[MoonCat]

I am a union member, and in our case a dress code is a mandatory subject of bargaining. In other words, they can't just impose one. That said, we are expected to be decently covered, clean and neat. When I first started the office was much more formal and I always wore skirts or good pants/tops to work. Then we started casual Fridays, and then the casual overlapped into other days. I almost never see customers in person these days, but I try to look presentable even when I'm wearing jeans. Nothing ratty, dirty or too baggy (that last is getting harder to manage as I've lost weight; I can't replace my entire wardrobe all at once).

In other dept on our floor, there was a saleswoman that I used to privately call "Boobs McClomperson" because of the 18 inches of cleavage she displayed every day and the huge, clunky shoes she wore. I still don't get how come she got away with the plunging necklines. Well, yes, I do get it, actually...

[Seshat]

I agree with a kind of dress code, for the basic reasons people have said above.

That said, anyone who gets dirty as part of their work should have a dress code that supports hard-wearing garb. Anyone who works near machinery should be wearing what I call 'work clothes' and some people call 'safety clothes': the stuff where the buttons are on the inside or under a placket, so they don't get caught in machinery. Where the fabric is rugged and doesn't generate loose threads, and doesn't tear easily. Where it might have sweat-wicking fabric or 'breathing' fabric in key places, because many of the people who wear these things have hot, sweaty jobs.

And yes, stockroom staff in a retail environment have hot, sweaty, grubby jobs and should, IMO, be wearing this sort of garb. And either steel-toe boots, or the tough boots that are also sold where steel-toe boots are sold. You're not likely to have your toes cut off if a pile of boxes falls on your feet; but without this sort of HARD leather boot, you could take serious damage. With the boot, it'll hurt but you're much less likely to break bones.

So the dress code at the supermarket I fantasy-run, for the stockroom team: clean (at the start of the day) 'work clothes' in the store's stockroom-colours. (this stuff tends to come in navy blue, dark brown, or olive green. I'd pick one of those.) Preferably ironed at the start of the day, or at least not looking like it's been hauled out of the bottom of a pile of clothes.
Hair restrained for safety, or short. Fingernails preferably short, cause otherwise OW. Feet in some sort of safety shoe, preferably one that isn't a scuffed mess: at least rub the thing with Dubbin or some other leather wax once a month, okay? You want the shoe in good condition or it'll wear out too fast.
Work gloves and safety glasses optional, but welcomed. Other safety gear also optional but welcomed.

[wolfie]

So the dress code at the supermarket I fantasy-run, for the stockroom team:
(snip)
Work gloves and safety glasses optional, but welcomed. Other safety gear also optional but welcomed.

I'm looking forward to the day when someone with a sense of humour shows up for work wearing a HAZMAT suit and a life jacket.

[Ghel]

The bank I work for has a pretty strict dress code, but since we're the only branch in our state and we're located in a small town, our local management is very lenient. For example, we get away with wearing jeans or khakis when the dress code says we can't wear either, except khakis on casual Fridays. We're also not supposed to wear sandals or open-toe shoes, but some of my coworkers wear them frequently.

I've seen that the dress code is enforced inconsistently, though. When the internal auditor comes from the main branch to balance teller drawers, she usually wears a ratty hoodie, then complains about tellers wearing jeans.

Yep. It's the same thing. I guess maybe they think if we look professional we'll act professional.

I wonder if that would work for the teller that frequently wears t-shirts and hoodies emblazoned with the "PINK" logo. I mean, yeah, I'll wear a nice-looking t-shirt to work, especially on casual Fridays, but I would never wear anything that has text on it, especially not something with a logo.

[Aria]

Reminds me of another puzzle: why do call centers bother with dress code when the customers NEVER see the reps?

So we don't offend each other. Really, my place of work has a very relaxed dress code.. the remaining standards are there for a reason.