To tie or not to tie?

We recently ran a poll that stated 63% of respondents (SME business owners) stated they have an enforced dress code policy in their business, though the formality of the code varied depending on the industry and nature of employee. This week Britons were accused by the newly appointed chief at the Victoria and Albert Museum of being scruffy in their ‘dress down’ approach at work, specifically the lack of men wearing a tie. 

First impressions still count and whilst having a relaxed dress code for creative staff for example may seem ‘cool’, the people they are selling to are often less tolerant and consider ‘laid back’ to be scruffy and assume the quality of the work will be the same. We are not suggesting dress codes should include formal suit and ties; after all the likes of David Cameron and Prince William often wear open necked shirts, in a bid to relate to their audiences.

Having a policy and enforcing it consistently is the key, but what does your dress code say about your business?

What is the oddest request you have seen in a dress code policy; Send us a tweet @thehrdept 

By the way;

We believe Mickey Mouse could be in line for 'beard of year' in the annual Beard Liberation Front awards in 2012, following the story that cast members at Disneyland can now grow facial hair which had previously been banned under their strict dress code since 1955. 

Dress Codes

Business dress codes have changed dramatically in the last 50 years. Did you know in the 1960’s, Bowler Hats were favoured by city gents as it was the ‘hat that won the West’.

We have therefore commissioned a short survey  to find out how many employers still have a formal dress code for their staff. The survey will identify which employers and industries have a formal dress code and how they enforce it.

Employers have a right to establish a dress code for employees for many reasons – image, health and safety, but the HR Dept is looking to see whether employers are still thinking in the 60’s when considering a dress code.

Click here to kindly answer our 30 second survey (all kept anonymous!) 

‘I love your new bob!’ ‘I love yours too!’

Employers have a right to establish a dress code for employees for many reasons – image, health and safety etc. When considering a dress code you might think that hard hats would be appropriate for factory workers, and suited and booted in an office. But when a Japanese company recently ordered 2,700 staff to get the same haircut, our eyes widened and mouths dropped.

A Japanese construction firm has requested that men go to the barbers and ask for a ‘short back-and sides do (slightly longer on top) while the women adopt a ‘cute bob’ with a longer fringe that can be swept to one side.
While you gather yourself, it is worth mentioning that the company maintains that these identical hairstyles will reduce power consumption, a key environmental issue in Japan.

It appears this isn’t the first case of environmental friendly hair loss with a Japanese City back in 2010 seeking to ban beards at work.

Beards in the British workplace have even reached the Employment Appeal Tribunal with the famous case Mohsin Mohmed, a former customer service assistant at Euston Station, who claimed religious discrimination when he was dismissed for refusing to trim his beard to a fist's length - four inches. The appeal tribunal found that he and Virgin had agreed that he trim his beard to this length and that his treatment was no different from a non-Muslim employee. The case was dismissed, but does highlight the point about producing a fair dress code for both men and women and different religious backgrounds. As always, advice would be to use common sense.