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New Office Dress Code
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Three years ago our company changed its office dress code to business casual, however they have now decided they want to return to formal dress so they have issued a new formal dress code. For male employees like me, this will mainly mean a return to wearing a collared shirt and a tie. Female members of staff have been advised of other clothing restrictions, the code is not intended to be less favorable to either gender. We have all now been communicated to about it and given a copy of the new office dress code.
I find it a little disappointing having got used to wearing more casual attire for work, though it has not been said officially, we have a very good idea that the change back to a formal dress code has come about due to a minority of staff taking advantage of the "business casual" dress that was allowed and unfortunately this minority have spoiled being allowed to come to work in the more casual dress that many staff have enjoyed.
When we previously had a formal dress code, our previous manager was never over strict about it, however the manager we now have has told us that she will be making sure that the new dress code will be strictly enforced at all times, no period of grace will be allowed and she will be formally disciplining any member of staff if they attend work inappropriately dressed in anything outside of the dress code.
She is a very good young manager, she tends to go by the rule, but to me it seems rather strong of her to say she will formally discipline an individual member of staff rather than just reminding them.
Do you think she is being harsh or is she perhaps doing the right thing by making sure we are all aware of what will be expected? can she just discipline a member of staff without reminding them first?
I find it a little disappointing having got used to wearing more casual attire for work, though it has not been said officially, we have a very good idea that the change back to a formal dress code has come about due to a minority of staff taking advantage of the "business casual" dress that was allowed and unfortunately this minority have spoiled being allowed to come to work in the more casual dress that many staff have enjoyed.
When we previously had a formal dress code, our previous manager was never over strict about it, however the manager we now have has told us that she will be making sure that the new dress code will be strictly enforced at all times, no period of grace will be allowed and she will be formally disciplining any member of staff if they attend work inappropriately dressed in anything outside of the dress code.
She is a very good young manager, she tends to go by the rule, but to me it seems rather strong of her to say she will formally discipline an individual member of staff rather than just reminding them.
Do you think she is being harsh or is she perhaps doing the right thing by making sure we are all aware of what will be expected? can she just discipline a member of staff without reminding them first?
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Hi ummmm, no we don't actually face the public at all, that's why I feel it is all a bit extreme. Though as I have said, I am sure this has come about because some staff have taken advantage of the business casual dress policy that we had, as they have been coming to work in what would be classed as casual clothing rather than business casual and the company now want to clamp down hard on this.
My manager seems to be taking a particularly hard stance on this by saying she will discipline any staff who do not adhere to the new policy so I guess I will just have to accept what she says.
My manager seems to be taking a particularly hard stance on this by saying she will discipline any staff who do not adhere to the new policy so I guess I will just have to accept what she says.
I had a similar problem in my last year working for BT in 1994.
We had a new Boss that would spend hours working out what we should be wearing, rather than devoting his energies to more important things, like making sure that the toilets were cleaned very day.
He told us that we should be wearing BT corporate clothing. For us chaps it was a white, 60/40 poly-cotton shirt, like a bus driver might wear and trousers of some unknown hairy material that would have had me in a rash from ankle, to somewhere further north.
I refused and and wore a M+S formal light blue shirt, with a pair of wool trousers from their mid-priced range. This wasn't good enough for our Little Hitler. When I queried why he expected us to wear this ridiculous BT uniform, designed by someone called Klein.....not sure which Klein, Roland I think, or Patsy Klein perhaps, when we were in an office 10 stories up in the air, where nobody but ourselves would see us. ie we were not "customer-facing"
An answer was not forthcoming, just more guff. I continued to refuse to be bullied, although some of my co-workers buckled under.
I left BT at Xmas that year.
We had a new Boss that would spend hours working out what we should be wearing, rather than devoting his energies to more important things, like making sure that the toilets were cleaned very day.
He told us that we should be wearing BT corporate clothing. For us chaps it was a white, 60/40 poly-cotton shirt, like a bus driver might wear and trousers of some unknown hairy material that would have had me in a rash from ankle, to somewhere further north.
I refused and and wore a M+S formal light blue shirt, with a pair of wool trousers from their mid-priced range. This wasn't good enough for our Little Hitler. When I queried why he expected us to wear this ridiculous BT uniform, designed by someone called Klein.....not sure which Klein, Roland I think, or Patsy Klein perhaps, when we were in an office 10 stories up in the air, where nobody but ourselves would see us. ie we were not "customer-facing"
An answer was not forthcoming, just more guff. I continued to refuse to be bullied, although some of my co-workers buckled under.
I left BT at Xmas that year.
it'd make more sense if they just reminded the offenders fo their dress code rather than coming up with a new one and forcing it on everyone.
A wise boss doesn't tie her own hands with vows to issue warnings to everyone however severe the offence. Sooner or later someone who thinks they're hard done by will go off to a tribunal.
A wise boss doesn't tie her own hands with vows to issue warnings to everyone however severe the offence. Sooner or later someone who thinks they're hard done by will go off to a tribunal.
mikey4444, with a little Hitler like you describe and what sounds like a dreadful uniform, I'm not surprised you left BT!
Well fortunately we are not being required to wear any uniforms, where as at the moment we a re allowed to wear clothing such as polo shirts, the new dress code states that male members of staff will be required to wear a formal collared shirt and a tie at all times which I have worn previously and I guess I will now just have to get used to that again.
Also fortunately my manager is not a little Hitler, she is actually quite a pleasant young lady, though she is ambitious and likes to go by the rule.
As she has informed us that she will discipline any member of staff who is seen not adhering to the new policy, I don't think there is any way I can refuse and I will just have to go with what she is enforcing.
Well fortunately we are not being required to wear any uniforms, where as at the moment we a re allowed to wear clothing such as polo shirts, the new dress code states that male members of staff will be required to wear a formal collared shirt and a tie at all times which I have worn previously and I guess I will now just have to get used to that again.
Also fortunately my manager is not a little Hitler, she is actually quite a pleasant young lady, though she is ambitious and likes to go by the rule.
As she has informed us that she will discipline any member of staff who is seen not adhering to the new policy, I don't think there is any way I can refuse and I will just have to go with what she is enforcing.
Mikey4444; I read your post with interest – especially the part:-
‘We had a new Boss that would spend hours working out what we should be wearing, rather than devoting his energies to more important things, like making sure that the toilets were cleaned very day.’
That sentence speaks volumes to me; BT clearly not having important things for their staff to do, like making sure customer requirements/expectations were met every day.
Based on my experience with BT, that new boss is still working for them.
‘We had a new Boss that would spend hours working out what we should be wearing, rather than devoting his energies to more important things, like making sure that the toilets were cleaned very day.’
That sentence speaks volumes to me; BT clearly not having important things for their staff to do, like making sure customer requirements/expectations were met every day.
Based on my experience with BT, that new boss is still working for them.
If she is a young proactive manager she has probably read up on a lot of management literature and there are some who've suggested the relaxed dress approach does affect productivity. Perhaps she's trying it out. If you work in an office environment I don't think wearing a shirt and tie is such a big deal. I certainly feel more professional weekdays when I dress smartly in comparison with Fridays and TGIF attitude when I wear jeans to work.
I think you are very good at guessing Woofgang! I can't say for sure how much higher management have influenced what my manager has informed us as she does like to keep to set rules, but she may well be just taking on board the decisions that they have made.
Some staff have certainly overstepped what would be classed as "business casual" attire by a lot! I think that this is why this change has come about.
Some staff have certainly overstepped what would be classed as "business casual" attire by a lot! I think that this is why this change has come about.
Prudie, she is a young proactive manager like you suggest and reading up on management literature is just the sort of thing I can see her doing. I do think it is also likely that she herself is in favour of office staff dressing in more formal attire than things like polo shirts which have been acceptable in our business casual dress code.
Yes I would agree with you that having to wear a formal collared shirt and a tie is not exactly a really big, deal even though we are not public facing. At least she is not enforcing a uniform on us like the "Little Hitler" manager mikey4444 had at BT!
It was more that my manager has said that she will be formally disciplining any member of staff who comes to work wearing anything outside of the formal dress code which for male members of staff, it includes wearing a formal collared shirt and a tie at all times.
Though to be fair to her, she may just be informing of us of the guidance given to her from her own management, even though I think it is likely that she does support their decisions..
Yes I would agree with you that having to wear a formal collared shirt and a tie is not exactly a really big, deal even though we are not public facing. At least she is not enforcing a uniform on us like the "Little Hitler" manager mikey4444 had at BT!
It was more that my manager has said that she will be formally disciplining any member of staff who comes to work wearing anything outside of the formal dress code which for male members of staff, it includes wearing a formal collared shirt and a tie at all times.
Though to be fair to her, she may just be informing of us of the guidance given to her from her own management, even though I think it is likely that she does support their decisions..
Hi Atalanta, it is interesting to hear from someone who has actually enforced a dress code. I can perfectly understand your reasons for enforcing a very strict dress code as you were in the public eye. I am not in an office that is public facing, though I would be interested to know what sort of dress code you might enforce to a non-public facing workplace.
Even though it is not my preference, I can see the side of company management who even with a non-public facing office, may still want to have their staff always dressed in what they would call formal or semi-formal attire, such as long sleeved collared shirt and a tie for male staff and appropriate style and length of skirt, dress, or trousers for female staff members.
So what would you specify for staff in a non-public facing office like ours?
Even though it is not my preference, I can see the side of company management who even with a non-public facing office, may still want to have their staff always dressed in what they would call formal or semi-formal attire, such as long sleeved collared shirt and a tie for male staff and appropriate style and length of skirt, dress, or trousers for female staff members.
So what would you specify for staff in a non-public facing office like ours?
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