Hi, I'm interested in peoples opinions about dress at work. If you are customer/client facing then I think formal dress is probably necessary (with some exceptions of certain professions eg media/advertising etc) but if you are just working in an office performing admin duties and never face "outside" people, do you think it is a bit old fashioned to make employees, especially men, where a stiff shirt and tie, shoes, smart trousers etc. I speak as a male, as "smart" for men seems much more limited than "smart" for females, but my issue is not about gender, it's about some companies being stuck in their old fashioned ways. Why should what you wear make you less productive at your work? it doesn't to me, in fact it encourages me... thanks.
I actually agree with you, but i know the headmaster at our local senior school is very strict on uniform and they also have to wear smart clothes (shirts/ties) in the Sixth Form. He believes you work harder if you look smart...
I do think your idea is nice bond but some people (women & men) abuse this and I've see it happen once and the company had to revert back as a few employees were wearing trainers and gym wear (men) and women at work in night-club attire -it wasn't nice to work around as some did always look professional even behind the scenes and you need to look smart if attening meetings + what you look like influences others including colleagues. Scruffy says scruffy. Inappropriate says inappropriate and you're impression about the person is unlikely to change then. People have trouble interpreting "appropriate" but it doesn't mean you yourself get it wrong. Business is about making money and impressions count. Unless it is made very clear, you will have headaches. Personally I do not like to see it but I am particular.
I like to see people dressed tidily even if they aren't in the public eye. I would be happy with "smart casual" but smart, clean and tidy by me is essential.
I work better if I'm dressed properly - and by properly I don't mean a suit, I mean something decent, and proper shoes or boots. My mind is in work mode if I'm wearing work clothes.
The office where I was today had loads of men, some with suits, some without ties, nobody in trainers or scruffs.
I have two sets of clothes in my wardrobe, work clothes and non-work clothes and never the two should meet. I very much dislike turning up to work in jeans or any of the other stuff I knock around in despite much of my role not being patient focused; my personality at work is different (not significantly so but certainly a lot less swearing) to my home personality and I like it that way, I don't want work having the best of me. I don't wear suits to work but do have smart shoes/tops/dresses and nearly always black shoes - a shoe colour I never wear outside work.
I like having my work identity and home identity completely seperate. Plus I think it looks far more professional to be smartly dressed for work and I do think people take you more seriously.
And just to be clear, dress codes lead, in part, to the image and ultimately the brand that a company wants to put forward to their customers, or potential customer. As a manager, I would surmise "Horses for Courses."
It's a mind set thing. If I wanted to do any serious computer stuff (like that's going to happen) I would dig out my laptop, for fun stuff I use my iPad. You need to have your work head 'on' and if you don't like your employers rules then get a job somewhere else.