Should You Embrace a Casual Business Dress Code?

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The world of work has changed drastically in the recent decade. Over the years, the global workforce has worked in brick and mortar offices but is now preferring remote offices. With the integration of the internet and the business world, it has also become easy to connect with different businesses and customers. Perhaps, the one aspect that has seen the most change is company culture and the idea of what is deemed fit as work-friendly dress codes.

Companies like Google have embraced a laid back approach to office wear, as well as other aspects of their business. In fact, Google has a slogan that says, “You can be serious without a suit.” Depending on the kind of business you work in, however, this casual approach to workplace attire as well as company culture might work for you or cause issues down the line.

Read on to learn whether you should embrace casual wear in your workplace or not:

Dress Codes and Employee Behavior

It is a fact that people find confidence in what they wear. In turn, a confident employee will find it easy to interact with colleagues as well as clients on a daily basis. While some employees will be confident in casual wear, others will prefer official wear. Ideally, most employees want to wear something that fits right into their comfort zone while at work.

This also has the potential to increase their productivity, with 61% of employees saying they are more productive if their dress code is relaxed, according to Talint International. If such employees choose from this list of best men’s casual shoes, their performance will be high in comparison to those who wear formally. However, defining the expected casual wear is essential to limit the chances of employees veering too far from the norm.

Business Benefits of Casual Wear

First impressions count when it comes to landing clients. Sure, formal wear does make employees look more presentable to the clients. It also makes the workplace seem professional. However, there is more to first impressions than attire.

If employees are happy and confident in their jobs, they make clients feel confident in them and find the business acceptable. Furthermore, not all departments are client-facing.

It Trickles Down to Your Typical Customer

Different businesses have different types of customers. For instance, lawyers will mainly deal with customers who interact with them in formal settings. Tech companies might allow for some informal interactions between customers and the workforce. As a result, choosing your ideal dress code should depend on the type of clients you deal with.

While interacting with clients in formal setups will call for a formal dress code, dealing with clients in informal situations will require casual dress codes. Non-client-facing employees can have some leeway in their dress codes.

What Will Be the Employee Reaction?

Your employees’ perception of the current dress code will have a vital role to play in company culture. In case you already have an informal dress code, you might face some resistance when it comes to changing it. This will also be the case for workforces that have a casual employee-management relationship level.

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In case you already have a strictly formal dress code but are sensing some form of resistance from employees, it might pay to relax the dress code. Regardless of whatever path you choose, it is important to protect the clients’ perception of your company.

Conclusion

There is minimal scientific research on the effects of dress codes on productivity. However, it still has an effect on the general engagement of employees and the profitability of your business. You can enjoy the perks of a casual dress code as long as it doesn’t interfere with your business’ productivity and professional outlook.