How Lack of a Dress Code Policy Can Negatively Impact Your Business

Do you really need a dress code policy?  Short answer: absolutely!  When developing or tweaking your businesses' dress code policy, you'll want to take the following into consideration:

• •The type of business
• •The clientele
• •How often employees meet clients

What, if any, dress code is currently in your employee handbook.  Although the type of clothing that should be worn in the workplace may appear obvious, some of your employees may not recognize what your company standards are.  Improperly clad employees can project the image of a business that is unprofessional, lacks internal control and is inattentive to the needs of their customers.The appropriate dress code policy, which should always be stated in the employee handbook, is foremost a function of the type of business. The dress code for a bank employee will of course be much more conservative and business professional than it will be for a company that makes custom surfboards. As a business owner or manager, you should first determine the image that you want your company to project before deciding on a dress code policy.

The first impression a client has of  your business and your employees may be the deciding factor in their decision to sign with your business or go with your competitor. Lack of control over your employees' business etiquette may inadvertently project to a prospective client that your business practices are less formal in areas that really count.  Some prospective  or current clients may even consider it a sign of disrespect if employees dress inappropriately in the workplace.

Just as the way an employee dresses can affect their upward mobility, the way a business permits its employees to dress can affect the rate of growth, or upward mobility, of a business. Clients prefer to conduct business with a professional entity rather than what may appear to be a slipshod organization.

Although your employees who never meet clients may have a dress code that is more lax than the one for your employees who consistently interface with upper echelons and/or clientele, the criteria for each should be clearly specified.

The definition of business casual should be clearly defined. However, some issues should be addressed in general terms rather than being too specific. For example, a knitted top on one woman may not appear low cut but on a woman who is very well-endowed, the same top may be distracting.

Whatever decision you make regarding your dress code policy, you should be sure to include it in your company's employee handbook and distribute it to all employees. Having a written policy regarding dress codes and what is expected of employees can save litigation headaches in the future as well as help to project a more professional image for your company.