What are we doing when we create a dress code?  What I generally hear is, “it shows respect for the client, it shows professionalism, it shows the community that we are professional.”  Dress code policies include words like: image; regulations; hygiene; grooming.  They also may include words such as: you shall; mandatory; should be; prohibited; compliance; must.  And then backed-up with phrases such as, “failure to follow policy will lead to disciplinary action or termination.”

So back to the original question.  For who?  For what?  I propose that dress code policies are not about the employees, or even the organization.  They are about the attempt to control employees, while bypassing the true issue – the lack of a strong relationship between supervisor’s and their employees.   The reality is that there is no way to control employees choice of dress, because some will choose to be an individual in a way that breaks the policy, whether indirect or directly, regardless of policies.

I am not saying that organizations do not benefit from dress code guidelines, they do.  What I am saying is, “do we want our employees to be motivated to promote a professional image on their own, or to dress a certain way because a policy mandates it?”

Here is an example, “Policy states no more that two ear ring holes per ear.”  I have witnessed, and worked with employees who then wore bright, non-matching socks, obtained a strategically placed visible tattoo, wore bright colored shoes, or wore outlandish outfits.  Do you see where I am going?  Because then the policy-writing team has to revise the policy to control the new, previously unaddressed “unprofessional appearance” issues.

I contend that the less rigid a dress code policy is, and the stronger the alliance and relationship is with the supervisor, the more apt employees will dress for success for themselves as well as for the organization.

Dress code policies create a power struggle between employees and management.  The loser is the organization, because it takes time, energy and money to write, re-write, revise and police the dress code policy.  As a supervisor I have much better things to do with my time.  When I see attire that may not be appropriate, I can speak with that person and motivate them to dress differently.

Remember, employees work and are productive because they are motivated to do so, not because they are mandated to do so.

Stay tuned for a blog on how to motivate employees to “dress for success” versus “mandated dress code policies.”