Smart casual clothingSummer Dress Code

As summer approaches the temperature is not the only thing rising.  Employee dress can also cause many eyebrows to rise during the summer months.  Management must remind employees of what the dress code is before they begin to wear questionable clothing into work.  Often, when one person gets away with wearing something outside of the dress code, everyone else believes it is acceptable.

In addition, to make matters even more tricky, according to new research from from staffing firm OfficeTeam, a casual dress code for work is on the incline.  Half (50%) of senior managers interviewed said employees wear less formal clothing than they did five years ago.  Also, 31% of office workers stated they would prefer to be at a company with a business casual dress code while 27% favor a casual dress code or no dress code at all.

Choosing seasonal dress code is  fine when everyone has the same understanding of what is appropriate and what is not.  Your policy should include several factors.  Consider the culture of the workplace, risk management, and the desired image to be portrayed to clients and customers.  Remember the image they portray at the workplace is the image that is conveyed to the clients and customers.

Whether or not you implement a seasonal dress code for the summer months, employees may attempt to bend the rules regarding their attire.  It is important to be specific with respect to what is and is not acceptable.  For example, sleeveless tops may be acceptable as long as it is not a “spaghetti strap” and all under garments are covered.  Open-toed may also be acceptable as long as they are not flip-flops.