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Should Companies Have Dress Codes?
The American workplace has become increasingly casual over the years. But does comfort foster creativity or reduce productivity? Our always-stylish Board of Directors weighs in.
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"Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society."Sure, Mark Twain had a point, but his well-worn (pun intended) axiom doesn't offer much guidance if you're a business owner trying to establish a dress code. And that begs an even bigger question. With someone like Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg presiding over an estimated $70 billion company from the comfort of a hooded sweatshirt, are dress codes even necessary anymore?
It's easy to watch Mad Men and get a little nostalgic for the office chic of a bygone era -- so bygone that the show's characters and their wardrobes now inspire Halloween costumes. But with the exception of a few traditional industries, America has wholeheartedly decided to dress down. Despite a few glaring infractions (Crocs, really?), the only real side effect seems to be that we're a lot more comfortable at work these days. Nothing wrong with that, right? (Editor's note: As I write this, I'm wearing a T-shirt, jeans and Chuck Taylor sneakers.)
On the other hand, some argue that a little formality in the workplace, sartorially and otherwise, creates a more professional environment, keeps employees more productive and communicates the right message to customers and clients.
The members of our Board of Directors have their own unique styles, in every sense of the word. At least a couple of them even have their own clothing lines. And one literally wrote the book on workplace rules (Clint Greenleaf's The Unwritten Rules of the Workplace). So we decided to get their take on dress codes. While you'd generally expect a group of entrepreneurs to err on the side of casual, they're also savvy business leaders who understand that every so often, you have to throw on a suit and tie to close that big deal.
Rob Dyrdek
President, Dyrdek Enterprises
"Depending on what you do dictates your dress code. When you've got TV shows and a famous pro skateboarder with endless amounts of signature products, it's one thing. If I was a lawyer, I wouldn't have on baggy jeans and a backwards hat. I would have a nice slim-fitting suit. As long as you feel comfortable, no matter what, the dress code should be what's comfortable. Which can be a suit. Donald Trump probably isn't going to feel comfortable in acid wash jeans."
Jennifer Hill
Chairwoman, Astia NYC Advisory Board
"Absolutely. Dress codes demonstrate how you view yourself and the workplace. We employ the use-your-best-judgment dress code. For example, if I'm meeting with a group of investors at the office, I tend to be in a suit. If it's a new tech startup client, I'm likely in chic business casual. If done right, casual can still be stylish, cool and make a positive strong impression -- which is the goal. People inevitably violate the code in extreme ways, so communicate policy and set the example from the top down."
Warren Brown
Founder, CakeLove and Love Café
"At CakeLove, clean, branded shirts or swag provided for our employees -- generally hats, T-shirts or bandanas. Beyond that, not much."
Tom Szaky
Founder, TerraCycle
"I think only if you are a service company trying to inspire confidence in your clients -- i.e. lawyers and accountants. If you are not one of the above, I wouldn't have a dress code. In fact, at TerraCycle, we have a "negative dress code." You shouldn't show up in a suit and tie. You'll be asked to dress down."
Clint Greenleaf
Founder and CEO, Greenleaf Book Group
"Some companies can benefit from making their employees have dress codes -- cops, firemen, professional athletes, flight attendants all should have uniforms and dress codes. It's hard to say a company should or shouldn't have a dress code because it's so dependent on the leadership, the type of business, whether the company has visitors, what the objective of a dress code is. We are a casual office unless we have visitors, when we wear business casual."
Jodie and Danielle Snyder
Co-Founders, DANNIJO
"It depends on the company. A financial organization, where the culture is deeply rooted in the dress code? Yes. But working in fashion, specifically with accessories, which are so personal, it would be stifling to have a strict dress code for our company. Instead, we want our employees to embrace their personal styles. Our brand is about fashion taking a point of view. Working without a dress code helps foster a creative environment for our employees, and this ultimately benefits our business."
Ken Yancey
CEO, SCORE
"We have a dress code that is not strict. I don't think there is a one-size-fits-all answer to the question -- it depends on the business and the culture."
Gary Whitehill
Founder, The Relentless Foundation and New York Entrepreneur Week
"Depends on the CEO and what type of culture he or she wants to instill within the organization. The industry of the company is also a factor, as well as the type of branding the company seeks to project publicly. "Many CEOs firmly believe that freedom of choice (within reason) creates a more cohesive and motivated culture. I would absolutely agree on this point, and as such, our team does no have a dress code – except to feel comfortable every day."
Phil Town
Investor and Author of Rule #1 and Payback Time
"IBM thought so for a long, long time and used blue suits and red ties to become something special. But times change and what was a dress code for the '50s didn't work so well in the '70s. They couldn't attract the talent they wanted, and they got their butts handed to them by a couple of companies that had a different dress code -- T-shirts and jeans -- by the name of Apple and Microsoft. Coincidence? Maybe, but beware the dress code that alienates talent as well as the one that alienates customers and recognize that you'll probably have a dress code of some sort no matter what based what you're wearing. After all, you're the person who hires and fires and you set the bar for what to wear to work by what you wear to work. And company culture? Well, you're wearing a piece of it."
Lexy Funk
Co-Founder and CEO, Brooklyn Industries
"In our stores, you have to wear Brooklyn Industries -- this is important as we are selling a lifestyle and our designs. The associates interact with the designs and can speak more personally about fit and experience to our customers."
Tate Chalk
Founder and CEO, Nfinity
"Absolutely. Every company does, whether it's written down in a manual somewhere on not. Company norms develop on their own. For us, we have two different dress codes. The first one is in the office when it's just us. The other is when we are in public or represent the brand. We are a lot more flexible on one side to set a higher standard on the other."
Bob Parsons
Founder and CEO, The Go Daddy Group
"It depends on how your company interfaces with customers. In most Internet-based companies, where there is little face-to-face interaction with customers, a basic dress code is all you need. Ours is simple -- employees must wear appropriate and non-offensive (think T-shirts with rude slogans) attire. We also don't permit a few minor things, like hats, while on the job, mostly because we think they are distracting to a business environment."
Comments (Page 1 of 4)
If you dress like Donald Trump; You'll get a more possitive result, than if you dress like Mark Zuckerberg or Steve Jobs!! That you can take to the Bank! Clothes make the man!!!
Oh Baloney! Moat Women Like Casual vs Dresses since they have gotten So Big and Fat with very Fat Legs.. they want to cover up and that's a Good Thing
The Young Guys? They don't want to "Dress for Success" and spend $ on Good Clothes, Like to be Wannabe Sports figures and spend their $ on Cars and Toys instead.. But they wonder why they get little respect and are first to be fired.. It shows they have no Pride in themselves or what they do..
Find a Guy with decent Clothes per the Occassion and you will find he has a Organized Mind and his Home is the same.. Not a Slob..
About as casual I would get working? Slacks or High End Jeans, Hardsoled Shoes and A Sport Coat.. and of course a High End Shirt..
A women who has taste will be more attracted to a Guy who has taste as well..
Otherwise, dress too casual? and you will be considered to be some kind of Blue Collar Factory worker...
You wonder why so many are UnEmployed and can't either Get Hired at a Decent Salary or even be considered? They come into their interview dressed to go to a Bar or Baseball Game and wonder why... Same for the women.. Lead by Example...
John... Lead by example. Refrain from saying idiotic things like "Oh Baloney! Moat Women Like Casual vs Dresses since they have gotten So Big and Fat with very Fat Legs.. they want to cover up and that's a Good Thing." Remember... some of those big and fat women you are referring to have money, and some have lots of it. If you don't change your attitude it will catch up with you and you may find yourself going from slacks or high end jeans and a high end shirt with a sports coat to scraping the hangers across the clothes racks at a thrift store shopping for clothes to wear at your next job.
Wow man, way to over generalize and apply your own philosophy to everyone and every industry.
I personally am a hard working mechanical engineer. I showed up to every interview I had in a well tailored suit and tie, well prepared and organized, yet it took me a full year to get hired. The way you dress does not define you, the way you act and represent yourself in the interview or any conversation does.
Although clothing does count, of you are meeting with a bunch of stuck-up elitists that think money and 1000 thread count Armony suits are all that make a man or woman, then dress to impress them. My current job I was told after being hired that they were glad I didn't dress up in a suit for the interview.
Overall, if you dont like dressing-up in a suit in your everyday life and love dressing in jeans and a tee-shirt, then you don't want to work for any company that loves it, I've done it, and it made me miserable. (this is a generalization but...) the world is changing, new generations of workers are out there, and old school tactics need to be thrown out or reformed.
It is very true that you don't want legal services from someone in ripped dirty jeans and a tee-shirt, or anything other then fixing your car maybe, so follow the advice of the people quoted in the article, dress to whoever you are trying to get at. If you want a job, dress conservatively, if you are at the job and don't have to meet with clients or interface with clients personally, you should be able to ware whatever you damn well please at work.
The suit doesn't make the difference, it's your ideas that you bring to the table. Got it!
Absolutely there should be dress codes -- the companies need to re-establish formality in the workplace. Casual Friday had evolved into casual everyday -- it is not business-like. When one is properly dressed (a coat and tie for the guys) one acts more formally.
Zuckerberg is worth more than all the commentors put together...He seems to be doing just fine in a T-Shirt..And how about all the CEO's in Armani suits that bled the banks that ldt to the collapse of this country's financial system ?
I am for a wardrobe policy that presents the person without drawing attention to specific body parts. It is distracting to be talking business with someone who has excessive jewelry or too much skin exposed or trousers which look like the lower half is strangling. Some people have gaps in their clothes where they button or fasten, or the jackets have ridden up and they don't adjust them. Clothes which are basic and fitted neither too tightly or too loosely help present a professional appearance. Cleveage, too tight clothes or deliberately "WILD" clothes add nothing to business. And casual days are terrible. I once sent home a person who wore holy jeans and a see-through shirt and another one who wore a marijuana belt buckle.
I blame the Colleges... The Teachers are dress too casual and that is the only person they see as their Way they should look like.. Wait Until AFTER you Succeed before you decide To Not Conform..
And More People ought to be paid 50% of their income by Commission.. It will make them Want to work more and Harder and Smarter and You will get More production out of them, not to mention they will learn how to Manage their $ alot better and prepare them for their Retirement, which most have to live on Commission Income from their Savings..
This is the #1 problem for Retiree's.. Show me a Salary retiree and I will show you a Very Conservative person that will run out of $ in their Retirement since they don't know how to live on Commission income from their savings or they invest their savings in too conservative investments and run out of $..
When the dress code went out, interestingly, so did creativity. Why, I don't know, but perhaps it is because people don't think they are important now and don't have to create. Today, it is hard to tell a drug addict from an engineer, they all dress the same, don't shave, or don't use constructive makeup, and look like bums. A dress code gives a person a feeling of belonging, of empowerment, being civilized and givesd them respect and self respect. I wear a suit and have observed how customers will address me before they address my superiors who dress casual. If you want to get a point across, a dress code will always receive the respect and be heard. I also agree with Joe, the teachers, many of whom I have fired from jobs for lack of intelligence, capability, and smelling bad, have caused a lot of the attitude. Probably why our colleges are dropping off so bad.
Do you even HAVE a job?
Yes, Janet, I have a job, I probably support you and your family with my taxes!
i like to work naked
Janet, do you also have a job>
We don't see to complain when the dress code is casual like some of those mentioned above. The way employees dress is a commenatry on the organization that employs them and therefore a dress code is important. That code should include cleanliness of the employee and their clothing. Slovenliness creates a bad impression and a bad work ethic.
I own a Interiorscape Company... When I am calling on a business or new client I dress in accordingly. We have a business casual uniform when we are working ...taking care of the plants. I spent many years in High Tech. as a manager. Business suits was the dress code... Now I can be more casual and I'm lovin' it.
I like how mr trump dress
every company should have a dress code
If you have a business that is benefited by extreme casual dress code then fine. However, if you are going to wear geans you do not want to wear those baggy ass type that also look like the leg of the jeans was for someone a foot taller then you are and you do not want to wear them down to the crack of your butt. Then wear them with a funky T shirt with all kinds of nonsese printed on them. Someone mentioned Steve Jobs. Look at him he wears jeans but how does he wear them. They fit well, worn properly, the write length and worn at the waist. Along with that he wears a nice sweater or shirt with or without a collar but it is nice. He looks like business casual even though he is wearing jeans. He can still send a postive and intellegent and professional impression to the public.
If you don't think how a person dresses means anything, try dressing down for a job interview. All other things being equal, 7 out of 10 applicants are are selected from 1st impressions during the job interview.
A dress code such as a suit commands respect. As you are trying to sell yourself, you will be 40% on your way.