Blog #119: Formal or casual dress code? - 5 questions to ask

The sun comes out, and temperatures rise. My teenage daughter joins me to visit my 70-year-old aunt. My daughter is wearing a crop top. Naked belly... My aunt starts to preach: 'that is not decent, you could also walk in your underwear outside, that is the same...' My daughter is all upset: 'There is a difference between a crop top and underwear, Mom'??. 'Yes, it is.' But I have to admit that I had to get used to it when my daughter went to school wearing a crop top...

I remember that plenty of schools in Belgium were reminding their pupils to wear ‘decent’ clothing last year. ‘No skirts that are too short. No spaghetti straps. No naked bellies…’

These communications resulted in protest by the pupils aged 16-18. One pupil wrote a letter to her school that the dress code is sexist.

The protest resulted in boys and girls wearing ‘indecent’ clothing, boys coming to school in skirts and crop tops with comments written on their bodies.

These assertive pupils will be your employee in a few years...

? Do you have a dress code in your welcome kit?

? Did you check it on gender-conscious language?

? Is the language you use factual or judgemental (eg calling certain clothing indecent or provocative)?

? Would you allow a male employee to come to work in a skirt or dress? (also one of the demands of the pupils).

A friend of mine told me the other day that her son considers himself as a 'demi boy' = ?an identity that describes someone who identifies with both Male and Agender genders (according to Centerback). He goes to school in a dress.

? What are the dress codes we find in the workplace?

1. Business formal: ready to present in a board room - dark colours for both men and women, well-groomed hair, strict rules.

2. Business professional: still neat and neutral, but a bit more pattern and colour are allowed. Also called 'Traditional professional'.

3. Business casual: more patterns and colours are allowed, however, there are different interpretations, so a dress code is needed to clarify expectations.

4. Casual: more is allowed, but it is up to the interpretation of the people to find out not to be underdressed or overdressed. Casual does not mean that everything is allowed. According to Balancecareers: 'In a casual work setting, employees should wear?clothing that is comfortable and practical for work, but not distracting or offensive to others. Any clothing that has words, terms, or pictures that may be offensive to other employees is unacceptable.'

So, it is not clear if a crop top or a dress for someone considered male would be allowed under a casual dress code. Better be clear if you have certain expectations and do not assume everybody has the same definition of a casual dress code.

Michaela Rollins, Head of Brand and Content at?Hive, suggests that "casual dress is the way to go, as according to studies, 61% of employees?are more productive when the dress code is relaxed, and 80% of people who work in an environment with a dress code responded that they don’t find them useful."

And Bizzjournal adds that "What began in the tech and startup world has bled into other industries: In five years, the percentage of U.S. workplaces allowing casual dress every day went from 32 per cent to 50 per cent, per Indeed. Close to two-thirds allow casual dress at least once a week."

This is?my?119th?blog?to inspire you, decision-maker in the hiring process, to attract and keep the talent you need to grow your business, now, and in the future. For you to see how you can join the Talent Treasure Hunt.

Now, it is your turn.?Please answer the questions below:

Do you allow casual dress every day?

Thanks a lot for reading till the end and I am looking forward to reading your reactions.??

Sharing is caring, so if you believe?this?newsletter might benefit other people within your network, please feel free to share it with them or tag them below. I appreciate it??.

Looking forward to hearing from you soon.

Enjoy your Treasure Hunt Journey.

Katherina

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About?Katherina Swings

An inspirational?connector, a multi-lingual?contributor?with international (working and living) experience, an inspirational speaker, a seasoned HR person with two decades of corporate experience, an experienced change?manager?with business savvy, a creative?writer, a certified professional?learning facilitator, a certified inclusive leadership trainer, a certified employer brander, a?multi-cultural networker, an active?listener…

My?vision?is to create a positive world by connecting people who discover each other’s strengths.

My?mission?is to support?10 000 managers worldwide to become (more) in-clusive.

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???????????????????? Do check out my?118?previous blogs.?Let me know your feedback after reading them!?