Dress Down Fridays - I've Never Understood Them
Sarah Rutherford
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Sarah Rutherford
Global Lead Product Marketing for Solutions and Industry Verticals
Many companies have a 'dress down' policy for Friday, I've even see some companies list it as a perk in a job advertisement! I've never understood the want or need for a particular dress code for Fridays - it's not that I don't like wearing more casual clothes at work, I just don't get the Friday bit - here's why:
- If it's not acceptable to wear something Monday to Thursday why is it acceptable on a Friday? Conversely if it's acceptable on a Friday why not Monday to Thursday as well? I've heard the argument that Friday is a day when you are less like to meet clients or suppliers and that's why it works. In my experience this isn't true, I don't know about you but wherever I've worked Friday has been as much as a full-on workday as the other four, with just as many meetings.
- It's a little bit patronizing to employees to expect them to think that wearing casual clothes is a perk. Most school children in the UK have a fairly strict school uniform and a day in their 'own clothes' is an understandable thrill. To do the same to your adult employees infantilises them - surely that can't be the intention?
- Not everyone wants to be casual, but having a denoted casual day makes them feel they have to do it. Some people feel downright awkward when forced out of their formal clobber in the workplace. Can't we end our weekly torture of our more traditional colleagues?
- Finally, and this one applies to all corporate dress codes not just those relating to Friday. You trust your employees with running your business. Everyday (including Fridays) you expect them to make important decisions on your behalf - but you can't trust them to dress themselves appropriately?! In some environments, usually those dealing with the public, a uniform is a handy way of identifying someone who is there to help them. Outside of that if you need to tell your employees what to wear you might have bigger problems.
I think most people know what's appropriate to wear and can adapt their wardrobe to what they are doing and who they're seeing every day of the week.
Now where did I put the sequinned boob tube and ripped jeans ;-)
All opinions expressed in this blog are mine alone and are not endorsed by any other person or organisation.
I think making it mandatory is a bit weird. Listing it as a perk is equally weird. I have seen some horrors when this gentle transition into weekend attire, gets taken to the limit and you are almost looking for the surfboard/DJ. Mind you I do like sticking my jeans on, when I feel like it on a Friday.
Author, Digital Identification & Authentication Standard, BSI PAS499
8 年Sarah, I believe (from my younger years) that it was originally based on a Mufti day, a day out of uniform to circulate more effectively with the local community (from the Raj I seem to recall) Anyway, in current summer heat, no one in their right mind is wearing a tie anyway! Andrew
Agile Innovation & Discovery Lead | Principal Product Manager | Product Owner | Business Analyst | Lecturer, Author & Editor | Agile Coach | Entrepreneur.
8 年I share the sentiment, Sarah. Personally, I never dress 'down' or casual in any workplace. I guess it's because, as a Consultant, I work for myself and my professional-without-the-tie is the right 'image'. Also, psychologically, wearing the right attire for the job is important. I wouldn't put on a suit to do the gardening (even assuming I did any gardening and even if it was a "dress up Bank Holiday Monday"!)
Sales Ops Business Partner at Experian
8 年Completely agree Sarah Rutherford! I'll always dress appropriate for the situation, if I don't have meetings it's a more casual (but still presentable and relatively smart) appearance, and if I do have something I need to be abit smarter for, like training a group or a meeting with a senior member of staff I'll go for tailored trousers and a blouse! I definitely agree that it is perfectly acceptable to trust staff to dress to the occasion, and if you can't why are they working for you? Great (and quite humorous!) post!
Managing Director at Learn Plus Us
8 年We have dress down Fridays in our office and pay ￡1 a person which goes towards our fundraising for Cancer Research UK. I hope this helps people's understanding...