Give an Inch, Get a Mile: Letting Employees in on Uniform Decisions

Choosing new company uniforms is a big decision. From custom style and branding to comfort and safety features, it’s important to incorporate everything you need to help drive your company’s success.

While executives often know how they want uniforms to represent their brand, employees are the ones who wear them everyday. This makes employees a great source for suggestions when creating a uniform program to meet your company’s needs.

Types of Uniform Decisions You Should let Employees in On

While you’ll always have to meet uniform regulations for your industry, there may be tasks unique to your business that require additional uniform features. The employees who work directly with the everyday tasks of your business are likely to understand how their uniforms need to function to be beneficial. Suggestions your employees may be able to help with include:

• Breathability of the garments. If the work environment is hot or cold, your employees should have uniforms that keep them comfortable regardless of the temperature. Some jobs may require heavy workwear even though they are in a warm environment in order to meet fire or electric safety regulations. You'll want to make sure your employees aren't wearing more than they have to.
• The need for additional layers. If employees are working in multiple environments, they may need sheddable layers like a jacket or easy to remove coveralls.
• Style of garments. While you may be required to equip your employees with garments like lab coats, you can still offer them the choice of style. Depending on their tasks, they may feel that a longer or shorter coat or something with side pockets will allow them to work more efficiently.
• The necessity of pockets. Having too many pockets can get in the way or make clothing extra baggy, but additional cargo pockets may be more useful than having to use a utility belt. Depending on your work environment and industry regulations, you may not be able to have pockets at all.
• Types of buttons or zippers. Regular or snap front buttons, plastic or metal, zippers or velcro? If your industry doesn’t require a specific type, let your employees decide what works best in their work environment.
• Choice of color. If your company isn’t set on a specific branding color or your employees aren’t working in public space, giving them the option of color is a great way to make employees feel involved.

Ask Questions About Your Current Company Uniforms 

If you already have a dress code or uniform policy in place, putting together a survey will help you analyze employee opinions of how efficient their current work attire is. After gathering your questions together, have your department managers distribute and collect the surveys. Here are some questions you should consider asking:

• Is your uniform comfortable?
• Does your uniform provide the safety you need?
• Does your uniform inhibit your ability to complete your job efficiently?
• What features could make your uniform better?
• What features does your uniform have that are unnecessary?

These are just a few questions that can be beneficial when customizing new uniforms or updating existing ones. Be sure to ask some open ended questions to give your employees the opportunity to reveal the exact problems they’re having.

The Perfect Uniform Policy

Listening to employee feedback while following regulations is key to creating the perfect uniform policy. As you’re taking suggestions into consideration, make sure that if you can’t meet a popular request, you should at least give reason as to why. This way employees don’t feel as if their opinions are being ignored. In the end, working with your employees to decide on uniforms should result in a more readily accepted uniform policy.

If you're having challenges with your company uniforms, check out our guide below!