Workplace dress codes: The ties they are a changing

The way we dress when at work has undergone massive changes over the past couple of years alongside the massive cultural shift in workplace attitudes. Gone is the norm of the rigid dress code of the suit,tie and smart shoes. Even Goldman-Sachs, one of the largest banks in the world,changed its dress code to be “firm-wide flexible" and more recently Virgin Airlines dropped the necessity for female cabin crew to wear make-up – the attitude is clearly changing across many different industries. There are a multitude of different reasons for this as this “dress to impress" mentality continues to become less prevalent in the workplace.

Productivity

In order for a business to be successful it is essential for employees to be as productive as possible while at work –that's obvious. Productivity and comfortability work hand in hand, so it's no surprise that more workplaces are relaxing their dress codes to become more casual.A comfortable worker tends to be a happier worker and a happy worker in turn tends to be more productive. There has been a shift in recent years as the traditionalist ideas of a strict dress code are making way for casual, flexible and more productive workplaces.

Individuality

Strict dress codes at work were always said to promote unity as well as establishing a company brand. While this may be effective in industries such as retail, in many industries uniformity can bog down the worker into simply feeling like a cog in the machine instead of a person actually making a difference. A more laid-back dress code brings a sense of individuality through increased choice allowing employees to express who they actually are instead of going to work hiding behind a forced corporate agenda. With employees being able to express themselves through what they wear,this creates a more open and relaxed environment.

Flexibility

The modern age has presented a rapid and noticeable change in the culture of work, as technology has allowed us to become more relaxed and feel arguably less isolated. More and more employees are now working regularly from the comfort of their own home; blurring the lines between home and the workplace.

With such a cultural shift in the way employees work, the need to set a strict policy of dress seems counterintuitive in today's workplaces. A more casual dress code for the more casual work place…just leave the slippers at home.