Jeans? Shorts? Tank tops? As companies continue to cater to casual wear, HR is starting to struggle with what is okay or not okay in the office. Managers and supervisors are constantly put in the position of making sure their teams are allowed to wear business casual, but not be TOO casual. How can companies tell what’s appropriate, but still keep their employees happy? Here are 3 great ways to encourage employees to be comfy and casual, but still look and act like a career rock star.
Layers
It can get hot and cold quickly in an office. Encouraging employees to layer up is a great way to ensure they have options when it comes to the dress code. Encouraging blazers, cardigans, and light jackets can add an easy way for employees to dress up before the CEO comes in for the day.
Footwear
Sneakers and flip-flops are often not allowed in offices, but times are changing. Offices are now allowing these types of footwear. Simply enforcing dressy footwear in the office can make a big difference when it comes to the rest of an outfit. If enforcing a strict dress code is difficult for the company culture, enforcing dressier footwear may be a good avenue to take. If an employee is required to wear loafers at work, they would be much less likely to pair those loafers with sweatpants or jeans.
The “Grandma” Rule
However, not every employee may have a strong sense of fashion. That is where the “Grandma” Rule comes in to play. If an employee is still having a difficult time coming to work in business casual, this rule could become very helpful. The employee can be asked, “if you were to visit your grandma what would you wear?”
If the employee is still having a hard time with the idea of appropriate business casual attire, it may be time to create some customized clothing restrictions for them. If the entire company is still having difficulty with business casual, then it may be time for a simple uniform to make it easier on the company and the employees as well.