Dressing down can work – within limits

492

Forget everything I've ever said about dressing for success! Leave your ties at home and burn your panty hose. It's time to get casual for a cause! What am I talking about? National Casual Day, Friday, June 18.

You've heard of Secretary's Day and Bosses Day...but Casual Day is a little different. Casual Day is a national event sponsored by United Cerebral Palsy and it's designed to help companies boost morale and good citizenship all at the same time.

Here's how it works. Companies ask employees to come to work dressed casually on June 18, in exchange for a minimum $5.00 contribution to United Cerebral Palsy. Casual Day buttons are distributed to participating employees to wear, to identify their participation to office visitors and customers. For those companies where jeans or uniforms are the norm, employers can develop creative alternatives like a Crazy Hat Day, Hawaiian Shirt Day or Surfer Day. Last year, some companies went all out. One even hauled in sand and had a beach party!

You may wonder what all this has to do with the workplace. After all, aren't people supposed to dress professionally at work? What will happen to productivity? Interestingly, some companies are finding it makes a whole lot of sense to dress down on a regular basis.

Anne Ward, spokesperson from Pepsi-Cola Company in Sumers, New York explained why her company has a casual day every Friday. "It's meant to be motivational. It makes coming to work more fun. It's more relaxed and it makes the atmosphere more positive. And it's just understood that if you have a meeting scheduled with outside people, you wear your regular professional clothes." She adds that what is appropriate for corporate headquarters doesn't always work for people in the field who interact face-to-face with customers.

Pepsi-Cola isn't alone in this dress code rebellion. In fact, many companies are taking a new look at the relationship between dress code and productivity. Companies such as computer software firms have relaxed their dress code to inspire a more relaxed, creative atmosphere. And it seems to be catching on with other companies in their quest to be competitive and innovative.

For generations we have used the way we dress to signify the pecking order: "blue collar" vs. "while collar"; the "suits" vs. the "laborers." Now that all employees are being asked for input on corporate decisions and multi-level teams are working together to solve company problems, the distinction between management and employees is less significant.

Companies trying to break down the barriers in their hierarchies have begun to de-emphasize status symbols such as special executive parking, dining rooms, and other perks. They are moving managers from the corporate offices to the plant floor and are encouraging managers and executives to shed their suits for a more team-friendly appearance.

Even some of the conservative companies have seen a shift. One senior executive put it this way, "I used to believe that the corporate uniform was a suit. Now, I think nothing of wearing a dress or a skirt and blouse, as long as it looks professional. I've even begun wearing a pants suit, which I never dreamed would be acceptable even a few years ago. I feel that my credibility is firmly established and what I wear is less important that it used to be."

There is a limit, though. Even the companies who encourage a more casual environment still have a limit on what employees wear. Seductive outfits, ratty or ripped clothes or tasteless T-shirts don't have a place at work...whether it's Casual Day or not. And sometimes the work you do prohibits a more casual look. But that doesn't stop you from having fun on June 18. You can still contribute and they'll give you an "I WOULD IF I COULD" sticker to wear on Casual Day.

So join the fun June 18. Area businesses can register for Casual Day '93 by calling (414) 272-4500.

Good managers know that employee satisfaction is essential to healthy teamwork, initiative and productivity.  Joan Lloyd’s booklet, 86 Creative Ideas for Having More Fun & Less Stress at Work, is packed with ideas for building employee satisfaction and work/life balance while reducing stress in your workplace.  Guaranteed to give you fresh ideas any company can implement in categories such as: Fun with a Purpose, Building a Family Atmosphere & a Sense of Community, Having Fun at Work for the Sake of Fun, Rewarding Great Performance & Stress Busters!  Also available by return email, in PDF format!