Workplace Conflict Resolution: 10 ways to manage employee conflict and improve office communication, the workplace environment and team productivity

How can we enforce our dress code?

By John Wilcox, Moderator
2/5/2008 - 3:30am
HR Management

John Wilcox, Moderator

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John Wilcox is senior editor of 15 HR Specialist newsletters covering employment law, compensation and benefits, as well as theHRSpecialist.com. A journalist who has covered HR, training, organization development and business management for more than 15 years, John keeps his finger on the pulse of what’s working in HR through daily contact with some of the nation’s top HR pros, business people and employment law attorneys.

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Question: “We have a dress code policy that our managers are responsible for enforcing. But not all of them do, and now the president is asking me why these people aren’t dressed appropriately. Does your company have a dress code? How do you enforce it?”—Sandy, Wisc.

Comments

I would send a friendly reminder of your dress code policy to your managers letting them know that part of their responsibilities as a manager is to enforce company policy. You can let them know that personal image is very important along with job performance. I would also, send out a memo reminding all employees that the company has a dress code policy and everyone must follow it. Sometimes we need little reminders to keep us on track.

Posted by: Jessica F.ores | February 05, 2008 at 12:40 PM

If the dress code rule is in your employee handbook then you can do writeups on the employees who disregard the rules and after 2 or 3 infractions it can be terms for termination.

Posted by: JEA | February 05, 2008 at 12:41 PM

It is impossible to enforce dress codes without supervisors cooperation. Supervisors should be disciplined when they choose to let this slide - everyone has the same set of rules/dress codes and these should be enforced unilaterrally.

Posted by: BJ | February 05, 2008 at 12:48 PM

I would also make sure that the dress code is not so severe that it's difficult for people (mainly women) to follow. I myself have had to ADD a button to the top of dress shirts found in the Women's "Work/Career" wear section of the local department store. Fashion "rules" and what can be found in stores aren't always in compliance with what we consider appropriate work wear.

Posted by: Sarah | February 05, 2008 at 01:20 PM

I don't think you should consider warnings, until you re-send the policy and train managers/supervisors about the importance of enforcing your dress code policy. I worked at a place once where if the employee was not compliant on the dress code, they were sent home to change. Embarrasing if someone found out, but effective, who wants to go in traffic again, and have to return to work?

Posted by: Dolly | February 05, 2008 at 01:45 PM

What about supervisors who try to enforce a dress code that IS NOT in the policies and procedures manual?? The official dress guidelines state "employees must maintain a high standard of hygiene, appear clean and neat. Must wear clothing appropriate to their employment. Appropriateness may vary depending upon the nature of work performed and degree of public contact. Employees must wear clothing that is clean and neat, not torn or frayed.
Employees must avoid clothing is is unduly revealing, immodest, may cause distraction or is otherwise inappropriate for a professional office setting or other work environment" In Admin/HR where I work we even have a "special" and "unoffical"dress code.
Numerous discussions and disagreements have come up because of the last statment in the offical policy and the unoffical policy here. Does the supervisor get to decide what is "immodest" or causes "distraction"? What happens is that generally what men wear isn't even noticed, while women are judged daily by what is worn; and have been called into meetings because of it. Isn't this really gender discrimination?

Posted by: T Tate | February 05, 2008 at 02:58 PM

I'm sorry: I couldn't figure out how to post this anywhere else. Can the moderator put this where it belongs?

Our job descriptions specify that our employees must read, write, and speak basic English. However, we keep getting requests for some of our trainings to be translated into Spanish. We are concerned that if we do this, then our job description requirements will be ignored. We are afraid that we are opening up a door to allow trainings to be translated into other languages...and then where do we stop? Creole, French, Russian? We are afraid that we'll open a door to start a precedent that all of our documents be translated as well. We are looking at saving translating costs, as well as ensure that all of our employees (who work in nursing homes) are able to understand English to facilitate daily communication in the workplace, but also (and more importantly) as a customer service thing. If the nursing home residents need something, how will the employee be able to help if they can't speak English? It's all about the customer, right? Do you have any advice for us? Should we reconsider our stance on not translating? Should we revisit the requirements in our job descriptions?

--Cleveland, TN

Posted by: Kristy | February 06, 2008 at 02:09 PM

Tags: communication, communication in the workplace, customer service, discrimination, employee handbook, employees, gender discrimination

Workplace Conflict Resolution: 10 ways to manage employee conflict and improve office communication, the workplace environment and team productivity