Dress Code Policy in the Work place

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Webhead
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Reply # 975942 28-Jan-2014 14:48

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I come from a country where we dress very casually at work. Not many places have their own uniforms and especially in IT you will find people wearing what they would wear in their free time at work.

BUT, I don't think I have ever encountered anyone showing up in their pajamas or wear track suits at work. But for meetings people would wear what you guys probably call business casual. Seeing an IT developer in a full suit would probably mean he is not from Norway.

Having one dress code for everyone seems like a terrible idea.

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Geektastic

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Reply # 975943 28-Jan-2014 14:53

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Oriphix: Mmm interesting. Our work place has a dress code and yes pants, black shoes, shirts. However we also have polo's for summer.

The company paid for the polo's as it has there logo's etc.

It does make sense to be well dressed in case you get customers coming through the office (in our case that happens a fair bit)

However sometimes I do get the guys to do casual Friday's. Perhaps talk with your manager?

polos. logos.

Lyderies

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Reply # 975944 28-Jan-2014 14:53

I wear stubbies and a singlet to work (even in winter), i have customers coming to see me all the time and have never been to worried to look 'unprofessional'. My manner towards them always says enough... but then again i work a job wear i am constantly lifting rolls of fabric so any other type of clothes would be just plain dumb.

Only time my boss says i have to dress nice is our christmas lunch function

Guess im not one to fit into the whole office area

I'm going to noob myself past judgement

jonathan18

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Reply # 975959 28-Jan-2014 15:00

Lyderies: Guess im not one to fit into the whole office area

Depends on how far you're willing to push it! As I mentioned, not all workplaces spell out their dress standards to a high degree of specificity so there is often a decent amount of wiggle room. And good employers will negotiate on this - in one of my previous jobs, they accepted that I over-heated in trousers so it was fine that I wore neat shorts and a shirt for "normal" work, but I was expected to wear business trousers, shirt and tie when called to the Minister's office.

trig42

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Reply # 975988 28-Jan-2014 15:29

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We have no dress code at work.
Some of our people are customer facing, and it is expected that they a Smart Casual.
Some people wear shorts/T-Shirts/Jandles, no one bats an eyelid.
Most people (myself included) wear Jeans and T-Shirt/Polo or Button up shirt. T-Shirts would be the most common.

If we have suppliers come to the office, most of them know not to wear suits/ties, and I have seen them downstairs removing Ties/Jackets before coming to the office (they get funny looks and jibes if they walk through the office with a suit on - all in good humour though).

All in all, a pretty good place to work, and a lot gets done.

TwoSeven

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Reply # 976065 28-Jan-2014 17:21

I would expect a minimum of smart causal in any workplace that is not a building site.

In my apprentice in the 80s one could be installing cabling one minute and delivering a customer presentation the next. Some relatives of mine worked in the auto-industry and they were always clean shirt at all times, so I kind of follow that.

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Reply # 976370 29-Jan-2014 00:51

Work in a call centre, absolutely no customer/client interaction what so ever, only staff on the floor I'm in.
Basically its:

Men: Dress pants, long sleeved button up tshirt or non-logo polo shirt, dress shoes.
Women: Anything so long as it isn't see through, and the skirt/dress is long enough so when you sit down you should be comfortable as if you were sitting in a public place .

Its ridiculous to see what some of the women come to work dressed in, some wear super sized heels, some were 'sandals' which are glorified Jandels. Double standard sucks.

Its also expensive since I owned absolutely none of these clothes before starting here last year.

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Aaroona

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Reply # 976440 29-Jan-2014 09:03

It's good to see a mixture of opinions in here.

Personally I don't find dressing up in a suit makes me act any more professionally. If you require a suit to act professionally, then you're probably not doing it right IMO :)

I've written an email off to the powers that be making an argument for business casual, Jean and a polo, type wear.

We'll see what they come back with. I fully expect a "Pfft, no!", but hey, don't ask, don't get.

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Reply # 976455 29-Jan-2014 09:26

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How JohnR and i go to work.
Like a sir

SaltyNZ

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Reply # 976458 29-Jan-2014 09:27

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Cobblepot!!!

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These comments are my own and do not represent the opinions of 2degrees.

trig42

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Reply # 976459 29-Jan-2014 09:30

TimA: How JohnR and i go to work.
Like a sir

Looks a little bit like the Telecom 'star device' on your lapel there :)

Coil

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Reply # 976462 29-Jan-2014 09:34

trig42:
TimA: How JohnR and i go to work.
Like a sir

Looks a little bit like the Telecom 'star device' on your lapel there :)

Nahh, Just a clover thing

TwoSeven

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Reply # 976599 29-Jan-2014 12:28

Just out of interest, I was taught how to 'power dress' which is a technique that uses fashion to influence people. It does actually work and you can notice a change in the people around you if done right.

On the other side of the coin I have worked in an R&D lab where jeans and t-shirt were acceptable as there wasn't really any involvement with other aspects of the business.

Different environments require different techniques - the trick is in not picking the wrong one :)

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Reply # 976627 29-Jan-2014 12:51

Dress codes help unimaginative employers and dense employees who can’t figure it out for themselves. The two generally go together well.

Dressing one level above my customers (and appropriate for the work) has worked pretty well for me.

Aaroona

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Reply # 976827 29-Jan-2014 17:21

So just an update. A reply from the powers that be, the answer was a "no" to changing it. Possible concessions could be made for IT based on the role performed (I.e hopping under desks), that said it was down to the department executive to have that discussion and make that call.

So not completely over, but I'd say it'll be more or a battle than it's worth.

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