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Dress Codes - Drafting a Policy with Style
Jul 2nd, 2019
For many offices, policies
about workplace attire are seldom discussed beyond the onboarding period. It is generally understood that employees
should arrive at work looking professional, neat and in apparel that is
appropriate for the industry they work in. However, for some employers, their employees’ clothing may present an
opportunity for branding or creating an environment of inclusivity among
workers. For example, asking employees
to dress in a specific color that represents the company’s brand for social or
business events. Clothing in industrial workplaces is linked to a much
different area of concern in the workplace, safety. In an industrial environment employee’s may
be required to wear a wide range of personal protective equipment, some of
which may include coveralls, gloves, protective eye ware or steel-toed
boots. Whether your workplace is an
office setting or an industrial environment, there are a few key points to keep
in mind when establishing a dress code policy:
- Not require any staff to wear sexualized,
revealing or gender-stereotypical clothing.
- Ensure that staff can choose from clothing
options, including pants, clothing options that are similar in terms of
style, comfort, practicality and coverage, regardless of sex or gender.
- Offer uniform sizes that fit a wide range of
body types.
- Make all dress code options available by
default, rather than only offering certain options by request.
- Do not include grooming or appearance rules or
expectations for women that are more onerous than those for men, or that
are sexualized or based on stereotypical ideas of female attractiveness.
- Allow for a range of hairstyles, and not
require a specific hairstyle unless it is a legitimate requirement of the
job (e.g. food preparation).
- Specify that applicants or interviewees cannot
be asked to identify what kind of uniform option they will choose to wear
until they have been given an offer of employment.
- Include processes for handling dress code-related accommodation requests and complaints.
- Be available to discuss concerns
related to workplace attire.
Dress codes can be quite flexible and tailored to suit an employer’s preferences.
It is important to keep the above points in mind when drafting your dress code to avoid any chance of an employee feeling they have been targeted based on their clothing choices. Dress codes can also present an opportunity for some fun, for example workplaces that allow casual Fridays for employees. The most important points to remember is to create a dress code that is flexible, and accommodates both your workplace and employee’s needs.
References
http://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/ohrc-policy-position-sexualized-and-gender-specific-dress-codes