Dear Betty,
Fridays are dress down days at my company. Jeans are ok, but I feel people abuse this privilege. We see customers and I still want to maintain a professional image and work environment. What is the best way to address this before it is out of control?
Dear Dress-Down Friday Catastrophe:
This is the perfect time of year to reiterate your dress policy. Spring is here and people tend to dress more casually. Send a companywide email explicitly explaining the dress policy. I once had to stand in 90 degree heat in an ice cream truck because someone did not follow the dress code guidelines. Management never stated how they wanted us to dress. I survived, but I ate entirely too many Klondike bars! What I learned, the hot way, is that employees set the tone and it is important to be perceived as a professional company… After all, image is key, especially in sales. It is possible to dress both casually and professionally at the same time.
Sincerely,
