These days, many people argue that employers’ main concern should be workplace performance rather than employees’ appearance. While employee performance should be the priority, I believe that a basic standard of dress is still justified in certain workplaces, especially in client-facing jobs.
Without a doubt, employers should focus on the quality of work rather than on dress. When employees are allowed to wear comfortable clothes, they tend to feel relaxed and motivated, thereby working harder and meeting deadlines consistently. As a result of their better performance, employees can garner a sense of recognition from both colleagues and employers, which ultimately boosts employee morale and job satisfaction and raises their standard of output. A good case in point is the technology sector, where many companies have adopted casual dress policies and still maintain high productivity. Therefore, employees should be judged on their quality of work rather than on their appearance.
However, in my view, a basic dress standard is still reasonable. People who work in huge organizations, where there are roles which involves a significant amount of communication with clients, should appear polished and professional. Otherwise, it could ruin the image of the company and reduce sales. Additionally, some jobs require special uniforms for a few reasons, including safety and hygiene. Take COVID-19, for example, when doctors wore protective clothing to protect themselves from a deadly virus. Without such requirements, people might expose themselves to harmful consequences.
In conclusion, although comfort and motivation can be beneficial for the organization and employees, and performance matters the most, I maintain that standard dress code is basic and justified to protect safety and professionalism.