Many companies have dress codes in place, but it’s possible to take things one step further and enforce a uniform. A uniform allows you to decide exactly how your employees dress. This can have all kinds of pros, however there could be an equal number of cons to be aware of. When deciding whether to adopt a uniform, here are just a few points worth considering that could help to make the right choice.
A good way to enforce health and safety
Uniforms can often be a great way to enforce health and safety in the workplace. Whilst you may already supply certain health and safety equipment by law, your employees may still be choosing not to wear it. Making this equipment part of the uniform forces your employees to wear it, preventing injury to your employees and protecting you from lawsuits.
On top of protecting your employees, you could enforce a uniform as a way of protecting your customers from harm. For example, a hairnet or some kind of head protection could be essential in a kitchen or a medical clinic – you don’t want hair contaminating a customer’s meal or falling into a customer’s mouth during a dental exam. Uniforms with short sleeves are popular for a similar reason, as sleeves can equally get in the way.
Easy identification for customers
A uniform also makes it easier for customers to identify staff members. This could be useful in a busy store or a hotel in which it could be easy to mistake an employee for a customer if they’re dressed in standard clothing.
Companies usually choose a uniform in a distinct colour or add some form of branding such as a logo to make identification easy. You don’t have to enforce a full uniform in order to do this – instead you could use something as small as a branded apron or a branded name badge.
A chance for marketing
You could also use a uniform as an extra form of marketing. You could print your company website address and even your phone number on the back of a t-shirt, allowing potential customers to get hold of you. This could be useful if you run a handyman business or an events business in which employees are travelling a lot and likely to be seen by lots of people who may be looking for your services.
You can control the formality
A uniform also allows you to control the formality of your business. Whilst a dress code can do this up to a point, personal opinions on formality differ – whilst smart casual could mean smart trousers and a shirt for some people, it could mean jeans and a polo shirt for others. A uniform doesn’t offer this leeway as all your employees will be forced to wear a specific item of clothing that meets your personal formality standards.
Employees may find it restrictive
Of course, the biggest disadvantage to implementing a uniform is that employees may find it overly restrictive and may view it as a loss of freedom. It may force certain employees to dress in a style that they feel uncomfortable with and therefore may cause resentment leading to demotivated staff.
There are also issues of religion and gender to consider when implementing a uniform. You don’t want your uniform to be construed as sexist – for example, forcing women to wear heels or short skirts. Similarly, you don’t want it to deny your employees their religious rights, such as introducing a branded hat that could prevent certain employees from wearing a headscarf or a turban. Many companies have ended up in legal trouble for introducing ‘offensive’ uniforms, so bear this in mind.
All in all, you should probably talk to your employees when coming up with a uniform design so that you can find something that is stylish and non-offensive, whilst still being functional. It’s possible to add a sense of style to any uniform from overalls to medical scrubs – read more here to see just some of the ways in which you can make a uniform stylish. As for avoiding issues of religion and gender, be open to a certain flexibility – somebody may still be able to wear a turban, but they may have to stick to a certain colour that fits your brand as a compromise.
If you’re unable to get around the obstacles and your employees seem to be firmly against the idea of a uniform, you may want to consider scrapping the idea. Whilst you are the boss, you ultimately want to keep your employees happy in order to keep them loyal and productive. It’s unlikely employees will be completely adverse to the idea, especially if you discuss it in detail beforehand before implementing it, as well as giving them an active part in choosing the appearance of the uniform.
It’s an extra cost to consider
Another disadvantage of introducing a uniform is the added cost. It’s unfair to make your employees pay for their uniform (unless of course they keep losing their uniform and you’re spending huge amounts on replacements). Ensure that you can afford to have a uniform in place. If you have a high turnover of staff and large workforce, uniforms could take up a large part of your budget and may not be a worthwhile investment. However, for small teams of loyal employees, you may find that a uniform is something you can quite easily stretch to.
Compare custom uniform companies in order to find the cheapest rates. Certain materials and certain designs are likely to be more expensive – determine whether these pricier materials and designs are really worthwhile. Many companies will offer discounts if you order a uniform in bulk, however this may not always be a financially sensible idea.