In an increasingly "casual" society, I have seen casual Friday turn into a day when otherwise intelligent professionals feel it approriate to go to work and/or client meetings dressed as if they intended to mow their lawns or paint their houses. As Austin has a high number of "hi-tech" or "creative" companies, our clients are often dressed very casually.
It's considered respectful and good business to match your client's culture as well as your own. However, sloppy, stained, and torn is never acceptable. Flip flops, haltertops, shorts, too much skin, T-shirts with questionable messages, etc are generally not acceptable for professionals.
Staff who visit job sites must wear appropriate shoes.
As a staff member might be expected to represent the firm without notice at a site or in a meeting, a frank discussion about whether a particular attire would be appropriate should be undertaken. That discussion should point out whether a staff's choice of attire might preclude upcoming opportunities for advancement, including meetings with clients or visiting job sites.
I have been amazed at the casual attire, including flip flops, prospective employees have worn to interviews. Needless to say, unless their work product was stellar, no second interview was scheduled.
A firm should be able to expect staff to present themselves in attire that is acceptable for all activities and acceptable to your clients.
It would be a definite red flag for a client to point out your staff's inappropriate attire.
Examples of what architects wear are included in many architecture magazines, especially the articles on award winning firms and emerging professionals.
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Betty Trent AIA
Architecture Plus
Austin TX
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Original Message:
Sent: 07-03-2011 12:24
From: Steven Burns
Subject: Employee Manual - Dress Code
I had to read your posting a couple of times. I got stopped with the ".. 60 year old male, two registered females..." Maybe, it's too early on a Sunday, but I was wondering why the two staff members needed to register as females.
OK, now that I've got that figured out, I don't think there's a correlation between the casualness of the clothing worn at the office and the quality of work you've been receiving. Certainly, the latter is not caused by the former. Perhaps the former is caused by the latter though.
You don't need any "examples.' It's your firm and you decide what the culture should be like. If you want to tolerate flip-flops and cargo pants, that's your prerogative and your clients will "forgive" the dress code if you're producing quality work. But if it's making you less thrilled about being in the office surrounded by a group of overly casual people, then you set the example. Call everyone into the office (dress the way you want to set as an example), and explain the new rules.
Granted, the world has gotten way more casual then some of us want. The old expression, "clothes makes the man," might be worth exploring. I used to flirt with the concept of a uniform for my old firm. Never implemented it, which is just as well. But my recommendation is to make it a casual Friday office and demand that everyone dress for success Monday through Thursday. That's a start.
Steve
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Steven Burns FAIA
Director of Product Strategy and Innovations
BQE Software Inc.
Torrance CA
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Original Message:
Sent: 07-02-2011 17:51
From: Robert Carlson
Subject: Employee Manual - Dress Code
I need to issue a dress code / standard for the office. The office is somewhat unusual in that there is one 60 year old male, two registered females and two female interns all ranging from mid thirties to mid twenties as full time employees. Dress at work has gotten more and more casual over the last few years and with summer out came flip flops and cargo pants. As are dress as gotten more casual over the last few years the quality of projects has gone down. We need to turn this around if we are going to survive. We have received a fairly large commission from a client I did work for at large firm where ties were required. I do not want to return to suits and ties or their equivalent but we need to be more considered to be competent professionals to receive better commissions. It is not that they do not know because they have mentioned how much nicer women at other firms dress. Where can I a find an example?
Thank you
------------------------------------------- Robert Carlson AIA
Principal
Carlson Design Team PC
Iowa City IA
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