Here comes the Seussian parade of tank tops and flip flops, knock-offs, cutoffs and crop tops. The sun is shining and temperatures and temptation are on the rise. It’s summer, and dress codes are out the window. Suits, dress slacks and formal wool trousers are being shoved aside in favor of polos, khakis and capris. Soon, stockings will be abandoned in favor of a simple pedicure and peep toes will be peeping.
American business culture has experienced a shift toward a more casual dress code within the last ten years. In a survey from 2000, HR consulting firm William H. Mercer found that 90% of the companies they polled offered a casual dress code, a figure up from 84% in 1998. The majority of these firms allowed casual dress year round, with only one third limiting casual dress to certain days of the week or to the summer.
Most managers and supervisors agree that as temperatures rise, clothes seem to shrink. Whether a company maintains a professional or a casual tone, now is the time to revisit the dress code with managers and employees. Expectations should be clearly communicated in the company handbook or in a stand-alone policy. Managers and supervisors should strive to consistently and fairly enforce the policy, not allowing one employee to sport their flip flops while cracking down on another employee for the same offense.
An enforceable and realistic policy, combined with clear and timely communication with employees, can make all the difference as the summer heats up.
