Are Dress Codes Still Permissible?

Dress codes are often points of contention, but most businesses still want to present a professional image to their clients and potential clients. How to accomplish that is becoming increasingly complicated. Following are some tips from those in the trenches:

• Communicate early: Use the interview process to set expectations and norms. Few people like surprises, and this is one way to get the conversation started and questions answered, along with a description of the company culture, environment, benefits, etc. An important aspect of this process is early communication to the management team so a unified approach is presented.

• Have a reason for the policy: Try to be as flexible as reasonable but have a clear rationale for it.

• Consider generational differences: In particular, Gen Z has “grown up” in a much less formal environment, with parents working at home and the Internet providing much of their guidance regarding … well … everything. A rational, level-headed, dialog-based, coaching approach is recommended, as opposed to top-down dictating. This gets back to the previous bullet, as well.