Manage
HR
It
is the quality and the standard of the human resource recruited
that plays a key roll in differentiating between a successful
organisations and a "run of mill" organisation . In
this section, we will discuss the issues relating to this valuable
resource through a series of articles. And yes, we are
open to contributions from masters of this Art ... Are you one?
Casual
or Casualty?
Testing
time
Are
you suffering from CCS? Conduct a little test on yourself. If
you answer, “YES” to any of the following questions
you may be a casualty.
•
Do invitations that suggest casual attire confuse you?
•
Do only gym clothes constitute casual clothes?
•
Are you embarrassed easily when you are over or under dressed?
•
Do your wardrobe fears prevent you from meeting clients?
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Do you ever apologise for your appearance?
CCS
Syndrome
Wondering
what CCS is? It’s Casual Confusion Syndrome, where you
fail to distinguish the thin line between the trendiest and
the tackiest clothes to wear at your work place. In other words,
it is far more difficult to tell who’s heading for office
and who to the sports bar.
Getting
dressed has never been so troublesome. The unstated dress code
expected the white collars to “dress up” and the blue
collars to “dress down”. So what has become of us?
Have we suddenly turned into slobs? Or have we lost pride in
the way we look? Or is it that we have become more comfortable
in our work place than ever before?
No
doubt the Indian corporate culture has changed drastically.
Even five years back, a pair of blue jeans and a white top raised
eyebrows. However the fashion industry changed all that. Women
started wearing leggings and long sweaters. Untucked shirts
were “cool”. Dressing like a construction worker in
a board meeting was a sign of confidence.
The
question is, should this casual trend continue or should employers
stick to a dress code that reflects their business. Lets put
it this way: clothing is a form of non-verbal communication,
which plays an important role in creating an impression to other
individuals. That is why employers feel there is indeed a necessity
to establish a fashion standard that is tailored to meet their
particular business and its clientele.
CASE
STUDIES
The Ritz Carlton hotel, for example follows the philosophy that
it’s personnel should “not call attention to themselves”.
Their dress code includes-
•
Small earrings, less than the size of a quarter
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No hair colour that brings attention (e.g. pink, green, sky
blue)
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No earrings for men
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Only two rings per hand
•
One bracelet per wrist (watch counts as a bracelet)
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No high-heeled shoes (stilettos)
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No lace shoes
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No hoop earrings
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Except for moustache, no facial hair for men
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If hair is beyond shoulder length, it must be pulled back
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Tattoos and body piercing must remain concealed
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Casual Fridays do not exist
The
Charity Hospital has a policy where the workers have to pay
for a “casual Friday”. On the first Friday of each
month one dollar goes into the employee emergency fund as a
part of contribution. According to Jerry Romig, hospital spokesman,
it has “strengthened the dress code” rather than lowering
the standards.
Take
a few pointers...
Adapting to trends is one thing, distracting business appearance
is another. The idea is to blend clothes, which reflect both
a corporate as well as a casual appearance. The guidelines for
wearing casuals in the work place are simple. Take a few pointers,
you will never go wrong again.
•
Clothes you wear for camping or painting your home is a big
NO NO!
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Wear attire that is not so much affected by fashion as by the
job.
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Avoid tight or short clothing
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Well tailored trousers and a shirt in lieu of a suit is fine
on a casual day
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Don’t look like your headed for a party or the gym
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No dirty sneakers
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Rugged outdoor wear
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Humorous attire or accessories
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Poorly matched outfits
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Hats/caps of any kind
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Leggings
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Untucked shirttails
A
person in authority must dress with some formality. Long sleeves
for example are a sign of power and even jackets on casual clothing
communicate force.
In
a nutshell, your casuals should not be too revealing, too cute,
too sexy, too bright, too faded and too trendy. Bottom line:
“Dress for the position you want before you have it.”
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