The Ultimate Guide to Dress Code Policies for HR Leaders (with Examples)

When you look around your organization, what do you see? Probably business equipment, furniture, and — of course — your staff. Ideally, each of your team member's attire aligns with your brand image and professionalism. But if you notice room for improvement, maybe it's time to introduce a dress code policy.

Your new guidelines can clear up any misconceptions your team has concerning their attire. It's an easy way to set the office environment tone, so everyone knows your expectations. 

If this is your first time setting a dress code policy, fear not! These resources break down everything you need to know so you can roll out the new rules without any hiccups. 

Why Your Organization Needs a Clear Dress Code Policy

What counts as professional attire isn't cut-and-dry in an era of taking Zoom calls from your living room. With a dress code, you can remove ambiguity and provide your employees with clear-cut guidance. Here are a few reasons why you might want to consider instituting one for your workplace. 

Professionalism and Brand Image

Your employees are an extension of your company. That's especially true for staff members who interact directly with clients, either at the office or at your storefront. One of the first things your customers may notice is their appearance. If their clothing doesn't quite align with your brand image, it may make your company look less professional than it actually is.

Say you run an accounting firm, and your team of CPAs meets with business executives on a daily basis. If your staff regularly wears jeans and tee shirts but clients show up in a suit and tie, it's a mismatch. Your clients may worry that your team doesn't have the professional expertise to handle their books.

A simple dress code requiring employees to wear formal business attire may be the fix you're looking for. 

Productivity and Focus

A recent university study looked at the impact of dress codes on workplace productivity. The findings: Employee productivity ticked up among workers who dressed up. It also led to enhanced confidence and better performance.

The study suggests that workers who feel good about the way they look are more likely to put their best efforts into their jobs. If you think your team could benefit from a productivity jolt, a dress code may be one tool that can help. 

Safety and Hygiene

Some businesses implement dress codes to improve worker safety or hygiene. It's a common practice in several different industries, including construction and food service. You might see a builder wearing a hard hat when they're on-site or a chef in plastic gloves when they're handling food.

If your company operates in a regulated industry with standardized protective clothing, you'll likely want to adopt attire guidelines that comply with laws. That way, you keep workers and clients safe.

Legal Compliance

It's important not to let your company's new dress code cross any anti-discrimination law boundaries. Look out for any rules that may treat someone in a protected class less than fairly, or simply target any group of employees unfairly, such as banning hair styles like afros or dreadlocks. You'll want to apply your guidelines uniformly across your entire workforce to avoid any inconsistencies. 

Types of Dress Codes

Establishing a new attire policy starts by understanding the different categories. You'll want to decide which one best fits your business. These are just dress code policy examples — you can tailor your guidelines so they align with your brand. 

Formal Business Attire

As the name suggests, this is the most strict dress code. Companies that adopt formal business attire expect their team to look polished every day. You might find a formal business dress code among university professors, attorneys, doctors, and accountants. 

Business formal attire includes:

• Suits
• Dresses
• Muted colors, like navy blue, brown, and black
• Low heels, flats, or loafers
• Minimal jewelry and makeup

Some companies ask staff to wear formal business attire during in-person client meetings. For example, your sales team might wear suits or dresses at a conference, but opt for a less strict dress code when they're at the office.

Business Casual

A step down from business formal is business casual. It's not quite as restrictive, but still asks employees to dress up when they're at work. Acceptable clothing under a business casual policy might include:

• Slacks or khaki pants
• Collared shirts
• Sweaters
• Conventional skirts and dresses
• Boots, dress shoes, and heels

Casual

A casual dress code emphasizes employee comfort while still remaining professional. You might allow staff to wear jeans and tee shirts, so long as they're clean and fit well. Other examples of clothing that might be permitted in a casual environment include sandals, sweatshirts, sportswear, and hats. 

IT companies commonly adopt casual dress codes. It's also standard in the retail industry. Some organizations allow employees to wear casual clothing on specific days of the week, like Friday.

Industry-Specific Attire

If you work in certain industries, you might need to adopt a specialized dress code. For example, nurses and doctors employed in a hospital might wear scrubs and tennis shoes. A warehouse might ask employees to wear steel-toed boots to protect their feet from falling objects. 

Think about your industry and whether there are any norms you might want to incorporate into the dress code.

Dress Code Policy Example Template

Not sure how to write your company's dress code policy? Use this template as a starting point. You can tailor it to meet your organization's guidelines.

[Company Name] plans to introduce a new dress code policy with a [MM/DD/YY] effective date. We believe that establishing new attire standards can enhance our team's professional image among clients and colleagues. 

The new dress code policy applies to all workers at our [address] location. Please adhere by these guidelines when you're in the office.

1. We expect all employees to wear [business formal, business casual, casual] clothing unless there's an exception granted by company executives, HR, or your manager. 
2. Take care to wear clean clothing free of any obvious holes or tears. Avoid wearing items that are overly revealing. 
3. No clothing that includes offensive language or images is acceptable on office property.

What is [Business Formal/Business Casual/Casual] Clothing?

[Insert description from the above section]

If your clothing violates our dress code, you may be asked to go home and change. Repeated dress code violations may result in termination. 

Creating an Effective Dress Code Policy: Step-by-Step

Introducing a new dress code can definitely enhance your brand's professionalism and image. But it may cause some sensitivity. Use these tips to create a dress code your team can get behind.

Step 1: Define Your Company Culture

Every organization has its own way of doing things. Think about your workplace culture and what your business values as you consider potential dress code rules.

For instance, if major tenets of your company's mission are leadership, professionalism, and excellence, a more formal dress code might be a good fit. A casual dress code might make more sense for organizations that value creativity or diversity.

Step 2: Consider Your Workplace Environment

What's your workplace look like? Is it an office with heavy furniture and fancy conference rooms? Does your team work outside in all types of weather? Do employees interact frequently with clients or seldom see them? 

The work environment plays a big role in your dress code. Try to match your policy guidelines with your team's client interactions, physical demands, and safety concerns. 

Step 3: Be Specific and Clear

Too many ambiguities in your dress code policy may confuse employees. Stick with clear language and provide examples that explain exactly what attire you won't accept at the workplace. You might ban baseball caps or skirts that fall above the knee. Also think about footwear. Are sandals a no-go? What about heels that include an open toe? 

The more clarity you provide, the easier it is for employees to meet your expectations. 

Step 4: Address Inclusivity and Diversity

A staff member's religious beliefs, cultural practices, or disability may make it hard to comply with your dress code. Keep those concerns in mind as you draft your policy, and think about how you'll approach them if there's an issue.

Say you want employees to wear dress shoes while at work. But you have a wheelchair-bound employee who wears slide-on sandals because they're easier to take on and off. You might accommodate their needs based on their disability status.

Step 5: Communicate the Policy Effectively

Once you're comfortable with the new dress code, ask management to sign off on it. You can spread the news of the policy update with employees afterward.

Consider sharing a written memo of the policy through email or your employee handbook. You might give your team some time to review it. Then schedule a quick meeting or training session to go over the policy in detail.

You may offer to meet with any employees one-on-one if they have personal concerns or questions about the policy. That gives everyone a chance to follow up if they require an accommodation based on their cultural beliefs or a disability.

Enforcing Your Dress Code Policy

Once your guidelines become effective, take a fair and consistent approach to violations. That can be hard to do if a close friend or senior manager breaks the rules. But you want to demonstrate your commitment to following the rules.

It's a good idea to have a clear-cut process for addressing violations. You might issue a warning for the first violation and ask the staff member to go home and change. But subsequent violations might incur harsher penalties. However you decide to handle policy violations, make sure employees understand the process. You might document it in your guidelines. 

There may be questions about the dress code, especially in the early days as staff gets used to the new guidelines. Keeping an open dialogue with staff can make the transition easier.

Legal Considerations

There are a few laws to keep in mind as you introduce a new dress code policy. Title VII of the Civil Rights Act prevents employers from discriminating against a worker based on their sex, race, color, national origin, or religion. So you'll want to be careful of any guidelines that may inadvertently cross those boundaries. 

The Americans with Disabilities Act prevents discrimination based on an employee's medical condition or disability. You may need to make accommodations in your policy for any employees who can't adhere to all the guidelines because of their condition.

States may have their own discrimination laws. While these may closely follow federal regulations, there may be some differences. Take CROWN laws, which prevent employers from disallowing protective hairstyles like braids or twists. Those are standard in several states, including California and Nevada. 

You may make accommodations for any employees who cite concerns based on their religion, ethnicity, or other protective status. That can help prevent any unnecessary friction.

Time for a Wellness Boost, Too?

Introducing a new dress code may shake up your organization in a good way. You may see elevated workplace productivity, fewer safety issues, and enhanced worker satisfaction. It can improve your professional image with clients and peers, which is a positive that can lead to an enriched business reputation.

So why stop there? If you're revamping your office style, consider introducing a new wellness program for your employees. The right mix of benefits may boost team engagement and improve worker resilience. 

Wellhub offers a range of wellbeing benefits. With our plans, your team can access local gyms, online fitness classes, nutrition assistance, and tools to reduce stress and improve sleep. Even better —  95% of companies tracking their wellness programs see a positive return on their wellbeing programs in the first year. 

To learn more about how Wellhub can help your business, speak with a Wellbeing Specialist today!

You May Also Like:

• The Ultimate Guide to Human Resources
• How to Build & Execute an Effective Human Resource Strategy
• 10 Human Resource Management Challenges — and Solutions

References:

• ADA. (2024, December 9) Guide to Disability Rights Laws. https://www.ada.gov/resources/disability-rights-guide/
• The CROWN Act. (n.d.). The Official CROWN Act. https://www.thecrownact.com/
• Fulp, B. (2024, October 3). The Dress Code Dictionary: A Comprehensive guide. Student Engagement & Career Development, University of Arizona. https://career.arizona.edu/blog/2024/10/03/the-dress-code-dictionary-a-comprehensive-guide/
• Kim, J. K., Holtz, B. C., & Vogel, R. M. (2022). Wearing Your Worth at Work: The consequences of employees’ daily clothing choices. Academy of Management Journal, 66(5), 1411–1437. https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2021.1358
• US EEOC. (1964).Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. https://www.eeoc.gov/statutes/title-vii-civil-rights-act-1964