When proposing a new uniform standard for your employees, you may hear sighs of resignation throughout the room by your staff. But a new employee uniform standard doesn’t necessarily mean that each individual will have to compromise their own personal style. For those executives who want to find a common ground between uniformity and personal style, one can implement just one standard, a garment that everyone has to wear – like an apron or a hat or a vest. The rest of the uniform would be up to the individual.
Take for example the most recent uniform change at the ever so popular Starbucks Coffee chain. According to Brandi Fowler in a recent article from InStyle.com, Starbucks has introduced a newer standard where the individual now has more leeway on what they are able to wear as long as the iconic apron take a forefront. Where the barista once wore just black, they now have a choice: “white, and khaki shirts be allowed at work, but, shirt colors including gray, navy, dark denim, and brown—including patterns—will be also be permissible on the clock. In addition to the color changes, shorts, skirts, dresses, and pants, including dark-wash jeans and skinny jeans will be okay to wear as well.” (http://www.instyle.com/news/starbucks-employee-dress-code-change-changed)
This new dress code has brought a whole new light to the stigma that is the employee uniform. By having just ONE accessory, in this case the iconic Starbucks apron, take the forefront, the employee does not feel as if they lost their own sense of style and yet they are still maintaining the image of the business.
The employee feels more comfortable as they are now not confined to the strict guidelines of a uniform policy.
The same concept can be done at your establishment. By just having one or a few items being implemented as the uniform standard – like a particular gingham shirt for your front desk or a sleek pencil skirt for your bartenders – and having the employee have free range (with reason, of course) of the rest of their ensemble, lightens up the atmosphere in the work environment.
If you have any questions or want to shoot ideas around about your key uniform garments, contact us! One of our uniform specialists will guide you in the right direction!