One third of UK workers want dress codes ditched

Office dress codes are becomingalotmorecasual,withmany modern, forward-thinking businesses following the lead ofFacebookheadhonchoMark Zuckerberg, who runs his multi-billion-dollar empire from the comfort of a hoodie and trainers.

Manycompanies,ofcourse, still enforce a corporate dress code –although this could changeifworkersgettheirway.

One third (33.5 per cent) of UK workers say businesses should rip up their corporate dress code entirely, with a further36.9percentbelievingthat dressing smart at work has become outdated.

That’saccordingtothelatest datafromtheUK’sleadingindependentjobboard,CV-Library.

A survey of 1,200 UK workers found that 82.5 per cent feel that dress codes have changed, with nearly half (46.8 per cent) believing that dress codes will become more casual and relaxed in the future.

That said, nearly two thirds (65.5 per cent) of workers actually enjoy following a dress code, with this figure rising to 67.3 per cent among 18-24 year oldsand69.1percentamong5564 year olds.

Employeesagedbetween35 and 44 were the most likely to think businesses should ditch dress codes (42.7 per cent).

“There continues to be a lot ofdebatearounddresscodesin the workplace and whether it’s still a necessity to dress smart,” says Lee Biggins, managing director of CV-Library.

“Dress codes mean different things to different people: some people prefer to dress smart, while others see it as a perk to be able to wear more casual clothes.

“Wenowhavemoreflexibility in what we can wear to work and if your workplace has the option, then stick to what feels best for you,” adds Lee.

Of those favouring a smarter dress code, the reasoning included: looking more professional for customers (55.6 per cent),feelingmoreprofessional (25.9percent),andkeepingeveryone equal (8.9 per cent).

Biggins continues: “Every workplace is different and the rulesareverydependentonthe industry or role that a person is working in.

“Thereisnorealevidenceto suggest there is a link between standards of behaviour and dress codes, though I believe you should always dress smart if you’re in an external facing role or meeting with a client, customer or supplier.”