Work dress codes guide first impressions
How you dress can signal professionalism, trust
Johnny C. Taylor Jr., a human-resources expert, is tackling your questions as part of a series for USA TODAY. Taylor is president and CEO of the Society for Human Resource Management, the world’s largest HR professional society.
The questions are submitted by readers, and Taylor’s answers below have been edited for length and clarity.
Question: I work in retail and recently one of my co-workers was pulled aside and told she must wear a bra to work. Many of my colleagues do not wear bras. Our handbook states that our shirts must be the correct color and have sleeves and they must not be sheer, see-through, low cut or showing midriff. Nowhere does it mention undergarments. Can our company force us to wear undergarments and, if it can, shouldn’t wearing undergarments be required for both genders? – Meghan
Johnny C. Taylor Jr.: Generally, yes,
your company can require you to wear undergarments.
Keep in mind that a dress code isn’t put into place to hinder your experience in the workplace. Instead, it reflects a business’s brand, customer and client interactions, geographical location, safety concerns and other factors.
Like it or not, people make judgments about credibility, trustworthiness and other characteristics based on dress. If what’s beneath that colored, sleeved shirt is clearly visible, it could be distracting or considered inappropriate.
Companies – like yours in the customer-facing retail industry – want to present themselves professionally to customers, clients, vendors and potential employees. With employees serving as the face of a company, guidelines on dress are put in place to meet this expectation of professionalism.
Unless a dress code discriminates based on sex, sexual orientation and gender identity, religion, or race, employers are free to set a policy consistent with their workplace culture and work environment. Different standards for men and women have been upheld by the courts when policies were considered reasonable and not burdensome on one gender.
In enforcing dress codes, employers must consider accommodations for employees’ medical needs, disabilities and ethnic or religious beliefs. If there is a reason why a dress code requirement cannot be met, an employee should discuss it with his or her supervisor or HR department. In this case, an alternative to a traditional bra might serve the same purpose and be acceptable to both the employer and employee.
Q: I’ve been sick with a bad cold and missed a few days of work. Besides not feeling well, I didn’t want to make my co-workers sick. I was torn about staying home because we are very busy at work. It was a hard decision to make. Did I do the right thing? – Anonymous Taylor: You made a good call. Trying to power through at work when you’re not feeling well could not only prolong your illness, but it could expose your co-workers, clients or customers to your cold, affect the quality of your work and reduce your productivity.
Your dilemma is not lost on me, however. Having a twinge of guilt probably means you’re a dedicated worker.
Make sure you know your company’s sick-time policy, which will provide guidance. For example, some company policies require a doctor’s note from an employee if he or she is absent for a certain number of work days.
If you are starting to feel better but have not completely recovered, ask your manager if you can work from home for a few days. Additionally, if you don’t have the energy to work a full day, talk with your supervisor about adjusting your schedule on a short-term basis.
Once you return to the office, make a good-faith effort to clean your workspace, since viruses that cause colds can be contagious for a week or two.
Lastly, as with all aspects of workplace culture, managers and senior leaders must set an example. They, too, should stay home when they are sick. They also can ensure the staff is crosstrained, which could help alleviate any pressure an employee might feel to come to work when sick.