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Establishing a Modern Workplace Employee Dress Code Policy
As an employer, you may have a clear expectation for what your staff members wear. However, in the modern business world employees often expect some level of comfort, freedom, and personal expression in their work attire.
In our specialist guide to UK workplace dress code policy from our trusted and experienced HR team, we cover what you need to keep in mind and how to keep staff happy.
Guide summary: The key takeaways from this guide are:
Creating a modern dress code policy is a great company perk, so use it to keep employees happy and productive
Make sure your policy doesn't discriminate against staff under the Equality Act 2010
Justify all of your decisions in clear English across your policy
How to create a beneficial workplace dress code policy
There's no UK employment law requiring your business to have a dress code. However, keep in mind there are laws regarding how you can request employees dress at work. You must not discriminate against staff based on the nine protected characteristics in the Equality Act 2010.
While aspects such as more flexible employee working patterns and a greater focus on wellbeing are likely to be higher up this list, a reassessment of dress code policy may be a quick, easy and low-cost initiative to boost workplace morale (especially in office environments). With that in mind, for a modern approach to dress code you may want to:
Replicate elements of the remote working experience (smart casual)
Promote equal standards for all staff members
Prioritise health and safety expectations
Talk with staff or trade unions before changing a policy significantly
Justify any strict rules you want to adopt clearly in your business dress code policy
For the final point, that may relate to something such as covering up employee tattoos.
With many employees now gravitating towards more casual attire, you could be presented with an opportunity to take a more progressive and contemporary spin on company dress code.
This could bring about many positive working effects, with the potential impact on employee wellbeing being significant. Perks like this can make all the difference when it comes to engagement and retention efforts. Even better, it stands to cost your business nothing to implement such changes, meaning it’s an accessible option for those who aren’t in a financial position to offer more expensive employee retention-boosting benefits.
Make sure to create a suitable dress code for your sector
Whether a more relaxed dress code is appropriate or even possible in your workplace will depend on your sector and the nature of employees' roles. Those who operate machinery or work in a kitchen, for instance, will need to adhere to specific dress codes for business health and safety.
You may feel employees who are client-facing need to uphold standards of professionalism and present a certain corporate image. Ultimately, you're within their rights to set rules in respect to:
Uniform
Dress and appearance
That's provided these aren't discriminatory.
If employees push boundaries by wearing overly-casual attire, an informal reminder of your dress code may be all it takes to resolve the issue. However, if they repeatedly refuse to comply, you could take formal disciplinary action in accordance with your disciplinary procedures.
Whatever you decide works best as official workwear, making sure employees are well aware of your expectations is an important step. As well as reducing the potential for issues, most staff will understand and respect your official documentation.
Get expert HR support for your ideal dress code
Need help devising or amending your employee dress code? Our employment law and HR experts can help. We have a fixed-fee service that includes:
Unlimited advice from dedicated professionals
Employee handbook of best-practice policies
Bespoke document drafting
Employment law advice for ensuring fair, compliant policies
For more information claim your free consultation with our experienced team: 0345 226 8393.
FAQs
You should handle any refusals carefully. It could be seen as potential misconduct (especially if your policy is part of the staff member's employment contract), but you must assess the refusal as it may be protected under the Equality Act 2010.
Examples include banning headscarves at work, which would fall under religious discrimination. Another is if you expect all female employees to wear makeup, which is sex discrimination. Refer closely to the Equality Act 2010 to ensure a fair policy, otherwise you may face an employment tribunal claim.
You should make sure your policy is clear, flexible, and inclusive under the Equality Act 2010. If employees are comfortable and professional looking, they'll be happy and productive. An example of this is a smart/casual dress code policy that acts as a compromise between comfort and professionalism.
You should handle any refusals carefully. It could be seen as potential misconduct (especially if your policy is part of the staff member's employment contract), but you must assess the refusal as it may be protected under the Equality Act 2010.
You should make sure your policy is clear, flexible, and inclusive under the Equality Act 2010. If employees are comfortable and professional looking, they'll be happy and productive. An example of this is a smart/casual dress code policy that acts as a compromise between comfort and professionalism.
Examples include banning headscarves at work, which would fall under religious discrimination. Another is if you expect all female employees to wear makeup, which is sex discrimination. Refer closely to the Equality Act 2010 to ensure a fair policy, otherwise you may face an employment tribunal claim.
