Dressing Up (or down) for Work

Does it matter what people wear to the office?

Back then, everyone in my architectural firm dressed formally. Even people with families go to watch movies and dinners dressed up formally.

 At present scene, things has been too casual. Interns are wearing tshirt and jeans mail clerks wearing flip flops managers wearing khakis and polos. It seemed okay when men wore a jacket and pants with no tie but tshirt and jeans?a sweatshirt?a dress that looks like muumuu? People miling around, chatting,laughing and it looks more of social hour than a working place.

 So the manager of UBS Bank issued a 43 page guidebook filled with fashion and grooming tips. The content includes: Piercings and tattoos are prohibited. (some people with tattoo are some people with the most creative minds!) Eyewear ultra-trendy or too showy coloured glasses is not tolerated. Using an effective deodorant, In case of excessive sweating, your deodorant must be renewed during the day. Wear underwear flesh-coloured below white blouses.

Has things become a bit too casual?

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Designing Adaptive Organisations

1980 Mechanistic organisations Organic organisations

Designing organisational processes

Reengineering Fundamental rethinking and radical redesign of businesses processes to achieve dramatic improvements in critical measures of performance such as cost,quality ,service and speed

Empowerment Feelings of intrinsic motivation, in which workers perceive their work to have impact and meaning and perceive themselves to be competent and capable of self determination

Behavioural informality A workplace atmosphere characterised by spontaneity, casualness and interpersonal familiarity

Question 1: What are the advantages and disadvantages of informal workplace? what are the advantages and disadvantages of formal work place?
Advantages of informal workplace Increased Camaraderie -they have a more positive attitude towards going to work everyday. Disadvantages of informal workplace Lack of clear guidelines - confusion in the workplace -bias by the employer toward certain employees. In turn, cause anxiety and anger among the non- favored employees.

Enhance creativity Misunderstanding employee relations -employees will not feeling restricted to -office romances can also develop and express opinion and thoughts. result in problems-lose focus towards job - boost interaction with the management team which could result into sharing of ideas.

Advantages of formal workplace Customer Impressions -boost their confidence in the business as a whole.

Disadvantages of formal workplace Losing of quality employees - according to the Families and Work Institute employees prefer job autonomy and flexible workplaces

Problem Avoidance - help employees avoid making inappropriate choices in dress that could cause a safety problem e.g:HR issue

Limited communication - Employees may not offer suggestions or communicate problems and workplace issues with each other and the business owner.

Question 2: As the manager of this firm would you institute a formal dress code?
If I am the manager of this firm I would stay on the business casual dress code for the employees. To suddenly impose strict formal dress code would interrupt the loosing standards of business casual dress code in the last 15 years Strict dress code is likely to discourage talented people from wanting to work at my bank. Focus more on grooming and hygiene Fashion firms eg:Jacobson,campaigns to encourage the firms to adopt the casual wear for their employees-giving them free seminars on the type of casual dressing that can be adopted-I can assume employee will be well educated about what business casual is. casual and comfortable atmosphere for my employees are important for the creativity and interaction - better services for clients Better services is a bigger influence on purchasing decision and customer relationship. The issue is not longer a huge concern for banking are increasingly being done remotely e.g: internet banking.

References
Rodeck,D. (2012). The Effects of Informal Workplace Relationships on Employee Job Satisfaction. eHow.com. Retrieved November 2,2012 from http://www.ehow.com/info_12153928_effects-informal-workplace-relationships-employee-jobsatisfaction.html Mooney,L. (2012). what Are the Disadvantages of Informal Procedures for the Employer-Employee Relationship?. Chron.com. Retrieved November 2,2012 from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/disadvantages-informal-proceduresemployeremployee-relationship-15609.html Berton,E, (2010), Dress to impress,UBS tells staff,The Wall Street Journal, retrieved November 2,2012 from http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704694004576019783931381042.html?mod=googlenews_wsj Biecher, E.Keaton,P.N.,Pollman, A.W.,(1999) , Casual dress at work ,SAM Advanced Management Journal ,55, 893-896. UBS, (2010), UBS Dress Code, retrieved November 2,2012, from http://www.ubs.com/my/en.html Susan,M.H, (2012), Work Dress Codes and Image Collection, About.com, Retrieved November 2,2012, from http://humanresources.about.com/od/workrelationships/tp/dress_code_collect.htm Haserot.P.W., (2011), Is this dress code professionalism overkill?, AccountingWeb, Retrieved November 2,2012, from http://www.accountingweb.com/topic/education-careers/dress-code-professionalism-overkill Gumbiner.J., (2012) ,What's Business-Casual Attire?,Monster, Retrieved Noveber 2,2012, from http://careeradvice.monster.com/in-the-office/workplace-issues/business-casual-attire/article.aspx

Winston .B., (2012). What Clothing Is Appropriate for the Workplace? , Chron.com, Retrieved November 2,2012 from http://smallbusiness.chron.com/clothing-appropriate-workplace-22590.html
Williams Chuck.(2013).Principles of Management(7th ed).South Western:Cengage Learning

Thank you Any questions?