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Dress code

Dress codes are often used in the workplace and there are many reasons why you the employer may have one, for example workers may be asked to wear a uniform to communicate a corporate image and ensure that customers can easily identify them. Often you may introduce a dress code for health and safety reasons, for example health care workers may not be allowed to wear jewellery for safety reasons when around patients and certain clothing may not be allowed in factories while operating machinery.

When writing one you need to take into consideration these key points

• You must avoid unlawful discrimination in any dress code policy.
• You may have health and safety reasons for having certain standards.
• Dress codes must apply to both men and women equally, although they may have different requirements.
• Reasonable adjustments must be made for disabled people when dress codes are in place.

A dress code can often be used by the company to ensure workers are safe and dressed appropriately. It should, however, relate to the job and be reasonable in nature, for example workers may be required to tie their hair back or cover it for hygiene reasons if working in a kitchen.

You may have a policy that sets out a reasonable standard of dress and appearance for your company. Any dress code should be non-discriminatory and should apply to both men and women equally, but standards can be different for example a policy may state “business dress” for women but may state for men “must wear a tie”.

You may adopt a more casual approach to dress during the summer, but this may depend on your business. You may require staff to wear business dress all year because of the nature of the work, for example sales representatives who meet with clients will need to maintain a certain standard. You may have a “no flip flop” policy as a health and safety precaution, but any restrictions should be clearly set out in your policy.

It is good practice when drafting or updating a dress code that you consider the reasoning behind it. Consulting with employees over any proposed dress code may ensure that the code is acceptable to both you and employees. Once agreed it should be communicated to all employees. When setting out a policy you should take into account employees who may dress in a certain way for religious reasons. However, workers can be required not to wear certain items that could be deemed a safety risk, for example loose clothing may be a hazard if operating machinery.

If you require any guidance then contact us on 01483 697 076

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