We have all heard the term “You only get one chance to make a first impression”, but did you know that 55 percent of people base those first impressions on appearance?
Whether you like it or not, staff attire speaks for your business; it can say successful, confident, polished or it can say sloppy, and out-of-touch. While you may not be able to control everything about your business, you can control how you present it to the world.
Your company should have a well-defined dress code. The dress code should be specific on what people can wear and what they cannot wear. Remember, the nature of the business should be reflected in how its staff is dressed.
If your business office has a casual dress code, you need to specify what is acceptable for staff to wear. Casual does not mean sloppy or inappropriate clothing pieces. Avoid stained or wrinkled clothing and overly revealing or offensive attire. Examples of acceptable clothing pieces for professionals include:
- well-tailored pants or skirts
- button-down shirts and casual blouses
- heels or flats
If you work in a private office or salon, there may be even less stringent with your dress code policies allowing T-shirts, jeans, and sneakers; however, always be neat and think about how you appear to customers.
Now go out there and make a good first impression!
