Clothing Choices and Their Impact on Workplace Relationships

lOMoARcPSD|32831911 Written Assignment 2 How do you think clothing choices affect the relationships we form at work or in other business Ethics and Social Res s p i o tu ns a ib t i i li o ty n ( s U ? niversity of the People) Studocu is not sponsored or endorsed by any college or university Downloaded by May Fares (mayfares@icloud.com)

lOMoARcPSD|32831911 Downloaded by May Fares (mayfares@icloud.com) Running head: WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT 2 Written Assignment 2 Name Withheld for Peer Grading PHIL 1404 - Ethics and Social Responsibility University of the People 1

lOMoARcPSD|32831911 Downloaded by May Fares (mayfares@icloud.com) Running head: WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT 2 How do you think clothing choices affect the relationships we form at work or in other business situations? Clothing is a social construct and work and business setting is not an exception. Clothing is a type of non-verbal communication and impacts an individual’s image. If inappropriate dress code choices are made, a negative impact affects the entire corporation by giving the impression the company is unprofessional. Clothing may affect organizational culture, productivity, and performance. According to Shinn et al. (2011), clothing is a means of self-identification, and role definition and clothing choices affect employees’ perceptions of the quality of their performance and influence how colleagues, clients, and upper management perceive them. If we talk about the advantages and disadvantages of the dress code, then I think that there are more pluses, since a single uniform allows you to keep yourself in business role. From the point of view of psychology, when a client sees that the dress code is observed, he perceives employees as purely representatives of the company, and not a person with whom one can freely enter into other contacts, except for business ones. As human beings, we are always communicating on a nonverbal level, even when we are speaking. Apparel choices are a huge part of that communication. Clothing impacts an individual’s image, either positively or negatively. When inappropriate apparel choices are consistently made, a negative impact extends to the entire corporation by giving the impression the company is lax or unprofessional (Maysonave, 2001). We think in images and when we come across companies in which employees wear the same clothes with elements of corporate symbols, this has a positive effect on building business relationships. What is your opinion about workplace dress codes, and how far should employers go in setting dress and other behavior standards? 2

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Downloaded by May Fares (mayfares@icloud.com) lOMoARcPSD|32831911 Running head: WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT 2 Workplace dress code policy is a visual expression of the culture of an organization. It allows to emphasize discipline and a responsible attitude to business, sets employees in a working mood. Also, a single form does not distract attention from looking at someone else's wardrobe. Depending on what values the company wishes to communicate the workplace dress code can adopt various colors, symbols, and styles for that purpose. A casual dress code can help establish a fun and friendly environment and empower employees to deliver exceptional customer service. A common dress code can improve the sense of unity and teamwork. One of the surveys carried out concluded that casual dress may lead to a casual work ethic, increase in tardiness, absenteeism, and flirtatious behavior (Peluchette & Karl, 2007). Personally, I think a dress code is essential especially if the business of the company is related to constant in-person interactions with partners, clients, suppliers. It may be different for IT jobs that might not require any human touch. I wish my employer also had an established dress code because it would establish expectations for the formality of our attire. It would also save me time and money on attempts to always purchase clothing for work. Why are these standards important (or not) from an ethical perspective? From an ethical perspective, a dress code can reduce status differences by standardizing the expectations. However, factors such as disability, pregnancy, religion, etc. need to be taken into account. The dress code policy must be flexible enough to account for these different unique needs. In addition, depending on the nature of the job, the dress code can incorporate health and safety measures. How do you think clothing might affect an international company’s approach to business ethics? 3

Downloaded by May Fares (mayfares@icloud.com) lOMoARcPSD|32831911 Running head: WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT 2 Uniforms can have a dramatic impact on how our colleagues and customers view people. International companies face added additional complexities because employment laws and regulations may vary making it impossible to enforce a dress code across all populations. In these situations. From an ethical perspective, executives must understand how the dress code needs to comply with the appropriate local laws and how cultural and religious differences may change how the dress code affects employees in different countries. The key to success is to rely on the employees and develop policies that are accepted and acceptable in all unique settings. 4

lOMoARcPSD|32831911 Downloaded by May Fares (mayfares@icloud.com) Running head: WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT 2 References Maysonave, S. (2001). Business casual concepts. Retail Merchandiser , 41(7), 46. Retrieved from Business Source Elite database. Peluchette, J., & Karl, K. (2007). The impact of workplace attire on employee self-perceptions. Human Resource Development Quarterly , 18(3), 345-360. Retrieved from Business Source Elite database. Shinn, A. Swigart, A, Gritters, A, Schmailz, M. (2011). Dress Codes in the Workplace: Effects on Organizational Culture. Retrieved from https://central.edu/writing- anthology/2019/06/04/dress-codes-in-the-workplace-effects-on-organizational-culture/ 5

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