News on 10 October 2000
According to recent research, the majority of bosses accept that suits are out, leaving workers to dress casually.
The survey, carried out by The Aziz Corporation, shows that 55% of the 200 company directors questioned thinks smart-casual clothing is considered the most appropriate style of dress for everyday office life although 33% still prefers workers to wear a traditional suit.
89% of the directors questioned by the Survey Shop felt that for a business meeting or time spent with a client, a suit was the most appropriate attire. A survey by the same company in 1997 showed 52% of businesses operate a formal business wear policy compared to 33% today. 5% had a dress-down policy for one day a week three years ago, a figure which has now risen to 23%.
Khalid Aziz, chairman of The Aziz Corporation, said that although first impressions do count and careless attire will reflect badly on the worker and the organisation, it is becoming more and more important that employees’ apparel is suited to their own specific work environment, rather than an industry standard.
"Companies' acceptance of casual dressing in the office is just one indicator of the overall change in companies today towards a more 'people-orientated' workplace", he added.
The Survey Shop questioned directors from randomly selected
UK companies with a turnover over £10 million in the finance, personnel,
production, marketing and sales sectors.
