Week 04 Blog Post

Today's work environment is much different from what it was in the past. More and more careers are becoming geared toward technology and social media, and work environments seem to be taking a turn for the casual. Some businesses, such as the one at which I work, require a uniform and therefore have the question of attire answered before employees even have to ask. Uniforms are nice in that they allow for consistency in employee appearance and make the business as a whole look more professional. However, even in environments where uniforms are not required, work can still be done efficiently; work attire does not necessarily have to be professional in order for professionals to work. For example, my sister received her Master's Degree in Business Administration, and soon after got a job in the town she was planning to live. To prepare for this job, we made a special trip to Sioux Falls so she could shop for business clothes that would be acceptable in the workplace. However, after her first few days on the job, she noticed that the outfits she wore were more professional than those of her coworkers, and she was even feeling out of place for being overdressed. As it turns out, the company for which she works is stationed in Chicago, and the office where she got her job (here in South Dakota) is just a branch where local employees for this business work without really making face-to-face contact with customers or the higher-up employees. Therefore, my sister's new wardrobe turned out to be less of a necessity than she first believed. Now, instead, she has a section of her closet devoted to business casual outfits that have been replaced by jeans and sometimes even sweatpants. In fact, the job itself is so relaxed and she is so trusted with her work that her bosses in Chicago allow her to work from her apartment a few days every week. This example just goes to show that what people wear or the environment in which they work does not always have to be professional in order for professional work to be done. To use my sister as an example again, she has said that she works better when doing so at home, due to the lack of other individuals and, consequently, better environment for concentrating on work and work alone. Personally, I feel that work attire should not determine an individual's ability to adequately perform. As the article "Is dressing for success still required?" suggests, a boss's satisfaction should be based on how well an employee works as opposed to how well said employee dresses. That is not to say employees should just "let it all go" in terms of attire; rather, as long as they can look presentable without making the business look bad or having it affect work performance, let them be comfortable. Referring again to the article, bosses should be concerned with the work done by their employees rather than what employees are wearing while they work. 

Another article I found that relates to this topic can be found here: 

http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/14/living/workplace-dress-code/

The last paragraph is a quote which states, "Be yourself, but don't let your appearance or behaviors detract from your selling points: your intelligence, accomplishments, strengths and experience." and it perfectly sums up my opinion on workplace dress code.