Yahoo Finance Would you choose $7,400 over a casual dress code at work?
It’s a painful realisation – it’s 9:45pm and you haven’t ironed your shirt for tomorrow. Netflix is calling, but you just can’t go to work with a creased shirt.
You take a big sigh and shuffle over to the laundry.
This is a scene repeated all over the world, and according to new research from Randstad US, one-in-three workers hate their dress code so much, they would pass-up on a US$5,000 (AU$7,400) pay rise just to dress more informally.
The study, released this week, also found that one-in-three workers would flat out quit or turn down an offer if they had to follow a conservative dress code.
"The nature of work — where, when and how it gets done — has changed dramatically over the past several years, and many of those changes (open offices, remote work) have ultimately contributed to a less formal workplace," said Randstad US executive Traci Fiatte.
“It’s great to empower your employees to dress for their day, as well as show their personality, but it is equally important for employers to set some clear guidelines to ensure that everyone feels comfortable.”
What’s inappropriate to wear to work?
Most workers believe it’s important to dress conservatively for a job interview, regardless of whether the workplace they’re interviewing for matches that dress code.
And 42 per cent of respondents said they’d rather be 20 minutes late to an interview than appear on time but looking dishevelled.
When it comes to what workers believe is appropriate to wear in the office, while most offices are either business casual, casual or don’t have a set dress code, 73 per cent of workers believe ripped jeans are a step too far.
Leggings also raise eyebrows, even in casual settings.
Additionally, one-in-two think high heels over 7.6cm high are unprofessional, with 40 per cent scoffing at open-toed shoes in general.
Do workers differ by age when it comes to dress sense?
“There’s an interesting disconnect around younger workers: most associate dressing up with more confidence and better work performance, but nearly 40 percent also report they’ve had a manager speak to them about dressing more professionally,” Fiatte said.
“The bottom line is, as long as employees dress in a way that’s consistent with their employer’s policies, most managers care less about what their employees wear than about their performance and work output.”
Younger workers – aged 18 to 35 – tend to prefer to dress up for work as they say it boosts their confidence, but only 51 per cent of those older than 35 agree with that statement.
Women are also freezing in the office
More than half of women have had to tow a jumper or blanket into the office to deal with the cool temperatures, compared to only 30 per cent of men.
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