Company Dress Codes for Small Business; Shorts and Pants

Most small businesses have logo'ed shirts, usually polo shirts with logos, this is typical in American Business. But many small businesses either do not have a dress code for pants and shorts or they have one, but rarely enforce it. Others take the approach that unless something is way out of line, the small business owner just doesn't say anything. What is you dress code in your small business? Is it an unspoken dress code? If so you are not alone.

Many consultants recommend for companies, which work outside that all crew members wear Levi's or Levi type shorts or pants. Other more lax policies include the use of sweat pants with a small caveat; Color. For instance; "You may wear sweats in black or dark blue, as long as they are not too baggy." In our company we know that "baggy clothes" or sweats will catch on everything, and light colored sweats will be ruined the first day. This is because we are in the car wash business. If you were in the landscape business, pool cleaning business or handy man arena, you may have a similar policy. In our company there are two types of approved shorts: Tan/Khaki shorts or Blue Levi type shorts/ Navy Blue Uniform Shorts. This might also be an idea for your small business. Coupled with a logo'ed polo shirt it makes a nice and comfortable uniform and employees are happy and you will convey the professional image you are looking for.

Shorts should have a pocket with a button or styled in a way so the employee will not lose any personal belongings when bending over. If your company works on expensive items or you own an antique store, art store or work on expensive automobiles, you may also wish to have a no metal button in front policy as you could easily damage the merchandise or customers personal property. This is always a concern in the detail shop of our car washes.

For women employees, use your best judgment. We don't recommend working in bikini bottoms unless you operate in a college town or a somewhere like Palm Springs where temperatures can be 100 plus degrees. If you're in Malibu, Venice, Palm Beach, Palm Springs, Lake Havasu, etc, anything goes. Super short shorts are in appropriate in many businesses although in some businesses they are part of the ambiance like sports bars for instance, tanning salons or jet ski rentals. One thing some small businesses fail to realize is that if sex is the only thing you have to sell, then something else is wrong with your entire business concept, marketing, product or service. You need to protect a professional image and instill confidence in your customer. If you cannot do that you can always resort to the "sex-sells" motif, but it will be quite obvious to everyone what you really stand for and the confidence you have in your own product or service. Think about it.

"Lance Winslow" - If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs