But creating a standard of dress and grooming isn't easy. In order for a dress code to be legally enforceable, it can't restrict gender equality or religious freedom; and in order to be effective, employees have to be able to understand and follow it.

To create an effective employee dress code, organizations should:

1. Take into consideration the employees' roles and visibility
2. Be sensitive to gender and religion issues
3. Be clearly and firmly communicated to employees

Action Steps

Tips & Tactics

• Make sure your dress code is communicated to employees through a poster, employee newsletter and/or memo. Add it to the training manual and require a signature to make sure new employees have seen and understand the requirements.
• Tell employees why the requirements are in place, whether it's for reasons of safety, health or image.
• Take the employee's job duties into consideration when creating the code. For instance, an employee who is required to be on his or her feet most of the day should be allowed to wear comfortable shoes.
• If an employee breaks the dress code, be sure he or she understands what the problem is and how it can be fixed. Be consistent in dress code enforcement to avoid the appearance of favoritism.
• Consider making reasonable accommodations when necessary, like when a disability or religious belief requires some flexibility.