Communications: "The Talk" - Too Much Skin

Overly revealing or otherwise inappropriate clothing can occur with female or male employees.

Either an employee(s) will be offended and report it, or you will see someone in the workplace in clearly inappropriate clothing.

Overly Revealing: I have dealt with females in very revealing garments (short skirt, low cut blouse...) and a male bodybuilder in a revealing harem kind of Halloween costume. The solution is to tell them that they are apparently unaware that their clothing is not appropriate for the workplace and request they either cover up with a jacket or sweater or change to other garments. Never had a problem beyond that.

Otherwise Inappropriate: A male employee showed up in a tee shirt bearing the slogan "Heterosexually Challenged." I felt it was borderline since he did not interact with customers but not the best choice in tops. So I waited and no one complained. Then I checked on him every day for a while and there was no repeat performance. Had there have been a repeat, I would have spoken with him about the situation.

Just employ judgment, maturity and common sense (and maybe helpdeskHR) and you will be fine.

Lance

Communications: "The Talk" - Olfactory Issues

The workplace version of the inevitable "talk" every parent has with their budding adolescent is the talk you will inevitably have with an employee regarding their personal hygiene.

I guarantee you that if you manage for ten years or more, you will have employees report objections over one of the following three:
1. body odor
2. too much cologne
3. revealing clothing

We will address the two olfactory issues on this post.

Addressing body odor is easy if the offender is in a physical job such as maintenance or delivery work. First you take them aside (recurring theme) and explain that their work is physical in nature and very important...however, physical work means perspiration, and that rhymes with odor. So showering regularly (daily minimum) and wearing clean work clothes is important. That usually fixes it but if not, it becomes a disciplinary issue.

It becomes exponentially delicate if the case is an office employee who simply does not practice normal hygiene. In private, ask them if they are aware of the difficulty they are causing and simply explain how easily this can be corrected. One cautionary note here is that it is optimal to have a female manager speak to a female offender if at all possible. Experience has shown. Same resolution on the disciplinary issue.

With too much cologne, simply explain that an employee with a high sensitivity to scents is having a problem and to simply reduce or stop wearing cologne at work. Same disciplinary resolution.

Done with basic empathy and respect, these issue are easily resolvable.

Lance

Dress Codes: Work Attire in General

If a job does not require a company provided uniform, it is a very good idea to publish work dress guidelines in your handbook.

Here are some generally accepted points:
-"business casual" dress is usually defined as collared shirts, slacks and closed shoes for males and slacks outfits or dresses for females
-clothing must be clean and wrinkle free
-suits can be required if it is an industry standard such as for attorneys or bankers
-certain colors such as black and white if that is a company theme
-Not Permitted
     -overly revealing clothing
     -obscene, inflammatory or political slogans on clothing
     -overly casual clothing
     -distracting garments

Not what you say...but how you say it it the guide here. If you have a clothing problem, take the employee aside and describe the problem and your corrective solution which might be to cover a shirt with a sweater or have them change the garment.

Remember, when you permit a dress anomaly once, you have set a precedent and will pretty much have to live with it. Avoid precedents you do not want going forward.

Lance

Dress Codes

Employers often ask me if they can install and enforce a dress code. This is an amusing question and as is sometimes the case in HR, a matter of common sense and good judgement.

So my basic answer is "yes" so long as it relates to the work being done.

Let's walk through the basics.

Dress codes, as such, are not illegal. The first paid work I ever did was holding a sign announcing the grand opening of a new gas station. The required dress was a clown costume. So I put on the clown costume and makeup and stood on Harrison Avenue as all my friends drove by. I didn't go back the next day. In fact, I'm surprised that I ever worked again. However, the reason for the costume was to attract attention to the new business and that, my friends, is a bona fide occupational requirement.

Example: In a retail store selling expensive home decor, it would be logical to require sales personnel to wear a business suit or dress as they interact with customers. Requiring suits for warehouse personnel behind the showroom just does not make sense and in fact would be counterproductive, possibly creating safety issues.

The current catch-all is "business casual" which is generally defined as adult clothes such as collared shirts and other garments of that ilk.

I know this is the age of rubber flip flops, plaid shorts and slogan t-shirts, but I'm gratified that suits hold sway in courtrooms and stock brokerages.

Lance

HR Dept: Same Problems

I said that even the smallest companies could be hit with the same potentially expensive problems as the largest companies. A five employee company could just as easily experience claims of wrongful termination, sexual harassment or discrimination as a 35,000 employee company.

The main difference between the two companies in their ability to successfully resolve the claims or avoid them in the first place is that the large company has a trained team of Human Resources specialists, and the small company has the owner who likely has no HR background at all.

At a recent labor law seminar I attended, the presenting lawyer told the group of business owners that they should definitely have access to Human Resources support.

helpdeskHR is ready to help.

Lance

HR Dept: Different Size - Many Same Problems

However smugly, I said that all major companies have Human Resources departments and that is a true fact.

But here is another fact, every small company potentially faces many of the exact same problems as the largest companies.

Effective management issues and labor law compliance begins with one employee.

Just think about that for a moment.

Lance

HR Dept: Who Has HR Departments?

Every Fortune 500 company. Microsoft, Apple, Intuit, Verizon, Ford Motor Co., American Airlines, Kraft Foods, Hilton Hotels, General Electric, MacDonald's...to name a few, have this in common: all have Human Resources Departments.

Food for thought.

Lance