Let’s say, there is a company with a diverse workforce. It has employees from different parts of India as well as foreign team members from European countries. The company’s dress code is “business casual’’.
The Indian employees wear traditional attire like sarees, kurtas, and salwar kameez. When international colleagues visit the India office, they prefer to wear Western business casual outfits. Foreign employees feel uncertain about wearing traditional Indian clothing in the office as they worry about standing out or offending local norms. At the same time, a few Indian employees feel pressured to adopt Western attire to fit in with their global colleagues.
Cultural expectations and local beliefs play an important role in determining what the dress code of employees in a particular region will look like. What might be acceptable in one region might be met with different acceptance in another. This is clearly seen in the tricky scenario playing out in the example above. Further, some industries may also demand a standard of professionalism around which specific expectations of dress codes may emerge. For instance, in certain client-facing or factory setups, dress codes are more rigid due to safety regulations or client expectations. This may be the case for industries like law, finance and healthcare. While in the creative fields or tech startups, casual dress codes are often the norm. Failure to balance out both of these aspects, especially in modern multicultural and multinational companies, can severely impact psychological safety. This job is achieved perfectly with an inclusive dress code policy that addresses all the relevant bases for a diverse workforce.
Things to keep in mind while building inclusive attire policies
- Communication: Open discussion with the employees about building workplace policies can be pivotal for understanding their perspective. This can help employers get a deeper understanding of the diverse needs of their workforce. This also provides an opportunity for employees to voice any concerns they might have about cultural or religious attire or personal needs when it comes to clothing. Companies operating through multiple countries can engage in separate assessments for each location, taking into account local customs.
- Flexibility: The expectation of the dress code in place should not impose a strict uniform. Instead, organisations should offer flexible options that allow employees to express their identity while adhering to general professionalism. A balance between professionalism and personal or cultural expression has to be communicated through the policy. Instead of recommending exact outfits, a generalised guideline should allow room for interpretation.
- Gender-Neutrality: Inclusive gender-neutral language should be used while building dress code policies. Using gender-neutral language promotes a welcoming environment for all employees to bring their authentic selves to work.
- The Religious Factor: It’s important to ensure employees can wear religious garments without discrimination. This includes permitting headscarves, turbans, and other religious attire. Embracing religious garments in dress code policies fosters a sense of belonging and respects employees’ cultural and religious identities.
Codifying inclusion through workplace policies is an essential first step to establishing a work culture of psychological safety. Since attires form an important part of people’s identities, addressing them through inclusive policies is pertinent. To foster any productive change in the workplace, it is important to remember that a diverse workforce has to be coupled with inclusive policies and practices.
Not to worry, because Serein can help you draft your inclusive workplace attire policies. Write to us today at hello@serein.in