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Employee uniforms can provide many benefits for a company. Uniforms encourage unity and brand conformity among employees. They also produce a smart image for customers, and help increase business performance. As an HR head, implementing uniforms can do a lot to improve your company’s appearance and efficiency. However, if your uniforms can also cause a lot of HR problem is not implemented correctly. The following are a few policies you should include to make implementing employee uniforms effective.
Get Employee Feedback
As you design your company’s uniforms, get employee feedback on it. Employees are likely to resent wearing uniforms, particularly if they are impractical. Holding a company meeting and asking for input from rank and file employees will part of the process. They might point out things the uniforms need that you have overlooked. Additionally, gathering feedback gives you a chance to explain the reasons you need uniforms. Making the employees part of the process early will help prevent resistance to implementing uniforms later.
Write A Uniform Policy Agreement
During implementation, have employees sign a uniform policy agreement. This agreement will outline what constitutes a uniform. This will create an objective standard to use when deciding if employees are in the correct uniform. New employees can also use the agreement as a checklist to ensure they have the correct uniform as they train. Additionally, having employees sign the agreement protects you from legal challenges over the uniform. Creating a uniform policy agreement lets everyone involve know what’s expected of them regarding uniforms.
Tailor Uniforms To Each Job Type
Consider your workforce and tailor the uniforms of each employee to match their job. Despite the desire for uniformity, uniforms cannot be one size fits all. For example, if your company has both office staff and delivery staff, those two sets of employees need very different uniforms. Just imagine a high-up manager wearing anything other than a tailored suit. It just seems unprofessional. The delivery staff need uniforms that let them lift, bend, and carry with freedom of motion. Office workers need uniforms that look professional for visiting guests and customers. Each group will need a different uniform to function. You need to ensure that every employee has a uniform they can do their job in.
Avoid Discrimination in Uniform Rules
As you craft your uniform policies, remember to avoid discriminatory rules. While it is legal to require uniforms for your employees, they cannot lead to discrimination based on religion, race, sex, or disability. Some discriminatory rules are permitted if you can prove it is needed to follow the law. For instance, you can require hats in a uniform if they are required for health standards. Employees who can’t wear a hat for religious reasons will have to find an alternative or quit. As well, your policies can’t discriminate against one group of employees over another. For example, if you let women employees to wear earrings, you must permit male employees to do the same. Helping to manage stress for your employees will make an easier transition. Check you local and state laws to ensure that your uniforms policies don’t infringe on your employees’ rights.
Handle Violations With Care
When you encounter employees violating uniform rules, handle them carefully and respectfully. If an employee is out of uniform, quietly take them aside. In private, politely explain that they violated the uniform rules and how they violated it. Use the uniform agreement to specify how they violated it. Don’t attack them for making a mistake or question them about what happened. Just make sure they understand what they did wrong and what the consequences of second violation will be. With repeat offenders be firm, but fair. As stated above, many employees will resent wearing a uniform. Be understanding of that when handling violators, without letting the rules slide.
Several policies can help make implementing employee uniforms straightforward for your company. Take time in the design phase to get employees thoughts on the uniforms. Protect your policy by writing a uniform policy agreement. Tailor each uniform to the employee’s duties, so the uniform does not impede them. As you craft rules, check laws to ensure that they are not discriminatory. Handle violations with care and understanding to ease employee resentment. These policies will keep your employee uniforms on the right track.
