We’d like to think that physical appearance doesn’t matter in the workplace. In some ways, that is true. Your skills, qualifications, and productivity are more important than how you look. But would it be such a nuisance to look good for the job? No one’s asking anyone to look like Gigi Hadid, but looking well-kept, clean, and presentable will go a long way in terms of productivity.
Your appearance will affect not only how others view you but also how you see yourself. If you look at yourself in the mirror before you go to work, are you proud of what you see? Do you think you’re someone who can face clients and negotiate with them? Do you feel confident?
Confidence plays a huge role in an employee’s productivity. Try to send a confident person to a client, and you can be assured that this person will close the deal successfully. But if you send someone who isn’t sure about themselves, it is likely that they will not be able to get a yes from the client. So, when you think about it, employers do need to care about their employees’ physical appearance and grooming because it affects their productivity and effectiveness at work.
What You Have to Do
Give your employees time to take care of themselves. If you require them to stay in the office until 7 PM, how will they have time to get a haircut or a facial? Give them time for these things. In fact, allow them one day off every month just to get a massage, a spa, a haircut, or a facial. That will tell them how important this is to the organization.
You can also give them vouchers that they can use for these services or products. A gift voucher for Harmony and Wellness products, for instance, will go a long way toward making your employees understand that their physical appearance and grooming matter to the business. The brand’s whitening soap, for example, is made from natural ingredients that will give your employees healthy and glowing skin.
How Not to Be Offending
But will employees be offended by your requirement for them to take care of how they look? Wouldn’t that fall under the anti-discrimination clause of labor laws and employment contracts? Not really if you are not going to use it as grounds for termination or suspension. There is no reason why a person’s grooming and physical appearance should affect their status at work, not unless they are not being productive at work.
Encouraging them to take care of themselves better is not discriminatory. Instead, you simply want them to create a good impression on their colleagues and clients. Many companies also have grooming and dress code policies, so this is not different from other organizations that strive to better themselves.
The Difference Between Grooming and Dress Code
Grooming refers to well-brushed hair, clean teeth, clean clothes, and a proper haircut. Filthy shoes are a sign of not being well-groomed, too. Not taking care of these things might violate the company’s policies on looking presentable at all times. If the employees look like they have just rolled out of bed, they will offend their workmates and clients, who will feel that they are not important enough for your staff to prepare for.
These are small things that most people tend to overlook. Dirty nails and the presence of dandruff clinging on an employee’s hair are causes of concern for the employers, too. Ensure that everyone is at par when it comes to grooming policies at work.
Dress code, on the other hand, is the way the employees use their clothes to make a good first impression. Employees don’t need fancy clothes to impress their managers, workmates, and clients. They have to look presentable and well-put. They need to look the part. If they face a board meeting, should they be wearing a polo shirt and jeans? No, right? Is it okay to meet clients wearing joggers?
Most employers will pay for workshops that teach their employees how to dress for certain occasions. These workshops will teach the importance of dressing right for the office. You may consider investing in these seminars so your employees can apply the learning to their jobs.
Employers tend to shrug off how their workers take care of themselves. What you are missing out on when you’re like that is the fact that one’s physical appearance is linked to one’s confidence and self-esteem. The more put together a person looks, the more that person will gain confidence to face the job on hand.
