How to talk to employee about being too casually dressed at work!

[KateAlexander]

Hi all
I’m a new manager and my new team member is great except that she dresses far too casually in the office. She’s customer facing and dresses slightly too casually. I think because we’re a design company she’s interpreted those who dress very cool but gone a bit too casual. It’s tricky because some days she looks absolutely fine and some days she is too casual.

I work at home a few days a week but someone has text me today to say she is wearing leggings - so others are noticing. I want to deal with it quietly before it reaches senior management ears - can someone give advice on what to say?

Thanks in advance!

You need to be specific. If her Monday outfit is OK but her Tuesday one is not, you need to be able to say exactly why, so she knows what is and isn't acceptable. Being very specific removes any doubt. What I would say is casual, my DH would probably call smart (last time he was going for an interview I was aghast at what he thought was appropriate interview wear, he thought my suggestions were ridiculously OTT).

We have no dress code where I work and people mostly manage to use their common sense as to what is appropriate to wear when customer facing. For some roles that’s every day, for me it’s once in a blue moon really.

We’ve had the odd person who have really taken the “no dress code” a bit far (interviewing in flip flops, boob tubes etc) - first time they do it we all get an email round reminding us that, although the there is no dress code, we should dress in a way that shows respect to the person being interviewed when customer facing. Then list of unacceptable clothing, rather than “just wear a suit!!”.

Second time they do it they get spoken to by management personally.

If she is the only one not keeping to the expected standard I don't think I would send an email, everyone will just raise their eyebrows and say, hmm, they mean x. Just have a quick coffee with her and explain what you expect.

If a line manager discuss as part of one to one’s.

Hello Freda.
I’m really pleased with the work you did on x because y.
I also had good feedback about the z you took on. Well done.
You seem to be settling in really well. The only slight improvement ima, going to suggest is to ask you to think about what our dress code means in practice.
You looked very smart on Tuesday in the red kilt and grey blouse. Several people mentioned it to me. I think on Wednesday, the leggings and Unicorn tshirt were fun but not really appropriate for the office. Please can we have the smarter, more professional Freda and leavevthe Unicorn tshirt for the weekend? Thanks.
I’ve arranged for you to shadow Michael,for a day as you seemed inter she’d in the work he was doing. Do you want to call him yourself?