Question

Some people think that employers should not care about the way their employees dress, because what matters is the quality of their work. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Model Answer

Traditionally, employers have exercised some control over the way their employees dress. In recent years however, many businesses have been focussing less on employees appearance and more on performance. I believe that this is a positive development overall although there are still some sectors in which the way you present yourself is important.

The chief argument in favour of dress codes is that an employee is the public face of a company and that therefore their appearance is important. After all, creating a good impression depends, in part, on the way you are dressed. A case in point is the retail sector. If a customer visits an establishment staffed by slovenly employees, it might give the impression that the business is generally poorly run. In such cases, an employer is entitled to expect their employees to dress a particular way.

However, this is not the case in the majority of jobs. If an employee does not have direct contact with customers or clients, then their appearance is generally less important. When dealing with colleagues, the way you are dressed does not affect the quality of your work and often goes unnoticed. In fact, as more people are working remotely, it is becoming less and less important. As a result, employers should not waste their time trying to impose outdated dress codes but rather encourage workers to be more productive.

In conclusion, it is generally more profitable for companies to focus on how employees perfom, but in some sectors of the economy an employees appearance may impact the success of the business.

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