Overview
Dress codes are used to communicate to employees what the organization considers appropriate work attire. The policy allows us to set expectations regarding the image we want to portray.
At the same time, there has been a decided interest in dress codes from federal and state agencies and, in particular, the EEOC.
Employers realize that impressions made on clients and customers are important to the success of an organization.
Since employees typically are the first contact made with a company it is often necessary to control the image projected.
In the past, employers used to dress and appearance policies to help employees work comfortably and safely while still projecting a professional image to clients, customers, and future employees.
Over the years employers have also used dress and appearance policies to help create an employment brand.
Today, and especially post-pandemic, dress and appearance policies require us to develop strategies that align with both employer goals and culture and, at the same time, protect us from discrimination claims and “push-back” from our employees.
HR is on the front lines of policy development and enforcement and we need to work with other parts of the organization to ensure that dress codes are managed consistently and fairly.
Why you should Attend
At what point does the employee’s right to self-expression interfere with the employer’s right to set boundaries?
Employers must find a happy medium between requiring appropriate dress among their employees and respecting their legal rights. It is critical to establish a balance between workers who favor more formal business attire and those who want the freedom to wear their lifestyle choices.
Areas Covered in the Session
- How to establish an acceptable and legal dress code policy
- What are the latest issues with gender orientation and identity
- How to Change Your Company Dress Code (or institute one) Without Causing a Revolt
- How to handle provocative or inappropriate clothing?
- Where Dress Codes and Discrimination Claims Meet (and how to avoid them)
- Where the Legal Line is Drawn When You Have Separate Dress Codes for Men and Women
- How to Tailor Your Dress Code to Fit Workers in Different Types of Jobs From the Warehouse to the Corner Office
- How to Effectively Communicate Your Dress Code Expectations to Workers
- Dealing with Employees Who Consistently Push the Dress Code Envelope
Who Will Benefit
- Human Resource Supervisor
- Human Resource Manager, Director, Vice President
- Managers and Directors of operational units
- Small business owners and entrepreneurs
Speaker Profile
Greg Chartier is Principal of The Office of Gregory J Chartier, a Human Resources Consulting firm and is a well-known management consultant, educator and speaker and author of the recently published What Law Did You Break Today? His practice is based on the Business Partner Model of Human Resources, which places its’ emphasis on outsourcing, the use of technology to gain efficiencies and the improvement of managerial skills.
Greg is a thought-provoking professional speaker and his wisdom and insights into management and leadership make him an electrifying speaker and seminar leader. His seminars are customized to reinforce company mission, vision, values and culture and the content is practical for team leaders, managers, supervisors and executives. His philosophy is simple: management is a skill and you can be a better manager by developing your skills.
He has a Bachelors Degree from The Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina, an MBA from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and his Ph.D. in Human Resources Management from Madison University. Greg is certified by the Society for Human Resources Management (SHRM) as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SCP) and as both a Senior Professional and a Global Professional in Human Resources (SPHR and GPHR) by HRCI, the Human Resource Certification Institute.
He is a former Board Member of the Business Council of Westchester, where he was the Chair of the Human Resources Council and a member of the Executive Committee. He is a national member of SHRM and a local SHRM chapter, the Westchester Human Resources Management Association. He was also a member of the Board of the Child Care Council of Westchester.
Greg is involved in the Certification Program for Human Resources Management at Pace University, which includes the preparatory program for the Human Resources Professional Examinations and the Essentials in Human Resources Management Program and well as the Continuing Education Programs including HRCI and SHRM recertification. He is also a member of the faculty of the New York Medical College in Valhalla, NY.
Instructor
Greg Chartier