Dress code norm in the workplace
Name
University
Social norms in sociology
Social norms are just the undocumented behavior rules which are considered to be accepted in a particular society or group of people. The function of norms in society is to give the order as well as predictability of what might happen in the community at a particular duration of time. In a nutshell, people need some approval as well as tend to use specific norms, which should make every individual feel be part of society. On the contrary, people who tend to break the rules and follow their ways suffer disapproval and even might be excluded from the group. In such a scenario, there is an excellent functionality of the society, both direct rules as well as the expectation of the future (Blok,2015).
Norms tend to change concerning the situation, cultural activities, and the environment in which society operates. In regard, the behavior of the people tends to change according to the norms followed. The modification and changing of models can happen after a specific duration of time. In western society, the criteria range from those expected to be followed in public and at a personal level. In western culture, the norms followed include; rules regarding public behavior, rules on how to use a mobile phone, standards in schools, specific gender norms, norms in dining out, norms in the workplace, norms, among others (Blok,2015).
Social Norms: The Workplace
In the world of professionals, there are different types of social norms put into place to enhance the smooth functioning of the companies or businesses. In summary, the standards followed in the workplace hence the coordination between the employers and employees. However, the norm can change from one workplace to another, depending on human resource management. The criteria in the workplace include: dressing neatly and suitably for the job, reporting on assignment at the right time, as well as following the schedule for a given task, keeping a positive attitude, and avoiding engaging in gossip. Other norms followed in the workplace are; professionalism and contribution of skills from the workers, respect among coworkers, leave notification from the employees, among others.
Recognition of dressing code in the workplace
The dress codes are recognized in the organization hence communicating to the employees what the industry considers to be the right working attire within the premises. The required dressing code depends on the policies set by the employers about how they convey an image of the company. Moreover, recognition of specific dress codes provides the company with the right image hence allowing more or even strategic marketing plans. Dress code is either formal or informal depending on the organization. For instance, in the business case, the employers realize that impresses made on either customers or clients tend to be significant for the success of that particular organization (Nayak,2015). The employer believes that the employees are the face of the organization. Therefore, the employees must continue controlling that image through the dress code. Employers tend to implement the dress along with appearances policy aiming to aid employees in performing their duties comfortably and safely. Besides, the employees tend to project professionalism to clients, future employees, and even customers.
Transmission of dress code in the workplace
Ideally, the scene behind the dress code and the appearance of the employees in the organization depend on human resource management. For example, in the workplace, the information about the dress code is get informed to the entire company through unwritten policies and practices which result from the supervisors and the human resource managers. Additionally, the procedures governing the dress code and appearance of the employees need the companies to put more effort into developing strategies that focus on the goals and culture of the employers.
For the transmission and learning of the dress code in an organization the human resource management should have to fulfill the specific mandate, including; setting and managing policies by working together with the internal managers, executives along with business partners. Moreover, the human resource management should have the ability to identify and mitigate legal issues by working together with the legal departments
Dressing code: conformation, equality, enforcement, and consistency in the workplace
The dress code in the workplace is considered unequal either depending on the type of the organization, gender sensitivity, working position, among others. Moreover, some workers may not be a position to conform to the set norm in the workplace. For instance, due to religious culture or reason, a worker might fail to comply with the dressing code guidelines of the company. In such a case, the employer should have the capability of enforcing the dressing code, considering that employees will not affect the outlook of the organization. The employer can transfer the employees to different departments where the dress code is less recognized and cannot change the working process in the company (West,2016).
The issues of dress code bring a lot of chaos in the work settings hence might result in the poor performance of the employees, thereby affecting the entire company. Therefore, to overcome the challenge, the enforcement of dress code policies should be equal to all the workers. Thus, eliminating discrimination among the workers. For example, in the USA, law enforcement, which relates to perception, is done by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. In terms of consistency, the workers and management team should operate in the same standards (Nayak,2015). However, the organization’s policies and guidelines should be clearing in demonstrating fairness and the required understanding when enforcing the dress code policy. In regard, this results in avoidance of some of the chaotic situations which might arise within the premises.
References
Blok, V., Wesselink, R., Studynka, O., & Kemp, R. (2015). Encouraging sustainability in the
workplace: a survey on the pro-environmental behavior of university
employees. Journal of cleaner production, 106, 55-67.
Nayak, R., Padhye, R., & Wang, L. (2015). How to dress at work. In Management and
Leadership–A Guide for Clinical Professionals (pp. 241-255). Springer, Cham.
West, M. M., Wantz, D., Campbell, P., Rosler, G., Troutman, D., & Muthler, C. (2016).
Contributing to a quality patient experience: applying evidence-based practice to support
changes in nursing dress code policies. Online J Issues Nurs, 21(1).