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I think you should relax your entire dress code!
OMG that's what I have been arguing for several years but the CEO is so old-fashioned and I don't understand why bc he is younger.
Technically, there's nothing wrong with it, save for how it's written out. Men will see their dress code as a negative because of how straightforward it is. They'll start seeing the women's dress code as positive because of it sounding more "inclusive" because of how it says that they can wear "anything". Maybe just word it better or generalize it.
I still say make it more casual for the men or more gender neutral.
It feels dated to me to have a gendered dress code. I’d recommend stating “business attire” and then list some example with out breaking it into men or women, and list examples of what is not allowed - no sweatpants etc, and that would apply to everyone, no need to specify gender.
EXACTLY!!! a lot of people don’t identify as either gender so you’re already setting the precedent that you’re excluding an entire group of people (lgbtqia+)
I get your point. Why nothing about no athletic wear or tennis shoes for men? And why is there a laundry list of exclusions for women and not men? It could certainly be worded better. It makes it seem like women need all of these additional notes on how to dress presentable. Just write "Business attire" and leave it at that. We aren't children. People know how to dress for work.
I would normally agree but I used to work with graduates and some of the “business attire” I saw was not appropriate.Sometimes people need guidelines about what is.
I would argue that any gendered dress code is biased.
Ok at least I'm not the only one thinking this!
I'm not sure who came up with the dress code for the office, but that rule is awful. People should be themselves and be able to express what they are in any way.
I agree. I do think it is outdated and needs to be updated.
No. With this dress code, women will wear slacks, skirts, dresses, heels, etc. It's equivalent to men, but I'd word it differently.
Pro
Do you want women to wear a suit and tie?
Run this past legal. It will save you lawsuits in the future.
Good idea! Ill have to bring that up at our next legal meeting.
Both must wear a shirt. Men wear pants, women wear pants or skirt. Alternatively women can wear a one piece called a dress.
Is is that you want to also have skirt and dress options? Or more cuts for shirts and pants? Because I can tell you that as a woman, this is just a lot of added cost and it would be so much easier to wear a standard navy suit with a different color shirt and tie (scarf?) each day. As long as you are prepared to be asked if you are a flight attendant.
More options for men other than being told we must just dress in dress shirts, ties, and dress pants. I also think that as long as we look "business" then why can't men wear polo shirts, khakis, sweaters, etc?
This is so dated, business casual should be fine, they are adults and should know what is appropriate for business, the no shorts seem to be a bit much considering there are business style shorts and modest sleeveless blouses and dresses. As someone who runs hot and worked in property management with a strict dress code I hated it, it pushed me to leave there sooner and that field altogether. Just my opinion but definitely don’t make it gender specific. I’d take out the must portion for sure. JMO
It’s 2022…almost 2023. Why does there even need to be a business casual dress code in the first place? Productivity doesn’t go up if I wear slacks vs jeans.
Exactly!!! As long as the clothing is appropriate and you can do your job in it why does it matter?
This dress code seems very transphobic.
Agreed!
The CEO is clearly an older dude who thinks that the men's "business uniform" has no exceptions. He likely is also delighted by the variety of clothing women wear (this feels gross even typing it) so they have a lot more leeway. Thus, it isn't about structure or comfort (or lack thereof), it's about "men have to look a certain way and women can wear pretty much whatever they want as long as it isn't casual). That being said, it's hard to list specific clothing for women because our clothing varies so much. Like if you said "blouse" or "top" there's a million ways to define that, whereas a men's "dress shirt" and "tie" are cut and dried.
The only way this is going to change is if the CEO is convinced to relax the dress code for men to allow for polo shirts, vests, sweaters, etc. It's unlikely in my experience. It's also gross and unfair, but it's not illegal. It's easier to define and limit what men can wear because their clothing is more uniform.
Actually, the CEO is only 45. That's what is so weird about it.
Nope. It's not biased. You don't hear women complain much about wearing heels.
Hello! It’s me. A woman. Heels fucking suck. I would refuse to work somewhere that required them.
So each of the commenters make excellent points; my comment is that this code, as presented by OP, is highly biased and frankly, offensive. To me, it reads like this: "men, wear this; women, since I am so out of touch with the whole business casual idea, I'm going to tell you what you can't wear and hopefully what you do wear will be workplace appropriate." I am certain that I speak for many professional women by saying that we know how to dress for the workplace and do not need to be told not to wear ridiculous, non-work clothing like camis and leggings. Is it our preference? Maybe. But that's a wfh thing, with a jacket nearby for zoom meetings.
Exactly stop with the gender bias... offensive.