By Adrian Johansen, Contributor
As a restaurant owner, you know how important it is to establish the right kind of environment and vibe for your place of business. The last thing you want is for your customers to feel uncomfortable, your employees to be unhappy, and your brand to suffer from some kind of identity crisis.
While everything from the colors you use to the food you serve is essential for brand establishment, don’t ignore the importance of your restaurant’s dress code.
Striking the perfect balance is crucial. You want your employees to be happy and comfortable at work and give them an opportunity to express themselves. However, a dress code can also formalize your brand identity. So, what do you do to strike that balance? How can you support your employees in matters of attire and body modifications while maintaining a professional work environment?
How Your Dress Code Can Impact Employee Mental Health
It’s always important to consider the health and well-being of your employees. Restaurant workers are at a greater risk than people in many other industries for developing mental health issues. There’s often a prevalence of burnout, stress, and even depression. While establishing a dress code might not seem like a big deal in terms of mental wellness, it can absolutely make a difference.
There’s a greater connection between clothing and mental health than most of us realize. If some of your employees are going through a hard time, for example, what they choose to wear can serve as a bright spot in their day. It can boost their confidence, bring them comfort, and help them feel secure. Allowing them a little freedom to dress the way they want will not only boost their mental well-being, but it can add some creativity and culture to your establishment, too.
If you’d rather go for uniforms or a specific dress code, it doesn’t mean you can’t let your employees express themselves in small ways. Consider allowing them to incorporate certain colors or patterns, wear more “casual” clothes on certain days, or customize their own uniforms to fit their personalities.
Creating Clothes Everyone Wants to Wear
One of the best ways to bridge the gap between a formal dress code and allowing employees to wear what they want is to create your own “store.”
No matter what type of restaurant you run, you’re going to have to invest in different marketing techniques. Most food service businesses offer their customers things like t-shirts, hats, pins, and stickers that they can purchase online or directly in the restaurant. Why not expand upon those selections and offer more clothing options, specifically designed for your employees? Consider offering things like:
- T-shirts
- Long-sleeved shirts
- Pants/shorts
- Custom buttons
- Hats
- Sweatshirts
By offering a wide variety of “uniform” options to your employees, especially with different designs, colors, and patterns, you’re giving them the opportunity to make their own choices. They can choose items that fit their personal style while maintaining a specific “look” that fits with your brand. It’s also a great way to ensure that while every worker might look a little different, they all have the same vibe and are promoting your business while looking and feeling their best.
You don’t have to be a designer to create your own custom employee store. Ask your workers what kind of designs, materials, and options they’d be interested in. When you start by getting their opinions, you’ll narrow down your options quickly, and develop a clothing selection everyone will be happy with.
Allowing Creative Expression
Most restaurants across the country have felt the heat of worker shortages, especially since the pandemic. Restaurants were hit hard during COVID-19, and the labor shortage is expected to continue through 2022.
One of the best ways to attract new workers to your business and retain your existing employees is to allow for more self-expression. Thankfully, many stigmas surrounding certain forms of expression are fading. That includes some of the stereotypes surrounding tattoos.
Nowadays, most non-offensive tattoos are considered acceptable almost everywhere, especially in the restaurant industry. You can support your employees with ink by allowing their artwork to be displayed while they’re working. Or, you can help them with tattoo removal resources if they’re no longer comfortable with their body art.
The kitchen is a place of creativity. The more creative your chefs are, the more unique and innovative your restaurant’s food will be. There’s no reason not to let your front-of-house staff show off some creativity, as well. As long as their tattoos, piercings, or hair color aren’t objectively offensive, it’s okay to loosen the reigns a bit and let your staff express themselves while maintaining a sense of professionalism.
Wrapping Up!
Keeping these ideas in mind, is it time to rethink your dress code? By putting your overall environment first, you can determine the best type of dress code for your business, developing a balance that will keep your employees happy and comfortable while representing who you are and the type of service you want to provide.
Hero Image Source: Unsplash
