Photo: Walmart
Walmart ditching khakis for jeans in dress code test
Walmart is testing a new dress code at 100 of its stores that will allow associates to toss their khakis and substitute solid blue jeans instead. Associates are also given a choice in shirt colors that go beyond the current requirement of solid blue or white.
The retailer revised its dress code in 2015, allowing workers engaged in physically demanding jobs to wear t-shirts instead of ones with collars, Bloomberg reports. Another change involved a decision by the company to no longer hire workers with visible facial tattoos.
The move to more casual attire in the workplace has been going on for decades at this point. A 2017 survey by the Society for Human Resources, reported by CBS News, found that 44 percent of employers across all industries allow workers to dress casually every day.
The test of a more relaxed dress code seems in line with Walmart’s well-publicized efforts to improve its image as an employer. The company has raised wages and paid a one-time bonus to eligible employees earlier this year following a cut in its corporate tax rate.
As to the likelihood that associates in Walmart’s stores across the country will be wearing jeans in the near future, a company spokesperson told CBS, “We are always testing new ideas and concepts in a small number of our stores. Some of these tests are expanded while others are retired. We won’t know next steps on this test until we’ve had a chance to learn what works and what could work better.”
Discussion Questions
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: Do you think a company’s dress code affects employee job satisfaction? Do you see a down side to relaxing dress codes? How likely is Walmart to expand its dress code test?
Poll
BrainTrust
Steve Montgomery
President, b2b Solutions, LLC
Ralph Jacobson
Global Retail & CPG Sales Strategist, IBM
Dress code is important, especially if the retailer wants to connect with its audience. Times change, and so does fashion. This is a great move. My company used to be known for its employees’ blue suits. Now our senior leadership wears jeans.
I just hope that relaxing the requirements doesn’t:
If you’re concerned about employee satisfaction, develop a brand they are proud to work for and find a way to subsidize the uniform expenses to maintain your image. I haven’t heard anyone at Apple Stores complaining about being recognized as a “Genius” while in their uniform. They seem pretty proud to be seen as the “Expert” in the store to me. Proud employees help create loyal shoppers.
Dave I agree. My first thought was this could make it even harder to identify their employees. We have become a jeans culture. Jeans and a variety of shirts will make the their employees fade into the crowd.
Second thought was something I learned a long time ago — empowerment without educations equals chaos. Unless Walmart is very careful with its definition of what is and is not acceptable upfront (I suggest visual aids), they will find themselves sending people home to change, etc. This could turn what is supposed to be a benefit into a pain.
The most important thing is for staff to be visible so customers can identify them if they need assistance. So long as that requirement is met along with people being clean and neat, I don’t think there is too much customer concern over what Walmart associates wear.
Other retailers may have stricter dress codes, but jeans are usually acceptable in most modern establishments.
I was in Nordstrom yesterday and saw a clerk in the shoe department helping some customers. He was wearing a white open shirt, a smart jacket, and jeans. The whole ensemble looked like it had come from Nordstrom, which it probably did! In other words, it looked entirely appropriate.
Americans hate being told what to do. But yes, in many ways how you dress and how you deport yourself is a huge part of how you’ll perform and the impact you’ll make. I have grandkids living in the UK and each one wears a school uniform. Apart from shared superior DNA, they just look smarter! And they behave that way too. Polite. Correct grammar. Confidence. etc. Some wrongly think they’re sacrificing their individuality, but that is simply not so. For years I made many business trips to Europe and I loved everyone of them. CLASS…that’s what it was. I think we’ve lost some of that.
That said, I also had a client with a 10 page dress code which was ridiculous. Truth is that came into being because a few employees showed up inappropriately dressed. The key is “What image to you want to convey to your customer?” Does a classy look fit into a Walmart store? Does a discount store need a discount look among its floor staff?
Net is … dress in a way that makes you proud of yourself and proud of the work you do. Lowering the bar may be a huge discounting of your employee’s sense of worth.
Walmart’s dress code is casual now. Testing jeans is going to make it more casual and less recognizable. I am not opposed to it or change as long as it brings a positive result. But we should be able to recognize store staff when we need assistance. Jeans come in many styles and shades of color. Leaving it to the employee to decide will make it even harder to distinguish them from the customers. Maybe that way the employees can hide in the crowd instead of now hiding where the customers cannot find them.
I’m pretty sure I’ve never noticed they were wearing khakis, and I’m in WMT at least once a week. May say something about me or may say something about the low relevance of this part of the dress code. Steve M. is right — key will be to easily identify an employee.
I don’t think that there is much of a difference in Walmart allowing associates to choose between “solid blue” jeans and khakis. It’s the vest that makes Walmart staff visible.
I do think that dress codes are important because in some stores it’s all over the place. Sorry, but I don’t want to buy apparel from an associate wearing distressed jeans and sneakers. Or worse, flip flops. And I have seen both in stores that I consider to be upscale.
Rich and I have always presented in suits, and for the most part, that’s still our dress code for the majority of our clients. These days, however, we are speaking more and more in jeans: pressed, dark blue, non-distressed jeans, and jackets. Dress codes are important even in a small company like ours.
To me, this is an indication that we are at or very close to full employment. Big companies are thinking about raising wages and allowing employees to dress more comfortably, to retain and attract employees. I’m sure other standards will be relaxed if unemployment stays low. As far as the appropriateness of jeans goes, people are dressing far more casually than they were years ago, everywhere they go. 50 years ago, many men wore coats and ties to travel on airplanes. A few weeks ago, the 30ish year old passenger seated next to me on a flight had on pajamas. Anything goes.
I’ve seen that same passenger on a plane, Al … and even worse. What people wear in public and even in restaurants, weddings, funerals, etc. is, IMHO, sad. That’s why I mentioned the pleasure of being in Europe where they still, for the most part, still dress for dinner. True, no one has ever had a good idea while wearing a tie, but still.
I have a friend who’s been taking a formal and professional studio pictures of homeless people. When they see themselves in this new light something happens inside. Everyone of them has come out of homelessness, found a job, home and so on. Take a look here. Walmart should be looking for ways to raise the self-esteem and pride of their employees … not lower it.
Dress code can make an impact — positive and negative. But, not sure that khakis to jeans makes such a difference. The downside? Finding an associate when you need help is something shoppers struggle with already so the dress code must help associate be found or it creates an issue.
The 2015 change (subbing T’s for collars) had a practical justification; I don’t see one here, other than that the job market is so tight they’re desperate to hire anyone … even Stanley Kowalski.
Having a muddled mix of colors and fabrics would seem to defeat the whole point of a uniform, which is to make employees look … well, uniform.
For lower paying retail jobs, I think dress code can impact job satisfaction if that dress code requires employees to purchase clothing they would not otherwise wear or do not already own. That extra financial burden could be a stressor for people trying to make ends meet. I agree that it is important to appear neat and professional in any work environment, especially ones that are customer-facing. But in today’s society looking neat and professional no longer automatically excludes denim.
Jeans today, maybe flip-flops tomorrow. Classless or classy? What impression does Walmart want to give?
If this new dress code makes employees more comfortable and also makes them just as easy to identify is aisles when help is needed, then this is a win-win. Walmart won’t expand this unless it is a smash hit, so this test will determine dress code in the future.