My first “real” job included me climbing under a stopped train, down a highway embankment, and out onto some ice, just to name a few situations.
Believe it or not, I wasn’t working an outdoor job — just as a newspaper reporter. And I had to be where the news was breaking, whether it was down a highway embankment or not. So it really didn’t make sense for me to wear a suit to the office, since there was always a chance I’d end up at a car accident or house fire.
An article at Inforum.com discussed this issue: how the “business” dress code has changed over the years to be less and less business-y. Much of it is just a sign of the times — with more and more business interactions being done remotely, over Internet connections, we’re spending less and less time face-to-face with clients. If we’re not meeting people in person, do we really have to dress up?
In my defense, I’m still pretty young (early 30s) so I wasn’t a part of a generation that wore ties to work every day. And when I do meet with a client, I pull the nice clothes out from the back of the closet. But for everyday work, when I’m in front of the computer and interact only with my other co-workers — why shouldn’t I be comfortable?
What do you think? What is the dress code like in your office? Do you think it could be more relaxed — or more professional?
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Image courtesy of ell brown via Flickr
