Dear Joan:

I own a mid-to-upscale boutique for women. Over the years, I have upgraded our merchandise and have developed a good clientele. I give the sales associates a yearly clothing allowance, whereby they can purchase the store's clothing to be worn to work.

Most of the staff are delighted and happy to receive and wear the clothes. One employee of four years professes to be a "hippie" at heart and is "into comfort." That is not the store's culture! She wears the oldest items in her wardrobe and looks so dowdy! I recently learned that she has purchased a few pretty dresses, but she chooses to wear them to church because they need to be worn with heels and she is uncomfortable for more than a couple of hours.

I intend to update our dress code requirements at a soon-to-be-held staff meeting and be clear about what I expect. My question is what are my rights as a store owner? I don't want to cross lines, but everyone else on the staff dresses according to our clients' tastes. The point of the clothing allowance is for the sales associates to dress up and be a "standard" for our store, so that customers will look up to them for fashion advice. I wonder if she likes being the "odd one?"

Answer:

I believe you have every right to expect your staff to reflect the product they represent. I agree that your sales associates’ appearance will have a direct impact on sales. The customers won’t trust her advice, and frankly, your store loses credibility.

I am assuming that you had a conversation with her when you hired her—what the shop was all about, who the customer was, why you gave her a clothing allowance, how she was supposed to advise clientele, how she was expected to dress--which are all conditions of employment. If you were not clear then, you can use this new dress code to set a clear standard.

You might want to point out that other fashion-oriented organizations have a dress code that reflects the image they are trying to project—hair stylists, for example, are usually expected to have up-to-date hair styles and dress to fit the vibe of the salon. In other professions, such as finance, employees are often expected to wear suits and ties, and women may be expected to wear skirts and hose—even in summer.

And because you provide a clothing allowance, she has little to argue about. It is similar to a pilot, a waitress, or a nurse, who are required to wear a uniform. In your case, they have more leeway—since you’re not requiring a uniform, but you are requiring a certain “look.” If she is into comfort, perhaps you can give her some advice about how to dress comfortably and still be fashionable. For example, there are many comfortable shoes that are very stylish. And accessories can bring many looks up to date, without sacrificing comfort. She could even share these techniques with customers. Perhaps she could wear some accessories without buying them.

You said she wears clothing that is “old” and “dowdy.” Are the clothes she is wearing from your store, but just out of style? Perhaps you can emphasize “current fashion” in your dress code and even have “mini-workshops” periodically, to help all your staff know and use the latest fashions. You could offer these interactive sessions seasonally, when the new fashions arrive. Your staff can swap tips and try on clothes and discuss how to incorporate them into their current wardrobe.

And why stop there? Offer the sessions to your clients, to build loyalty and boost sales. The announced purpose could be to “educate the customer” but would have the secondary purpose of educating your staff as well. It will be very difficult for her to show up in hippie attire, in the face of this ongoing expectation.

If she fights the standard you have established, you may need to suggest that she may be more comfortable in a store that sells clothing that she prefers to wear. She would be able to relate much better to customers who share her fashion philosophy. Like any other employee who is out of synch with the culture of his or her organization, she needs to find a way to fit in, or move on.

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Joan Lloyd is an executive coach, management consultant, facilitator and professional trainer. Email your question to Joan at info@joanlloyd.com. Visit www.JoanLloyd.com to search an archive of more than 1400 of Joan’s articles. (800) 348-1944 © Joan Lloyd & Associates, Inc.

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