DRESSING down for work is not likely to propel you up the career ladder. “The old adage about dressing for the position to which you aspire still holds true,” said Diane Domeyer, executive director of OfficeTeam. “A polished appearance lends credibility and may help employers envision the staff member in a role with greater responsibility.”

When executives were asked to what extent someone’s style of dress at work influences his or her chances of being promoted, the response was:

. significantly (33 per cent).

. somewhat (60 per cent).

. not at all (7 per cent).

The survey was developed by OfficeTeam, a staffing service placing administrative professionals, and included responses from 150 senior executives at the nation’s 1,000 largest companies.

“Attire is not the only thing workers are judged on, but it is part of the equation. While a proper wardrobe alone won’t earn you a promotion, dressing inappropriately could cost you one,” Domeyer said.

More and more, firms nationwide are likely to institute new and more stringent dress codes, even going so far as to establish employee uniforms, according to John A Challenger, chief executive officer of outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc.

But Challenger noted this could backfire.

“When you take away people’s individuality, you greatly diminish their creativity and ability to think outside of the box. Uniformity in appearance tends to lead to uniformity of thought, which is detrimental to any organisation that is trying to expand,” Challenger said.

Some experts contend that the movement toward uniform and formal dress codes is in response to the relaxation of these policies during the dot-com boom.

“In fact, many dot-commers, some of whom set the bar relatively low when it came to workplace wear, consistently put in 10 to 12-hour days, and even those who did not start the business still worked like entrepreneurs. If anything, we should be emulating these workers and their work styles, not shunning them,” Challenger said.

There does seem to be a middle ground, however, if you just use common sense. OfficeTeam advises people to ask themselves these questions when selecting work attire:

. would managers at my company wear this? If not, don’t wear it;

. is it a distraction? Unless you’re in a creative industry, flamboyant or overly trendy attire can detract from your credibility;

. does it give me confidence? When you’re dressed sharply, you’ll be more self-assured;

. is it clean and in good condition? Avoid clothes that are torn, wrinkled or messy. Sloppy attire may prompt your manager to question your attention to detail; and

. is it comfortable? You want to look good, but you don’t want to be distracted by clothes you’re not used to. Find clothing that fits well and allows you to move freely.

– Copley News Service