We aren't allowed to wear extremely short skirts, jeans or crop tops. King said there's little rebellion, since new hires accept these guidelines as a condition of their employment. This is the attitude that has penetrated many of the nation's walnut-paneled offices. The Bureau of National Affairs surveyed 422 top executives about work place attire and found that three out of five schedule a more relaxed dress code at least a few days a year, for themselves as well as their managers. The survey found that 79 percent of employers said dressing down improves morale among workers.
Improved morale is just one of the bonuses of casual dress at one Bloomington business.
But our employees are much more comfortable and morale is higher. Staffers wear the shirts with khakis and still affect a professional, team look, he said. He supplies each employee with six shirts of both styles, and they vary in color so that while it's obvious who is an employee in the store, not all of them look exactly alike every day. Wetnight ordered the shirts from Roberts Advertising just across the courthouse square and employees started wearing the Oxfords last winter. Not only are workers happier, but the shirts have become a great marketing tool.