There is a common tendency to judge people by their appearance in the contemporary workplace. Joanna York explores the sartorial nuances of today’s work environment in her article “Does ‘dressing for success’ still matter?” York’s central claim is that although the workplace has undergone many significant changes, people still need to dress for success and match it with appropriate skills for the job.
York opens her article by acknowledging that the work environment has changed and proceeds to explain why it is important to keep dressing for the job nonetheless. She enlightens that the advent of remote work and hybrid work models disrupted sartorial stereotypes of the traditional office but failed to eliminate them. To dress appropriately in such relatively new work settings, a person needs to imitate their superiors, albeit with caution, not to lose their sense of uniqueness in the maze of conformity (York, 2022). Striking this delicate balance, York insists, improves likability, boosts confidence and work performance, exemplifies mastery of detail and organizational culture, and communicates where a person positions himself or herself vis-à-vis career aspirations.
York enriches her article by hinting that a suitable employee entails more than just dressing right. While the workplace could be riding on stereotypes that would potentially discredit a candidate based on first impressions, content still matters. After attracting attention in relation to a given position, the candidate will be required to prove that they are equal to the task. Cracking the dress code is a necessary but not sufficient condition; the right skills will always be needed to back the employee’s ambition.
In conclusion, York admits that getting a chance in today’s work environment requires conforming to certain rules about first impressions. How an employee dress increases their chances of attracting the attention of the right person in the organization. The corporate psyche is conditioned to perceive an appropriately dressed individual as likeable, detail-oriented, and conforming. However, skills will still be needed to prove one’s worth beyond the looks.
Reference
York, J. (2022). Does ‘dressing for success’ still matter? BBCpage. Web.