Business Casual & Co. - Dress codes at your workplace

Today, very few professions still have a strict dress code – yet it is possible for your employer to prohibit or prescribe certain garments, for example, when dealing with customers. In this article, we will look at what dress codes exist and what they mean. We will also explain what your employer is allowed to dictate regarding dress codes at the workplace and what not.

Tip: In addition to appropriate clothing, things like ergonomic office equipment and appealing decoration can also contribute to better work behavior. In our Deskspace blogs, you will find many exciting articles on these and other topics.

What dress codes are there in the workplace?

Most workplaces today no longer have a fixed dress code – in the past, these were much more common. In most office jobs in the 80s and 90s, a suit was still considered proper attire, but today normal casual clothes can be worn. In general, the dress style in society today is much more relaxed than in recent decades.

Nevertheless, there are some companies and industries that still prescribe a certain dress code or at least prohibit some items of clothing. These regulations may apply, for example, when there is daily personal customer contact. In this section, we explain the most important and common dress codes at the workplace and what they are called.

Casual Wear

This clothing style is widespread in Germany, but usually not explicitly mentioned in a dress code. With this dress code at the workplace, you wear clothes that you would also wear in your free time. The term "casual" comes from English and means loose or informal – so suits and skirts are rather too much of a good thing with this style of clothing.

The "Casual" dress code at the workplace includes, for example, classic jeans with sneakers and a shirt, for both men and women. Casual Wear is practical and suitable for everyday use and is intended to represent a modern appearance of your company.

Business Casual

This dress code at the workplace is the slightly dressier version of Casual Wear. You often find this clothing style in business life, less so in pure office jobs. This is also a style that you could wear in your free time – just a little dressier. This style is used in many marketing and communication companies.

For women, jeans and a T-shirt do not belong to Business Casual. They should wear a skirt and a blouse or a jumpsuit; for shoes, dressier white sneakers are also suitable. In addition, subtle make-up usually belongs to this dress code. For men, fabric trousers or chinos together with a white shirt or a slightly looser linen shirt are suitable. For shoes, loafers or even simply elegant sneakers can be chosen.

Business Attire

You will find this dress code in the workplace in only a few professions today. Typical professional groups include, for example, lawyers, tax consultants or bank employees. With this style of clothing, a complete suit including matching shoes and a tie is desired. Sneakers or jeans are a no-go here.

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Dress code at the workplace: What can the employer prescribe?

It is often said that clothing has a great influence on the appearance of the company. Your boss may also justify the dress code in your company with this statement. However, the comfort and free will of the employees often suffer from these requirements – so what is your employer actually allowed to dictate regarding the dress code at the workplace?

Important: You must always be aware of the dress code regulations in a company before you are hired, so they must be part of the employment or collective bargaining agreement. If your employer informs you of these requirements only after you have been hired, this may be illegal.

The regulations for the dress code at the workplace primarily result from an employment or collective bargaining agreement. In addition, your employer generally has the right to issue instructions. These regulations usually primarily concern the appearance of the company and business interests, but safety aspects can also play a role. However, this right to issue instructions is not unlimited; the regulations may not be unlawful or disproportionate in individual cases.

Dress codes at the workplace due to business interests are the most common form of dress codes. This is because, for example, a suit naturally radiates more seriousness than jogging pants with an oversized shirt. The justification for this dress code at the workplace is that a certain appearance of the employees also affects the reputation of the company.

Dress codes at the workplace for safety reasons

To ensure safety during work, your employer can also prescribe a certain "dress code" at the workplace. This includes, for example, wearing a hard hat or safety shoes on a construction site. In addition, workers on machines can also be instructed not to wear chains, rings or piercings for accident prevention.

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What your employer cannot forbid you

In addition to some regulations that your employer may prohibit you from, they must also respect some points regarding the dress code at the workplace. Among other things, your employer may not prohibit these things:

• Arbitrary clothing requirements may not be made. There must always be a legitimate interest on the part of the employer behind them.
• Specific dress codes must be laid down in an employment or collective bargaining agreement, and employees must be informed of them before hiring.
• You do not have to pay for legally prescribed work clothing yourself. Your employer must always bear these costs.
• Your employer generally cannot prohibit tattoos on non-visible parts of the body, as these do not change the appearance.

Conclusion: Dress codes at your workplace

Even today, dress codes are still found in some workplaces – especially when there is intense daily customer contact and serious topics are involved. However, your employer's regulations must always be proportionate and serve a specific purpose – they cannot make arbitrary requirements. If you doubt your supervisor's regulations, you can always consult an employment lawyer. 

We hope this blog article was helpful to you!