These days it isn’t uncommon for offices to have more casual dress codes, and while that may be great for some people, for others it’s a major source of confusion when it comes to deciding what exactly qualifies as casual in the workplace.
A new OfficeTeam poll finds that 56% of employees prefer a more casual dress code in the office, although 41% admit they're sometimes unsure about whether certain things are appropriate for the office. And believe it or not, 48% of people would rather not have such uncertainty and would prefer to wear a uniform.
Surprisingly, 56% of workers 18 to 34 prefer a more formal dress code in the office, and they are also the most likely to be confused about what’s appropriate for the office (54%), and would most like to wear a uniform (59%).
Overall men prefer formal attire more than women (54% vs. 30%), while 86% of people like a casual dress code because they can wear more comfortable outfits, although 23% of workers say their office isn’t exactly clear on what they deem acceptable to wear.
- To demonstrate such uncertainty, employees revealed some things they thought about wearing to the office but weren’t sure about their appropriateness, and some of them are a bit surprising, while others have us shaking our heads in total disbelief. They include:
- An off-the-shoulder ("cold shoulder") top
- Leggings
- A Hawaiian shirt
- Flip-flops
- A baseball hat
- Jeans
- Pajamas
- Fishnet stockings
- A tight sweater
- Capri pants
- A track suit
- A low-cut top
- Dressy sandals
- A hockey jersey
- Shorts
- Cargo pants
- A political T-shirt
- Colored jeans
- A tank top
- Tennis shoes
- A short skirt
- A sheer top
Source: OfficeTeam