When opening your business, one decision you’ll make is employee attire. Rather than letting workers dictate the dress code, consider investing in uniforms instead. There are several positive reasons your employees should wear uniforms. Here are a few of the benefits.
- Ensure Professionality. Your employees are the face of your company and often the first people customers see. By opting to have employees wear uniforms, you can guarantee that they’ll be seen as professional and ready to serve. Having limited attire options will also reduce dress code violations.
- Improve Customer Service. When customers have questions, they want them answered as quickly as possible. Uniforms immediately identify who can be of service to those customers in need.
- Create Walking Advertisements. Most employees arrive to a job in their work attire and don’t change until they get back home. Capitalize on this by having them wear uniforms with your brand name and logo on them. This will get you company exposure as they travel to and from work and even make stops in the neighborhood along the way. This brings additional awareness to your business for potential customers and reminds existing customers that you are still open and ready for their business.
- Increase Morale. Wearing the same attire builds a sense of unity among employees. They are not just individual workers but part of a larger group, which can increase morale. Even if you’re not in an industry that typically wears uniforms, such as an office environment, consider providing knit shirts or button-downs for client meetings, conventions and community service ventures. This will make your team appear as a united front.
- Enhance Security. Having uniforms will help you and other employees quickly identify who does and does not belong in restricted areas.
What Should You Look For in a Uniform Provider?
Once you’ve decided to outfit your employees with uniforms, the next decision is to find a supplier. Here’s what you should look for when choosing a uniform company.
- Has a History of Quality. While there are new companies opening all the time, focus your energy on finding one that has a history of providing quality uniforms to workers. These uniforms will be the face of your company, and if they are cheaply made, that’s what customers will think about the products and services they’ll receive from you. Consider a company like Prudential Overall Supply, a leader in the reusable textile industry. It’s been in business since 1932 and is Clean Green Certified through TRSA.
- Offers a Variety of Purchase Options. While you may want to purchase uniforms outright, there are other options. If you have a large number of employees or work in an environment where attire wears out quickly, look for companies that also offer uniform leasing or uniform rental. These options are ideal for hospitality or automotive companies. With leasing, employees are responsible for cleaning their own uniforms, but the company will make regular visits to collect and replace garments that are torn or worn out. With rental, you receive both laundry and replacement service, which is both time-saving and cost-efficient for you as a business owner. You’ll receive well-fitting uniforms delivered to your workers every week. There’s no need to worry about stains, rips, fading or other issues that could make your employees look unprofessional.
- Is a Full Service Provider. When purchasing a uniform, you need a supplier that will anticipate your needs. Prudential Overall Supply becomes your partner from start to finish by first assessing the needs of your company and recommending what works best. This includes helping you select the right fabric, color, style and type of uniform needed. If you don’t have a logo, Prudential’s art team can even help you create one that will stand out well on the uniform. Representatives will even come out to measure your employees to make sure everyone gets the proper fit. No loose fitting pants or tight shirts to worry about. For needs after your purchase, Prudential offers inventory control so that you know how many uniforms have been assigned, and if you still have questions, real customer service reps are available to answer questions.
Do you require your employees to wear uniforms? If so, how has this enhanced your business?
I really like what you said about how customers can ask for assistance quickly if your employees are wearing a uniform is really great. If I were to own a small grocery store, I’d definitely look into investing in a proper uniform for the company. Snappy service usually helps retain customers, so I would think that getting a proper work uniform for everybody can help achieve this.
Great post. It’s clear that they are benefits to get your staff wearing uniforms; however, employers should know that most millennials are averse to wearing uniforms to work. Some even claimed they would reject a job offer if they are mandated to wear a uniform.