Would this improve your shopping experience in any way?

[gdulaney]

I really don't care what they wear. They can be pierced, tattoed, and have purple hair ...as long as they are willing to help me. Aprons sound cool -- for the pockets and to keep your clothes from getting too dirty. (I work with several folks at my PT job that are pierced, tattoed, and have color-changing hair --- and they are super nice!!)

My full-time job --- corp casual. No tennis shoes, no tee shirts, and no thong-type sandals.

My part-time job --- sales staff...jeans, tennis shoes, tees/polos (just no advertising)...managers are the same, except no jeans. My PT job is in a mall and we're on our feet and trust me --- there is some pretty hard concrete under the carpet.

Ginny

ps-- I'm glad that Lauri's Christmas gift was delivered....even if it wasn't as timely as it should have been.

 

[PhotobearSam]

I can think of something that solves the problem...If the company wants a certain look for their employees-THEY SHOULD PROVIDE IT!!!

I can't stand an employer that says to work here you have to take the money you make and buy clothes so you can work here...If they want a certain look, they should provide UNIFORMS...if not, they should back off.

My DH was told for his new winter job that he has to wear beige pants and red shirts with colars...Fine, he had beige pants but no red shirts cause I HATE red and he doesn't usually wear red. So off we went to buy him 2 red shirts before his very first shift. So we shelled out $70 just so he could work there...Seems really bad for a place where the employee makes close to minimum wage.

For us this is no big deal as we have $$$ and this is just a part-time job to keep him busy when our motel is closed for the winter but if this was a young person or a person with very little money, it would be asking a lot.

If the company does not want to pay for the uniform, they should supply it and have the employees pay for it a little at a time so it comes off their pay. That way everyone looks the same and no one is feeling forced to shell out $$$ right away.

If not, set out rules and say solid colour cotton shirt and black pants but don't go overboard like saying no CREAM as white is the only colour...That is stupid.

As a customer, if you were wearing a white whirt and black pants and the next employee was wearing another type of white whirt, I would not associate the white shirt with being an employee because of the different styles...

I would prefer employees to look clean and WHITE does not stay clean..YUCK!

I say a solid colour of polo shirt that can be found at most stores for not a lot of money but white is not good...You need a classy colour that the employees won't get dirty as quick and then the customers will relate to...

If everyone is in Blue or red or green, then the next time I'm in the store, I will know instantly who is an employee but DIRTY WHITE will not do it.

I used to work for an inventory company back in my university days. I had to wear white shirts and black pants. We only worked when the store was closed so nostly onvernights...So why the uniform when an apron would do. I could not afford a lot of clothes and had to wash my clothes everynight even after a 16 hour day and get back up to do it again the next day. We always looked dirty and that was bad for morale.

As said before, these are big bosses playing games with people's lives and money. Easy to do when it's not their money...

Maybe they should send out a survey and get it right...

Sorry but I hate it when big business pushes around the little guy.

 

[declansdad]

How does that make them bad employees?

My sister has multiple piercing including a tongue ring and tattoos. She works at a shoe store and is very professional.

Tons of people have their tongue pierced, you probably just don't notice because they don't stick their tongues out at you.

I have been served by many "professionally" dressed people that are snooty, mean and rude. I don't think what they are wearing make a difference at all.

I just ask that you are clean, well groomed and friendly.

I totally agree. So what if you have tattoos and piercings, it doesn't affect your job. I think some people are afraid of those who look different.

 

[cardaway]

I totally agree. So what if you have tattoos and piercings, it doesn't affect your job. I think some people are afraid of those who look different.

Yet Disney doesn't allow these things for CM's... hmmmmm....

 

[Rajah]

Nah. I like the apron better than any specific colored shirt anyway.

 

[Disney Doll]

As to the issue of "uniformity" for employees...I don't have a problem with it.

I think in the case of this Hallmark store, the previous dress code of black pants, a solid colored shirt and the apron was probably a good compromise. Like it or not, some people have no idea what the words "appropriately dressed" mean in terms of their job. I have been in many situations where I have looked at an employee and thought "My God, does he/she really think that looks good or is appropriate to wear to work?"

I think if an employer wants to get much more specific than "black pants, sold colored shirt and apron" then they need to provide the uniform.

As to the question of looks affecting perceptions...we have had this argument numerous times here on the DIS. We all know grungy, "hoody", scary looking people who are the greatest folks in the world, and we all know clean cut, preppie looking people who'd kill you as quick as look at you if it suited their purposes. And we all say we don't judge a book by its cover, but the reality is, we do. Your appearance affects peoples' impression of you, whether it is consciously or subconsciously. Case in point...I am a nurse. I dress in scrubs every day...a scrub top and scrub pants, and clean appropriate footwear. I have colleagues who come to work dressed in tight pants, belly t-shirts and sparkly sneakers. They are very good nurses. They are excellent nurses. But if you don't know them and know that, the impression they give is that they are bimboes, based on their appearance. They become frustrated because others in the workplace don't respect them...that is the biggest complaint I hear..."Why don't I get the respect you do?" Well, because you look like you are going out to a bar, rather than going to work.

It's not fair, it's not right, it's not a lot of things. What it is, is reality. Looks affect perception.

There's an old saying "Dress for the job you want, not the job you've got".

 

[jbdreamer]

Yet Disney doesn't allow these things for CM's... hmmmmm....

That's because you are a Cast Member "on stage". You have to dress the part. Main Street is set in a certain time period. You'd ruin the "magic" if you had tattoos and tongue rings.

 

[cardaway]

That's because you are a Cast Member "on stage". You have to dress the part. Main Street is set in a certain time period. You'd ruin the "magic" if you had tattoos and tongue rings.

Yet it isn't any different at DCA so I don't think that covers all of it. Much of it is just them setting a standard, right or wrong.

 

[RitaZ.]

That's because you are a Cast Member "on stage". You have to dress the part. Main Street is set in a certain time period. You'd ruin the "magic" if you had tattoos and tongue rings.

Maybe a customer's shopping experience would be ruined by seeing an employee with tattoos and piercings. I'm not saying that it's right or wrong, but it obviously does happen.

"On stage" or not, the way that a person dresses and presents himsef/herself does very much affect how they are perceived by others.

Speaking of Hallmark, I'm going now to buy some YC tarts! Later!

 

[cats mom]

DH and I had to run to Target the other day. He found it quite amusing that I had to change out of my red shirt first (I'll have to direct him to this thread so he'll see I'm not the only crazy)


Now I'm going to have to remember no white shirt and black pants when shopping at Hallmark too.

I really think a nice solid color shirt with the Hallmark apron sounds fine.
I don't get the no tennis shoes thing.
Maybe a few of the corporate folks need to work a shift and be on their feet all day at one of the stores before they throw out some of these brilliant ideas.

 

[Obi-Wan Pinobi]

DW Lauri wanted me to thank everyone for their input. Seems the majority of you all agree with her - that the solid color shirt and black pants with the Hallmark apron was a reasonable uniform and that changing to white shirts and "dress shoes" as they call them won't add sales to the bottom line.

Sug.. you and Lauri are going to have to get together and compare notes on both sides of corporate Hallmark. They think they are changing the face of Hallmark and making their image upscale, like they want to get away from the "middle class Americans".. but to me, looking at what they have done just over the past year to the corporate stores the only thing they are accomplishing is giving more money to the Independants who are probably laughing all the way to the bank.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

As long as they don't look like slobs, I don't really care. Our independent stores around here dress business casual. Anything less than that, I would think twice. HM tends to be a bit on the pricey side so I don't get the whole "uniform" look.

 

[Shugardrawers]

Sug.. you and Lauri are going to have to get together and compare notes on both sides of corporate Hallmark.

Dh, Petey and I will be at the Pet Expo next month and are really looking forward to meeting you both and Riley too!

 

[clh2]

Given the choice of the white/black or the polo/apron choices. I would pick the polo apron option hands down.

I was just at a coffee shop yesterday,and the dress code very clearly was their own polo,along with a store-provided apron. I thought this look was adorable. I didn't notice the color of the pants at all, as the aprons covered most of the pants up.

The black/white sounds awful. And if I was applying for a part-time minimum wage job, white shirts would be far too costly (as I am assuming I would need to replace them often). Using the Hallmark store and the coffee shop asan example...I would take the coffee shop job...based on the dress code options.

 

[mommytotwo]

I like the idea of a solid shirt, and apron with a name tag better then what they are now planning on doing. Every time I go into a Hallmark store, their associates are very properly dressed. And there is someone always at the counter to assist customers.
Today, I had gone into a store and for ten minutes, I was walking around the store trying to find an employee to help me. It doesn't help that they don't have a uniform on, some employees do not wear their name tag, and that they are just on the side chatting with other employees or friends.