Uniforms have a long history across many fields from hospitality and food service to military and public works. In fact, you can usually tell what someone does just by looking at their uniform. That’s just scratching the surface, though. Here are the top-5 benefits of uniformity:
1) Uniforms Define Your Brand Image
Image is everything. No matter what your field, your company image has to stand in line with your company’s core values. A high-end company demands high-end duds.
Uniforms can elevate your brand’s image with style. They can offer signature looks that are instantly respected and recognized, like a police officer or chef. They can differentiate you from the competition by color, cut, and costume.
No matter how you dress your company up, you are what you wear.
2) Promote Staff Solidarity
Uniforms create a cohesive group, not just an individual. Most companies have more than one staff member, which means most companies rely on effective teamwork.
A sense of community is the hallmark of good teamwork. You want people to feel a sense of belonging and safety within your company. Employees should be able to identify and relate with one another at a glance, even in huge corporate environments where they may have never met before.
3) Get Practical
Uniforms aren’t all about looks either. Depending on the field, you may want to invest in specialized gear for the safety or efficiency of your team. This can be as simple as practical pockets and spill-proof clothing for your restaurant servers or warm, high-visibility clothing for employees that work outside. Companies that work with sensitive technology may look for anti-static clothing while more dangerous jobs might require flame-retardant materials and beyond.
Don’t forget that your employees will be working in these uniforms. The more comfortable, practical, and safe they are, the happier and more efficient they’ll be.
4) Grant Employees Authority
When you have a public-facing company that deals with customers, you want your employees to be identifiable and to have a position of authority. This makes the experience easier for your customers and easier to manage for your employees.
Imagine a customer walks into your place of business looking for help and can’t figure out who works there. They might get confused, frustrated, or just give up and leave. If they do manage to find an employee, but don’t innately trust their authority, the whole experience could be tainted by a sense of unprofessionalism.
Even worse, what if there’s a disagreement, more serious situation, or emergency? Your employees need to be able to be able to take charge and be trusted to make decisions. People tend to look to uniformed personnel by default in this kind of situation.
5) Free Advertising
Uniforms with company logos worn outside of the workplace might as well be walking billboards. With all the marketing that goes into promoting a business, a little boost of brand recognition never hurts. As long as that company logo is identifiable, your employees will be doing the company a favor without any extra work.
Now take your company to the next level and suit up!
