Workplace Doctor: Win the UAE workplace fashion battle and gain more business

Why dressing more formally for work can improve your company's bottom line.

We've been asked to be a little smarter at work as the new manager wants to portray a more professional image to clients. A suit, tie and jacket for the men and a suit or smart dress or skirt and top combo for the women. For some of us, it means going out and buying a whole new wardrobe. Is ditching the jeans (I am guilty of that) really necessary to win new business? OQ, Dubai

I am extremely interested in the formal and informal rules of attire in the corporate world. When I previously worked for a large public sector institution in the United Kingdom, it was explicit in your contract that you dress formally and you were told that your outward appearance was a representation of the establishment itself. There were even explicit guidelines around the type of ties to wear. Fortunately, my current employer offers more flexibility, yet we all know to put on the suit, tie and jacket for any client meetings.

Asking employees to dress the part at work is a common tactic employed by organisations to convey a professional, focused and sophisticated image both internally and externally. It shows that the organisation and its people are serious about what they do and how they do it. In your case it will certainly be a quick win for a new boss who wants to make a good first impression on the clients. I would also think about whether this is a quick win for you both in terms of new business and the impression you make on others. Remember, reputation management is a critical business skill and your appearance is your first opportunity to create a great first impression, not only with clients, but with your new boss as well.

As well as the need to look professional, in many places there is the informal corporate culture of looking “good”. The UAE is certainly a world leader when it comes to dressing sharp at work. You only have to walk through the cafes in the Dubai International Financial Centre and see professionals donning the latest designer outfits and each looking more dapper than the next. It is certainly a place where winning the fashion battle is believed to have a direct correlation with winning the corporate battle. To some extent there is some truth to this; physical impressions have been found to have an effect on some business decisions, for example, whether a client would buy goods from a sales person or not.

Did you know it takes only five seconds for someone to form this first impression? And while you might wish that another person’s opinion is based on your intelligence, capability or experience, most studies show that first impressions are shaped by what can be seen or heard in those initial few seconds. So ditching the jeans may also help you leave behind any negative impressions that have been following you around and help you build a more professional and credible reputation. As shallow as it may be, as well as a personal résumé we all have our visual résumé, and remember not everyone can get to know us as deeply as we would like. We may only have one chance to be judged even on a very superficial level.

When deciding on how to dress more professionally at work, one tip I can give you is to think about your audience and respond not only to what your manager may want, but to think about what will appeal to your key clients, and of course what makes you feel comfortable. Then try to meet all three in the middle, because at the end of the day if you are not comfortable, this will come across and undo all of your best efforts.

You can certainly create a more professional image, but stay true to yourself and your personal style. Your new boss may also allow you to “dress for your day” and if you are at your desk may allow for more flexibility than if you are with clients. Some organisations apply a more relaxed policy on Thursdays, and you could suggest this to your new boss.

Doctor's prescription:

Dressing the part will certainly have an effect on the impression you make on both clients and colleagues, and also with your new boss who will want to see you embracing suggestions rather than resisting. A more professional client image is never a bad thing, but my hope is you can influence your leaders to offer a bit more flexibility to “dress for your days” and to have a more casual compromise towards the end of the week.

Alex Davda is a business psychologist and consultant at Ashridge Executive Education, Hult International Business School, and is based in the Middle East. Email him at [e-mail] for advice on any work issues.

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