Creating business uniforms requires more than just picking out a shirt and pair of pants or skirt. Your uniform is how your employees will be viewed by your customers and, to an extent, by each other. If your employees hate their uniforms, they’re constantly going to be reminded of the look every time they see each other. Fortunately, if you put some time and thought into your uniform design, you can create something that looks good and that your employees like. Here are a few things to consider during the design phase.

Your Work Environment

The fabric you use and the overall design of your uniforms can be greatly influenced by your work environment. For example, if your employees are going to be indoors most of the time, you want their outfits to be something comfortable and easy to move around in. If they’re going to be outdoors, however, you may need to have options for both warm weather and cold weather. The cold weather option may need to be made from warmer fabric, especially if you’re in an area that sees harsh winters.

Job duties can also come into play here. For example, mechanics may appreciate short-sleeved shirts since they may have to reach into narrow spaces in a car’s engine. Individuals who work at golf courses and are outdoors a lot may prefer to wear shorts when it’s warm. Men who work in a designer clothing store, on the other hand, may need to wear a jacket and tie. Consider who your customers are, what your employees will do, and the overall environment before settling on your uniform design.

Your Employee Demographics

Younger employees are more likely to be more concerned with style than older employees, although that’s not always the case. If you have mostly young employees, you may want to look at ways to allow them to add some personalisation to their corporate uniforms. Most people of the millennial generation like to show off their unique sense of style and may find a uniform somewhat stifling. However, if you give them some freedom, they may not mind as much.

For example, you can let women accessorise their outfit with a colourful scarf or with jewellery. For men, you could allow them to wear different styles of ties if they’re required to wear one. Allowing your employees to wear different belts and shoes can also provide a little bit of freedom, as can providing uniform shirts in several different colours.

The History of Your Company Uniform

If you’ve had company uniforms in the past and are revamping the design, you may want to keep the style similar. You might use the same colour or same style of shirt, for example. You can also change things up while keeping the overall look close enough that your customers don’t get confused. Going from a button-up shirt to a polo, for example, but keeping the colour the same can be a way of modernising your outfit while still keeping it visually similar.