Casual Wear Not Allowed at Newsweek

  The article No Jeans and Sneakers in the Office? Newsweek's New Reported Dress Code Will Suspend Employees For Looking Too Casual.  This is an interesting article looking at what employees can no longer wear at Newsweek. The link to the article is located below and I have provided a summary. Newsweek magazine was bought by International Business Time and provided their new employees with a dress manual which is part of the International Business Time handbook (Sidell, 2013). Some of the things employees are no longer allowed to wear include “denim jeans, sweat suits, low-rise pants, sneakers, sandals, flip-flops, halter tops, camisoles, baseball caps, t-shirts, tank tops, micro mini-skirts, shorts” (Sidell, 2013). Among other things the dress manual discusses hair color which must be “natural” and it hairstyle must be business (Sidell, 2013). If an employee appears at work inappropriately dressed he or she will be sent home to change into more appropriate clothes (Sidell, 2013). Additionally, if an employee continues to violate the policy he or she may be suspended without pay or let go (Sidell, 2013).

Article Link:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2431011/Newsweeks-new-reported-dress-code-suspend-employees-looking-casual.html

        In my opinion, this dress code is too extreme these people are not working in a bank or any corporate environment. It’s a newsroom where jeans and sneakers should be okay however, I do agree that certain items such as no micro minis and sweat suits are not appropriate. Furthermore, requiring hair color to be natural is ridiculous because I don’t know many people who still have natural hair color since most women color or highlight their hair. If people are not happy at work then I don’t know how productive they will be to the company. Dress codes, I believe are more effective in a corporate workplace and I don’t think such an extreme dress code is necessary in a newsroom floor. These people work for a newspaper, they are most likely creative people and if you’re putting them in suits, you are not only making them uncomfortable but probably less inspired and creative to write a good article.

References:

          Sidell, M. W. (2013, September 24). No jeans and sneakers in the office? newsweek’s new reported dress code will suspend employees for looking too casual. Mail Online. Retrieved from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2431011/Newsweeks-new-reported-dress-code-suspend-employees-looking-casual.html

Questions:

What are your thoughts on the dress code considering that it’s a news room?

Do you think this dress code is excessive?