With the fall equinox, the holiday season, and the end of a fiscal year fast approaching, it makes sense that many companies are beginning to feel like it might be time to turn over a new leaf. Even adults feel that age-old longing for change every September—the desire to start fresh, load up on office supplies, and binge on some stylish new clothes. After the long, hot, lazy days of summer, the arrival of autumn is good news for your company, since employees tend to shift into a more progressive and motivated mindset when the weather cools down.
Who can deny that this is an exciting time of year? Since childhood, we have associated the fall with heading back to school and hitting the books. Now that you’re an adult in the workforce, it might be more appropriate for your company to make September resolutions, rather than New Year’s resolutions—since many employees are already in the right mental state to plan for, and actually implement, significant workplace changes around this time of year. It’s simple psychology!
If one of your current goals is to update your company uniform, congratulations—there is no better time than right now to enhance your team’s office wardrobe. Follow a couple simple steps to decide on the best material, style, and fit for your team. What do you do you want your brand to say? How can you stand out amongst your competitors? Consider the following.
1. A comfortable fit
The weather might be cooler outside, but within the four walls of your office, comfort matters more than you might believe. If your employees are unhappy with the way their uniform fits, they will be distracted and their productivity will be greatly minimized. If your standard office shirt is too tight-fitting, it will not be comfortable to wear and your employees will be dissatisfied. On the other hand, if you dress your team in baggy or loose-fitting attire, it might send the impression that every day is Casual Friday and that your office environment is less serious. You can’t account for everyone’s individual tastes, but you can make the effort to ask your employees what their preferences are.
2. A functional style
Similarly, you should take into consideration how functional your team’s wardrobe is in relation to the jobs they do. If your employees regularly hit the streets for door-to-door canvassing in sloppy polo shirts, they might not send the formal and professional impression you’re hoping to send to potential customers. On the other hand, if you work in a straight-laced and serious office setting, your team might benefit from a slightly more relaxed uniform. If you jazz up your team uniform with a bold, bright-coloured uniform, you can take a grey and dim office environment from bland to exciting.
3. Stylish and long-lasting material
Team uniforms are an expense like any other. Ideally, you only want to update your team wardrobe every few seasons—or whenever you would personally like to, not just because they’re looking tattered, worn, or outdated. In order to conserve your team uniform for as long as possible, look into a variety of different materials and decide which is the most durable. Additionally, take into consideration how strenuous of a job your workers do on a daily basis. A manual labourer’s uniform will need to be washed more often than a sedentary office worker’s, for example.
4. Bold and unique branding
“Colour psychology” suggests that certain hues encourage people to work harder, spend more money, and feel happier. Research popular colour trends to see which shades will have the biggest impact on your worker’s productivity. Colour blocking—matching complementary colours, such as red and green, or colours that the brain registers as similar, such as gold and black—is very trendy right now, and many employers believe that it is one of the best-kept secrets to success in business.
5. Your logo
Is it time for you to spice up your company logo? If your design is starting to look outdated or boring, it might be time to consider hiring a graphic artist to amp things up a bit. If you’ve recently invested in a new logo, take it one step further and brand your employee’s clothing with your unique design as well. If they wear their work shirt on their mid-afternoon coffee run, they might strike up a conversation with a barista who will become your future customer. Manufacture a brand that suits your company’s unique ideals and values, and implement it across the board. Not only do we offer logo embroidery, we’re using advanced print technology too – making tones, gradients and advanced logo designs possible.
