Having a staff uniform for your business does more than just giving your company an identity. It can be a good fit for your company aims, your business development plans, and can help you to meet industry requirements. You might want to present a certain brand image to your customers, for instance, or a new direction means you need to consider specific clothing as part of your health and safety policy.
Unity across the business
Implementing a uniform policy throughout your business can be a simple, yet effective, way of helping your staff feel more engrained in your business culture. This can help to give them more of an identity as a part of your company, rather than just someone who’s employed by you.
That said, you might choose to create a more casual office environment in your business by not having a uniform. This could reflect the less rigid layout and style that you operate your business under, while letting staff express a little of their own individuality in their choice of clothing.
This might be a positive way of operating your business, particularly if you aren’t a public-facing industry where customers aren’t often on the premises.
Identifying staff and building your brand
You can also think of a uniform as something that comes under the umbrella of your marketing and advertising efforts. Presenting a strong, memorable image to the public can be a great way to help ensure that your business stays front of mind.
A uniform can also help further a perception of your business that you’d like to push. For example, an accounting firm or a consultancy would probably want to create a sense of business professionalism with a uniform that consists of a high-quality formal suit.
Alternatively, if you run a small restaurant or bar, you might want to be a little more informal and approachable. In this case, a simple t-shirt and apron could be part of your uniform.
You might also need a uniform to help identify your staff easily. This can be a benefit to the business itself, as well as potential customers. The ability to easily spot staff members can help improve security, as well as provide customers with an easily noticeable point of contact, if they need assistance.
The importance of health and safety
Sometimes, it isn’t a case of should you have a uniform for your business, but more what protective clothing and equipment you need so that your staff can meet the requirements of health and safety regulations. Essentially, your staff should be able to perform the tasks of their job, but do so safely and effectively.
Whether or not you need to provide a protective uniform for your staff can be determined from what your business health and safety risk assessments reveal. To read a little more about this, take a look at our guide to risk assessments.
For example, if there’s a risk you’ve found that can’t be reduced to reasonable levels, such as excessive dust or vapours from chemicals you use, you should provide a protective mask as part of your uniform.
You might also need to adapt your uniform over time. For instance, if you eventually expand your business and add new services, features, or machinery, you might need to introduce new health and safety considerations. Installing a new machine in your factory, for example, might mean you need to provide ear plugs and gloves due to the noise and the way the machine is operated.
How can FSB help develop my business?
Having a uniform is one of many factors to consider when developing your business. Whether you’re a first-time business owner looking for ways to enhance you company branding, or you’re expanding into a new market where you’ll need advice about additional safety equipment and uniform provisions, FSB can help.
We provide a range of services designed to make the day-to-day operation of your business easier to handle, which will benefit both you and your staff. This includes:
- Advice for new businesses
- Employment protection services
- Health and safety advice