Are casual Fridays a thing of the past?

February, 20 2012

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Does the way you dress at work influence how you are thought of by management and play a role in your potential career progression?

While this is not a question that can be met with a definitive answer, it appears increasingly likely that sharp professional attire separates you from potential rivals for a promotion.

For a time casual Fridays became relatively common practice in Australian workplaces, with brands happy to move away from strict sartorial codes at the end of the week in place of a more relaxed approach.

However, it could be that this trend is changing back again in light of global economic uncertainty and overly competitive job markets - as companies look to create the best public impression at all times by taking casual Fridays off the calendar.

Lynne Beggs, Hays regional manager, said recently that employers are looking at ways to "sharpen up" and stand out from their competitors.

"Dress-down Fridays are certainly not as common as they used to be," Beggs told News Limited February 11.

"The feedback we constantly get from clients is that for those people who are serious about their careers, what they wear to work is important."

Managers conscious of this shift might wish to supply their workers with business gifts such as branded ties, to encourage them to embrace this new era of corporate style.