PPB July 2020

Co rpo r a t e Appa r e l by Danielle Renda F ollowing the coronavirus pandemic, many industries will likely see changes in corporate apparel, at least for a little while. With some companies opting to cut costs by having employees work remote indefinitely, to hesitancies surrounding the safety of employees returning to their workplaces, expect some businesses with formal dress codes to forego traditional corporate apparel in favor of comfort with more relaxed attire. Whether these changes in dress are temporary or long term are yet to be determined—but it’s something that’s likely to be well-received by workers. One in three workers would choose a casual dress code over a $5,000 raise, according to a survey by Randstad US of more than 1,200 employees representing all industries, including banking and finance, government, transportation, legal services, retail and advertising. A survey of 2,000 U.S. adults by market research company OnePoll found that half of the respondents already worked for offices that allowed a casual dress code. Investment banking and financial services company Goldman Sachs made headlines last year when it announced it was shifting from a business formal dress code to a “flexible” dress code—a move that chips away at the stereotypical image of the suit-wearing Wall Street banker, says GQ . Kyle Schnitzer of Ladders—a New York-based company providing career advice, news and tools, and an online job search—writes that some Taking A Breather With employees accustomed to working from home due to the coronavirus pandemic, companies are loosening the necktie on corporate wear. Lipik Stock Media / ecco / Shutterstock.com. Photo illustration by SPARK Publications. 26 | JULY 2020 | INNOVATE