Schools and minimum wage employers tend to have two things in common: teenagers and uniforms. And while both can be troublesome at times, there’s no denying their usefulness.Recent statistics indicate that about 25 percent of the U.S. workforce wears uniforms, suggesting their widespread use beyond familiar settings, such as restaurants or big chain retailers. Their popularity also implies the benefits they provide: Uniforms can help firms create a brand identity, ensure uniformity, and avoid the social hierarchies that individual fashion choices can create.

Furthermore, uniforms affect both employee and customer behavior. According to the psychological principal of enclothed cognition, what people wear strongly determines their behavior. Putting on button-down shirt might encourage more formality than an old t-shirt; lacing up a good pair of athletic shoes can make a person feel more physically fit than sliding on some fuzzy slippers. Accordingly, an appropriate uniform can encourage sharper decision-making and quicker reaction times. If they are outfitted in an appealing uniform, especially one that enables them to signal their membership in an aspirational group (e.g., because they work for a popular brand), employees are likely to feel a greater sense of pride in their role and their place within the team, as well as dedicate more devoted efforts to benefiting their employer.

Reflecting their pride, these uniformed employees also can function like brand ambassadors. Customers often perceive this signal, such that uniforms can enhance customers’ sense of trust in the reliability and integrity of employees. Such impressions are particularly important in retail interactions that place a strong emphasis on first impressions, like car dealerships, where uniforms have been shown to increase customer satisfaction by up to 20 percent.

The influences of uniforms on behaviors are not all positive though, and certain risks arise when mandating that all employees wear them. Enclothed cognition cuts both ways, such that some employees might feel increased, or excessive, pressure to conform to a brand’s image, once in uniform. This sort of pressure might not be conducive to optimal performance in work settings that rely on and seek to encourage employee creativity or personal expression.

The supply-side costs of providing and maintaining uniforms can be significant too, especially for small, independent retailers. Some stores attempt to require employees to pay for their own uniforms, but doing so might put them at a competitive disadvantage for attracting the best employees to work for them.

Thus, implementing a uniform policy requires careful consideration, such that companies must evaluate the precise benefits and drawbacks associated with their own unique situations. If they make the decision to require uniforms, they also should solicit and integrate the opinions and suggestions of everyday employees in their designs. Such a collaborative, inclusive effort can offer a good way to encourage uniformity among the workforce, with regard to their attitudes toward uniforms.

Discussion Questions

1. What types of industries and roles are best suited to wear uniforms? Why?

1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of implementing a uniform policy, for both the company and the employees?

Sources: Bartleby Newsletter, “The Pros and Cons of Corporate Uniforms,” The Economist, March 27, 2024; “The Impact of Uniforms on Branding and Consumer Trust,” FLADCO, May 23, 2024; “The Power of Corporate Clothing Branding: How Uniforms Impact Company Image and Employee Morale,” Azulwear, August 15, 2023; OpenAI ChatGPT, “Assistance with Research on Corporate Uniforms and Their Impact on Branding,” ChatGPT, August 12, 2024.