Marketing
Uniforms become more functional for employee satisfaction
As recruitment and retention of employees become more critical, uniforms play a bigger part in satisfaction and morale.
December 13, 2021 by Mandy Wolf Detwiler — Editor, Networld Media Group
Every restaurant has a uniform, whether it's a branded polo shirt, a screen-printed t-shirt or the classic white button-down and black pants. But uniforms play a larger part than just what the employee wears for the day. They present an outward appearance to the guest and can affect employee morale. With recruitment and retention a difficult challenge for many employers, morale plays a big part in employees' overall satisfaction with their jobs.
Uniforms are also part of a guest's first impression of both the employee and the establishment, so making sure they're clean, neat and well-fitting should be priorities.
A uniform policy should be included in an employee handbook, which clearly outlines the guidelines for a dress code policy in-house. A clear dress code helps define a company's branding, identifies them as an employee and should instill a sense of pride.
"Depending on the industry, uniforms have varying influences on employee satisfaction," said Eugene Chan, CEO of Helt, a provider of restaurant and kitchen wear.
"In the fast-food industry, the main concerns of employees tend to be wages, hours and uniforms," he said. "Fast food kitchens can be busy, hot and humid, so choice of uniform is important. The main reasons for there being uniforms involved at all are for safety and health precautions, to increase co-worker camaraderie and to add a sense of professionalism and uniformity to a team for the benefit of the customer."
The landscape of restaurant operations has changed in recent years, Chan said, thanks in part to COVID-19. Many dining rooms remain closed and employees are now required to wear a mask and gloves.
"Because masks and the like make employees less comfortable, steps need to be taken in other areas to tip the scale back towards comfort," Chan said. "To address this shift, there are two main schools of thought. One is to reduce uniform requirements altogether. Many companies are re-evaluating what they ask their employees to wear; a downturn of in-person customers reduces the positive effect uniforms can have anyway. The other approach is simply to invest in uniforms that employees like better. Uniform innovation has come a long way and that progress often goes by unappreciated. For kitchen staff, in particular, there are now better options for employee comfort, like chef coats and aprons that breathe, help keep the wearer cool, and have sweat-wicking, water-resistant, and quick-drying properties. Seemingly small changes like this can really give employees that work in hot kitchens some much-needed relief and that increased comfort pays back employers with increased productivity and team morale."
Stephanie Rogers, vice president of sales and marketing for uniform company Ukrop's Threads, said the best design for an employee uniform is one that is easily identifiable and that employees feel comfortable wearing.
"A good design is also specific to the employee brand," Rogers said. "It's really showcasing all the work that they've done in their marketing and differentiating themselves from their competitors in their market."
Form, fit and functionality are important as well. "When you talk to teammates and employees — people who are on the frontlines in uniforms — one of the things that they regularly talk about is fit. They're moving around a lot. They're stretching and reaching. They're generally working in different temperatures … and they want something that they're comfortable working in that covers them and gives them mobility," Roger added.
Having a design that addresses different body types is also critical. "A wide size range is also very important," Rogers said.
Uniforms rate second in employee satisfaction after pay, she added. "Everyone has an opinion about uniforms. Everyone is impacted by uniform decisions," she said. "It's something that if done right can be a lot of fun and a source of pride for people. Getting employee feedback and engagement on their uniforms is very important."
Aly Salz with uniform company Righteous said brands that once opted for "bottom tier" uniforms are now seeing the benefits of better quality and design. "They're more akin to a garment that you would choose to wear yourself," she said, "and then we're choosing to put logos and messages on them."
Uniforms have become more retail oriented showcased by half-zips, three-quarter sleeves and pullovers where polo shirts and simple t-shirts used to be the norm.
"Given that waistlines have expanded, we recommend something that has a little bit of give, a little bit of stretch to it," Salz said.
"When somebody is given something that is nice and that feels good, they appreciate it. They don't complain about their uniform if somebody has a garment that is ill-fitting and uncomfortable.
"When we're coaching a client, especially somebody who's new … we'll say make your uniform part of your onboarding process that gets the person excited to come to work for you. Treat your rock stars like rock stars. Give them some fun swag to go along with their uniform — a nice bag or a nice water bottle — some nice things that say welcome to the team."
Salz also recommends giving employees some aspirational goals with upgraded uniforms for milestones like sales or longevity.
"Once they hit some sort of a benchmark, whether it's 30, 60 or 90 days, they know that they're going to step up into the real uniform, something that is a little nicer," Salz said.
Some are moving away from uniforms altogether, Salz said. The restaurant will ask the employee to wear a black shirt and then opt for a printed or embroidered apron. "That gives the employee even more flexibility," Salz said.
About Mandy Wolf Detwiler
Mandy Wolf Detwiler is the managing editor at Networld Media Group and the site editor for PizzaMarketplace.com and QSRweb.com. She has more than 20 years’ experience covering food, people and places.
An award-winning print journalist, Mandy brings more than 20 years’ experience to Networld Media Group. She has spent nearly two decades covering the pizza industry, from independent pizzerias to multi-unit chains and every size business in between. Mandy has been featured on the Food Network and has won numerous awards for her coverage of the restaurant industry. She has an insatiable appetite for learning, and can tell you where to find the best slices in the country after spending 15 years traveling and eating pizza for a living.
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