Personal Appearances - The Changing HR Norms

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Case Details:

Case Code : HROB017
Case Length : 11 Pages
Period : 1992 - 2002
Pub Date : 2001
Teaching Note : Available
Organization : Society for Human Resources Management
Industry : Varied
Countries : USA

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This case study was compiled from published sources, and is intended to be used as a basis for class discussion. It is not intended to illustrate either effective or ineffective handling of a management situation. Nor is it a primary information source.

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"Casual dress can have clear advantages, at virtually no cost, for most corporations and industries. Casual dress policies are quickly becoming the rule rather than exception."

- Michael R. Losey, President & CEO, Society for Human Resources Management, US, in November 2000.

"Continually relaxed dress leads to relaxed manners, relaxed morals and relaxed productivity."

- Jeffrey Magee, a psychologist, who surveyed 500 firms in the US, in October 2002¹.

The Dressing Up Dilemma

In 1992, the world's second largest entertainment media conglomerate, the Walt Disney Company (Disney), US, was in the news for a rather unusual reason. Around 50% of the employees at its newly-opened EuroDisney theme park had resigned - one of the main reasons being the company's strict regulations regarding the personal appearance of its employees.²

These non-negotiable and strictly enforced standards, known as the 'Disney Look', were communicated to the employees through pamphlets and other modes. Strict disciplinary action was taken against those who violated these rules.

Human Resource and Organization Behavior | Case Study in Management, Operations, Strategies, Human Resource and Organization Behavior, Case Studies

The EuroDisney incident was not an isolated one. On an average, around 10-20% of the applicants trying for a job at Disney walked out voluntarily after viewing an introductory video detailing these rules.

However the situation at the US software and technology major Microsoft Inc. (Microsoft) was quite different. Microsoft did not impose any dress code for its employees. From the CEO to the trainees - everyone was allowed to wear casuals for office. This was considered to be an important factor for reducing absenteeism and increasing employee productivity. The casual dress code scenario was even more apparent in dotcom offices across the world, with a majority of them allowing employees to come in casual attire to offices.

The two extremities mentioned above are not surprising considering the fact that the importance given to the employee dress code varied extensively between companies, industries, regions and countries.

In some cases, the dress code was considered an extremely important part of the corporate culture, while in others it was not paid any attention at all. The companies where employee appearance mattered a lot trained their employees on business etiquette and mannerisms. New employees were even taught how to behave with customers. They were familiarized with the dress code of the organization, which also included the kind of accessories they could wear.

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1] Quoted in India's leading national English daily, The Times of India, October 13, 2002.

2] The Disney personal appearance policy required women to strictly adhere to natural-looking makeup, hair coloring and fingernail polish. Fingernails were not to extend more than a quarter-inch beyond fingertips. No more than one ring per hand was allowed, except for wedding sets. Necklaces and bracelets were prohibited. Men had to strictly stick to conventional haircuts. Beards, mustaches and sideburns beyond the ear lobe were prohibited. Earrings, piercings and visible tattoos were forbidden.