How casual Friday goes beyond just being comfortable.
Many businesses allow employees to ‘dress down’ on Fridays. Setting aside a day that employees can wear casual attire to work can seem like a very small thing, but it can really be a beneficial ‘benefit’ to offer.
From an employee’s perspective, it is one less day to iron the shirt and trousers. However, dress-down days are a morale booster that doesn’t require an investment from the business. Employees perceive these casual days as a benefit and reward for hard work. It fosters a sense of community among them and allows them a little more personal expression. Businesses in hot climates (us) may implement dress-down days to make employees more comfortable. Physical comfort can translate to greater productivity. Employees also appreciate the savings from buying fewer formal attire.
Casualwear/Businesswear Human Resources Survey
- 87% – casual Friday improves morale
- 81% – perceived by employees as a benefit
- 51% – employees save money because of casual dress
- 47% – improves productivity
Here are some ideas for alternatives for Casual Friday or just a fun change of pace:
- Group Lunch Outings (i.e. Fajita Friday, Taco Tuesday)
- End of the Week Happy Hour (this is a gamble)
- Themed Games (Marshmallow Hot Chocolate Sling Shot Hoops)
- Music Monday (let one employee each week pick the music in the office)
- Throw Back Thursday (vintage attire)
- Themed casual Friday (like Hawaiian shirt day)
- Or, maybe even super Fancy Friday (during which you dress up even more)
Casual Friday might not be a good choice for every workplace, but it can certainly be beneficial in some organizations.
Here at AR Design, we do Flip-Flop Fridays, where everyone in the office is allowed to wear flip-flops or sandals (except for Ryan, because according to him real men shouldn’t wear flip-flops, so he opts to wear a Yankees hat).
What experience do you have with this type of program? Share your thoughts in on our Facebook page!