Dressing right to create a lasting impression in India Inc.

Indian executives have come a long way since power dressing meant a safari suit accessorised with a briefcase. The concept of business dressing has become more globalised, and more crucial to survival at the workplace.

As Indian executives explore the world and interact with people from diverse cultures, they have realised one thing: a stiffly-starched shirt and shining shoes can clinch it for them just as much as business savvy and a cutting-edge education.

Over 89% of the respondents in a recent TeamLease working adults’ survey conducted by global research firm Synovate across eight major Indian cities feel dressing style has a long-term impact on an individual’s overall image. Nearly three-fourths of the respondents felt well-dressed people are taken more seriously at the workplace. “It is mainly Americans who have the no-formals look, but if you want to be global, you will have to do business with Europeans and the Chinese as well, who do not buy the dressed-down look,” says Pria Warrick, executive director of Pria Warrick Finishing School.

In an attempt to give their employees’ image a makeover, corporates are hiring finishing schools, which charge anywhere between Rs 15,000 and Rs 40,000 a day for special grooming workshops. From impeccable dressing to etiquette at the dinner table, the finishing schools make sure executives learn it all.

Sectors like IT and ITeS, where casual dressing was seen as a way to make employees feel comfortable, too are seeing winds of change. Nearly 53% of respondents in the TeamLease survey from the IT domain feel implementing a standard dress code is ‘strict but necessary’, which flies in the face of the theory that people from the IT industry prefer to dress casually.

In all, over 47% of the respondents feel, “implementing a standard dress code in organisations is strict, but necessary.” Surabhi Mathur-Gandhi, GM, Permanent Staffing, TeamLease Services says by emphasising on the need to be formally dressed, firms are trying to change a casual mindset towards work and ensure they avoid disciplinary issues. It also makes interaction with clients more professional.

But on the ground, change is not settling in easily. Altogether 56% of respondents believe formal dressing “restricts interaction among people within the organisation.”

In certain industries, the Indian customer expects chaos and a stiff professional look will put him off, says Dhruv Desai, senior VP, HR and Leadership Academy at Angel Broking.

People dealing with high net worth individuals are expected to be spiffily dressed but those who deal mainly with retail customers and sub brokers are not expected to overwhelm clients, he said. (1)

Interestingly, in a recent survey of about 12,500 people conducted in 24 countries, Indians were found to be the smartest when it came to work attire with 58 percent donning a suit or other smart clothing for work. Indians particularly did not see casual dressers rising up the ranks, with 64 percent saying they would not make senior management and 58 percent describing casual dressers as slackers. (2)

In today’s competitive world, it is through right dressing that an individual can carve a distinct identity for himself at workplace and also command respect and seriousness in all professional dealings.

- Suniet Bezbaroowa (views expressed in the article are that of the author)