"Please, can you do something?" your fellow manager, Aaron, says to you. "It's about Corrine. She dresses inappropriately."
You wonder what that could possibly mean and ask as much.
"She dresses a little provocatively. And I think the blouses might show more...uh...chest...than our handbook allows. I just need a woman to talk to her because I don't want to get in trouble for sexual harassment." ."
Discussion
Let your fellow manager know that it is his responsibility to address the situation. Suggest he use the following approach:
Reinforce Value Tell him to start out by letting her know that she is a valuable employee and that you respect her. Make sure to look her in the eyes when talking with her and help her see why it is important to foster an environment of respect.
Tell Her What the Issue Is and Why Discuss how her current way of dressing is not appropriate and does not fall within the company's dress code. If your employees don't understand why a policy is in place they are less likely to respect it. Start by clarifying why he is telling her to alter her wardrobe. Does her attire affect productivity? Did other employees complain about it? Could it be offensive or distracting to clients? Then explain that the dress code is put in place to make clients and coworkers comfortable and to encourage an atmosphere of respect and professionalism. When people feel uncomfortable with the way a colleague is dressed it can hinder their productivity and possibly yours. They may avoid contact with you and which can obstruct necessary communication processes and result in an awkward situation.
Emphasize the need to cultivate an atmosphere of mutual respect. In order to accomplish this, it is important to avoid wearing clothing that makes your coworkers or clients uncomfortable. Ask her to consider if the situation was reversed and you wore a T-shirt that offended her.
Ask Her to Change Behavior If her actions were negatively impacting productivity she needs to change them. You have to maintain an inclusive and welcoming environment and in order to do so you need to keep all of your players on board.
Tell Her the Payoff By dressing in an appropriate manner barriers to productivity and promotion will no longer come into play. Those coworkers or clients who have been avoiding contact will feel comfortable approaching her, she will be viewed in a more professional light and may be considered for opportunities she was previously looked over for due to her attire. She may also improve her relations with customers and coworkers contributing to a more productive and respectful environment.
Other Issues to Consider It may also be necessary to discuss the new-hire training with your Human Resources Department. They may need to go over the dress code in more detail or at least emphasize the basics in order to effectively get the message across.
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