Turning out well dressed at work could automatically mean half your battle won, going by a survey which indicates that employees who dress well are taken seriously at work than those who pay scant attention to those crumpled sleeves and faded collars.
Nearly 89% of respondents of a survey conducted by Team Lease, a leading staffing company, felt that style of dressing has a long-term impact on the overall image of an individual.
Three-fourths of the respondents felt that well-dressed people are taken more seriously at the workplace.
Sixty-nine per cent of respondents, both male and female, felt that attire has a direct impact on the sexual harassment faced by women at the workplace.
Almost 72% of the respondents felt that focus shifts from work when women frequently wear skirts and tops at the workplace. Only 53% of respondents in Bangalore felt that way, but over 80% agreed to the proposition in Kolkata and Ahmedabad.
Breaking the myth of female vanity, the survey revealed that 74% felt men spend as much time, if not more, focussing on grooming as women.
Coming to the implementation of a dress code at the workplace, 47% felt it was necessary. More than half the respondents in Kolkata and Pune said it enhanced productivity.
In the information technology domain, 53% considered implementing a dress code strict but necessary.
Overall, 44% respondents' organisations had strict dress codes. The organisations of 66% in Chennai and 59% in Mumbai had strict dress codes.
Overall, 54% of respondents felt that incompetent/average performers covered up with meticulous dressing and accessories.
Overall, 44% felt that formal dressing applied to only senior managers and employees dealing with clients.
The respondents included employees across Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai and Pune in the age group of 21-45 years across industries.