subject: Establishing A Dress Code For A Company: The Service Environment [print this page] In a service environment, it"s very different to an office, and presentation may not be quite as important; however this is where the importance of a uniform really comes into play. When you wear a uniform you are directly representing the company you work for "" often there will be a company logo printed or stitched into the clothing "" so it is important that employees give off the right impression.
Footwear:
In a service environment, such as a kitchen, it"s incredibly important to wear relatively smart, but mostly practical, shoes. Most customers won"t actually see you in the kitchen and they will likely get dirty anyway; however for health and safety reasons, it"s important to keep them as clean as possible.
The shoes worn in a kitchen must have a good amount of grip to avoid any trips, slips or stumbles, which could potentially lead to a serious accident. The ideal choice for a kitchen would be a simple pair of flat pumps that have a good grip pattern on the sole.
If however you are in a customer-facing service role, it is important to establish with managers what the best footwear would be "" obviously it has to be smart, but most vitally, it has to be safe. I have previously worked in a restaurant as a waitress and found myself slipping and sliding on the floor because the shoes we were told to wear had insufficient grip.
Trousers/Jeans/Skirts:
Again this varies depending on which service industry you are in; however more often than not, there will be a defined uniform. In a kitchen environment, there are specific trousers that should be worn, not only to establish yourself as a chef, but to provide heat proofing from any cooking equipment. Such trousers are usually checkered with very small squares.
In a customer-facing role, it is likely that you will simply wear black legwear, whether it is smart trousers or a skirt; just remember that practicality is key and traversing flights and flights of stairs in tight skinny jeans would never be a good idea!
Shirt/Top/Jacket:
This category is also directly affected by the industry, and once again, if you are in a kitchen environment, you will have to wear a special chef"s tunic. These tunics are heat-proof and again help to establish defined roles in the kitchen "" they will also inspire trust in any inspectors or customers that see the kitchen, as it is a recognisable uniform.
Typically for service staff, the top will be ironed and a brilliant white as this symbolises cleanliness and order, which is exactly what you want from someone who is bringing you food!
