Underwear on Parade - Hold Difficult Conversations

Okay, it's my job to give you a good laugh some days. Right? Here goes. Every year when the weather turns warm, I receive a few notes asking me about employee underwear - specifically, underwear that is showing under the skimpier clothing employees wear in the summer. People honestly want to know what to do about it and whether there is a place to address visible employee underwear in the company dress code.

Proactively, do put visible underwear in your work dress code. Here's what I say in my recommended business casual dress code: "Clothing that reveals too much cleavage, your back, your chest, your feet, your stomach or your underwear is not appropriate for a place of business, even in a business casual setting."

But, the first part of the question is the most interesting. And, yes, you do need to talk to the employee, especially if the clothing is distracting to others in the workplace. I file this in my mind in a folder called professionalism and that is the approach I'd take in talking with the employee. Here are some additional thoughts in: How to Hold a Difficult Conversation and even more thoughts about how to approach difficult conversations in: How to Tackle Annoying Employee Habits and Issues.

The key point is that most employees really want to succeed at work. They don't get up each morning and think, "how can I screw up my work life today." So, if something is not right or may stand in the way of their advancement, they generally appreciate that you cared enough to tell them.

More about summer dress for work? I did an interview recently with Jenny Cromie at WWJ 950 Newsradio about your summertime office image.

Read earlier blog posts.