With new businesses starting all the time, companies are always thinking of ways to put themselves in front of their market and stay there. In the past, radio and television advertising were the most popular methods of reaching customers.
Today, companies use websites, social media, and brand advocates to communicate and connect with those interested in their brand. The most important brand advocate for any company is their employees, and this is where a uniform program can help.
One thing that has always been used to identify a brand in the marketplace is an employee uniform. Most customer-facing companies have tried to have their employees in a company-provided uniform or apparel. Sometimes they work and other times, they don't.
However, there are examples where a uniform program is used for safety and security, as well. Companies that extract natural gas or transport it must give their workers uniforms or work clothes, especially flame resistant clothing. This is to keep them safe.
Another example would be a company that helps people in their homes. They would need their workers to wear uniforms. This way they could be easily identified in local neighborhoods.
No matter why you have a uniform purchase program, this article is to explain what a uniform program is and how it works.
So, what is a uniform? In the business use, we can define a uniform as a distinctive clothing worn by members of the same organization.
Which brings us to the next question, what is a uniform program? A uniform program is a system that a company uses to let its employees wear branded clothes.
Uniform programs take on all shapes and sizes, and companies can use them in many ways. We’ll address what a typical uniform program “looks” like and how companies use them.
Uniform programs keep a company’s brand message consistent
When a company decides to use a uniform program, they want to put their employees in company-branded clothes. What is company branded apparel?
Company-branded clothing is clothing that an employee can wear while at work. It has the company logo and a brand standard that the company set.
Think of delivery drivers for UPS. If you’ve ever had a package delivered to you by UPS, you know exactly what a UPS delivery driver is supposed to look like. UPS, as a company, decided that their highly visible employees would wear:
- Brown pants or shorts
- Brown shirt
- Brown jacket
- Various UPS accessories
This idea lets employees who work with the public know who they are while they are at work. It also makes people more aware of the company's brand in their communities.
Uniform programs keep company employees safe while on the job
The energy industry today is a great example of how companies use uniforms to keep their employees safe. For example, in the natural gas transportation industry, regulations have been required to keep people who work in such environments safe from flash fire.
This means that a particular type of work apparel is made to meet the needs and requirements of the industry. Uniform programs that serve this industry may look similar to our generic example mentioned earlier, but they may also vary greatly.
Here's an example of a uniform program designed for safety. Say a company transports oil and gas products. The company would provide a complete uniform from head to toe. The uniform would include many clothing pieces that meet FR requirements.
Depending on the requirement, additional apparel items may be considered, such as:
- Flame resistant base-layer garments
- Flame resistant parkas and bib overalls
- Protective eyewear
- Protective headgear
The company uses a uniform program here to make sure its workers are safe. But it is also promoting brand awareness because its employees wear the company logo, which makes them easy to find in the community. For more, see an article we wrote on the importance of organizational branding.
Even though this example is more safety-driven, they could also choose to add professional corporate apparel, such as polos or button-up shirts, for employees in different departments.
Uniform programs are used to increase employee morale
Think about your favorite sports team, and the one thing they usually have in common is a team uniform. Then think about the fans. They identify their allegiance by the apparel of their team of choice.
Depending on your perspective, increasing employee morale is either the least important factor in establishing a uniform program, or it is more important than any other reason.
According to a Red Kap and Tower Watson study, 19.2% of companies reported a high level of employee engagement due to a uniform program.
Employee engagement and team mentality have a direct effect on employee commitment.
In fact, the Human Capital Institute found that a 1% increase led to a monthly sales increase of 9%. Wow!
What would a 9% increase look like for your business? Even 5%?
So, what are some ways that a uniform program will help increase employee morale? While you might be able to come up with some of your own for your business, here are a few:
- Helping to make employees feel more like members of a team / something bigger than themselves
- Reassuring employees that they aren’t responsible for providing their own work apparel so they aren’t wearing down their own clothing
- Gaining support from employees toward the company
No matter your level of involvement with your company, promoting the concept of a uniform program to boost employee morale should be a priority.
So now that you’ve gained a greater understanding of what a uniform program is, does your company have or need one? It’s important to remember that a uniform program is an investment in your employees and into your company. Increasing company morale and fostering that “we are a team” mentality can help lead to increased productivity, increased sales, and lower employee turnover.
Now that you’ve seen the various ways companies like yours use uniform programs, do you see the value they provide? If you have more questions about how a uniform program can work for your company, book a free consultation with us. We can help you find the right solution for you.
Topics: Uniform Program
