Uniforms

911, what is the address of the emergency?

That's right, it's the hot-button topic. Uniforms. I've worked in centers with and without a uniform requirement. Short version of my opinion: uniform requirements are the way to go.



First off, let's define the classes of uniform:

Class-A uniforms are dress uniforms. Jacket, necktie, pressed shirt and slacks, hat, with all necessary accoutrements. Footwear is polished. Really not terribly useful for ... well, much of anything. These are banquet, wedding, and funeral uniforms.

Class-B uniforms are "nice" uniforms. Slacks (not BDU/cargo pants), button-down shirt, brass as policy dictates. Footwear may be polished. Dressy but practical for daily activities. May be short- or long-sleeve.

Class-C uniforms are "work" uniforms. Pants may be BDU-style or slacks, shirt may be a golf-style or a t-shirt depending on the task at hand, no brass. Footwear is duty- or work-style. Functional above all.

Why uniforms? Uniforms, above all, create a sense of identity. When people in similar uniforms are put together, you're creating a team identity. It's not an immediate change, but people who are treated as a valued part of an organization will generally make an effort - subconscious though it may be - to further the goals of that organization.

If your agency is a stand-alone center, you have the luxury of designing your own uniforms. Be reasonable. Comfort matters to someone sitting in a chair for 8-12 hours at a stretch. If your agency has field personnel, I strongly believe that communications should wear the exact same uniform. A different uniform only serves to underscore an all-too-common us-versus-them mentality. Building up that wall undermines the potential for some great conversations.

From an administrative standpoint, uniforms take one hundred percent of the guesswork out of a dress code. Does your agency dress code say something like, "Staff shall dress in work-appropriate attire," or, "Business-casual dress is required"? People will push that. Torn or frayed shirts and pants. Questionable logos or slogans. Revealing outfits. It's tough to officially handle inappropriate workwear if the dress code is vague.

If the dress code is replaced with a uniform policy, e.g., "Staff shall dress in the issued uniform for all duty hours, and uniform shall be clean and in good repair," there is no room for argument. Frayed hem? Time for a new set of pants to be issued. Stained or torn shirt? Replace it. No more "Redneck Firefighting: Find 'em hot, leave 'em wet!" t-shirts. (Yes, I have seen that in a comm center.) No more low-cut blouses. No more faded and paint-smeared jeans. People will still push - and it's on management to decide how much leeway may be allowed, always keeping in mind the "past precedent" gotcha that will appear in a disciplinary hearing.

Visitors to the center - though few and far between they may be - are going to look more favorably on a center with uniformed staff. The increased atmosphere of professionalism provided by a uniformed staff (when we're all on our good behavior) is noticeable.

Now, why wouldn't an agency (or work force) want uniforms? And what are the counter-arguments?

Management may say it's too expensive. Nonsense. Issuing one work-week worth of Class-C uniforms (four or five shirts and trousers) to ten employees can be done for less than $2,000. (Dickie's work pants are $20, and t-shirts in large orders can be screened for $8-10. Add a sweatshirt to the set for the cold-blooded.)

I've heard the argument that if uniforms are required then cleaning should be provided. Ridiculous, with one exception: if the course of your duties occasionally expose you to "nasties" (bodily fluids, carcinogens, or chemical irritants peppersprayI'mlookingatyou) then the employer should handle cleaning that one uniform. The rest of the time? Uniforms should be wash'n'wear with one's other personal laundry.

People may claim that uniforms keep them from expressing themselves. I believe that team identity and professionalism in public safety far outweigh self-expression via clothing in the workplace. Adjust the policy to allow whatever accessories your agency deems appropriate, but the base uniform should be set.

Consider work hours for uniforms. Maybe weekdays require a golf shirt, and nights and weekends can get by with a t-shirt. Maybe Mondays are "B" days and everyone is expected to dress up a notch.

And last but not least ... lead by example. If you are a supervisor, manager, director, captain, chief, or head cook and bottlewasher, you can not violate your established uniform policy. If anything, try to exceed it. Nights wears t-shirts? Wear a golf shirt. Days wears golf shirts? Wear a "B" uniform. Make sure your uniforms are clean, shoes aren't scuffed, brass is polished, and so forth. People notice, and it does matter.

Call me back right away if anything changes.