Want That Promotion? Think About What You’re Wearing

While you may think working hard and being good at your job is all you need to get yourself that promotion you always wanted, there’s really more to it than that. In fact, according to a new survey, what you wear to work can have a big effect on whether you climb that corporate ladder. 

According to a poll by OfficeTeam, 86% of professionals and 80% of mangers say clothing choices can play a role in whether someone gets promoted or not. And these days folks aren’t necessarily getting away with not dressing well at the office. The survey finds that 44% of senior managers have talked to an employee about inappropriate attire, while 32% have sent someone home because of what they were wearing.

But what is deemed appropriate in the office has changed over the years. HR mangers report that things like jeans, tennis shoes and leggings are more acceptable now than they were five years ago, although in that same time, employers have become less okay with tank tops, tops that expose one or both shoulders and shorts. 

So, based on all of this, it seems pretty important to put a bit of thought and effort into what you wear to work, and it seems a lot of folks are doing jsut that. In fact, the survey finds that workers spend an average of 11 minutes deciding what to wear. And while you think women would be more concerned with their appearance, it turns out that men actually spend more time picking out their work clothes than women (12 minutes vs. nine minutes).

Source: OfficeTeam