The buzz word for the dress code of a professional office has become “office casual” whatever that means. Office casual means something different for every business office. Most offices don’t define what is meant by office casual, so everyone shows up in what they think is appropriate. Office workers are often confused on what not to wear to work.

Though we never want to go back to shirts and ties or skirts, hosiery, and pumps on a daily basis, we also need to keep a professional look in our attire at the office. If you keep away from the office attire “no-no’s” we will discuss in this post you will probably wear the correct casual and professional dress.

Take the Emphasis Off “Casual”

The biggest faux pas in office casual wear is our emphasis on the word “casual” and the de-emphasizing of the word “office”. Most casual clothing is not suitable to be worn in the office. Tee shirts, sweats, shorts, jeans, leggings, and tennis shoes are good things to wear around the house or at the mall, but they reflect an unprofessional attitude when worn in the office.

Tips for Women

Women should not wear revealing clothing. It is not appropriate to expose your cleavage, stomach, back, underwear, or feet in the office. Anything short or too tight is also wrong for the office. If you want to be taken seriously, don’t “undress” at the office.

Any open toe shoe such as sandals, flip flops, or thongs should not be worn in the office. It is fine to eliminate hosiery during the summer months.

Make up should be worn in moderation as well as any colognes and perfumes.

Large, chunky costume jewelry does not look good with office casual attire and can be very distracting to the wearer and fellow office workers. Body piercings other than pierced ears are too extreme in the office.

Tips for Men

Wrinkled, torn, or dirty clothing is always unacceptable. Clothing with pictures, words, or symbols are not appropriate office attire even on dress down days while brand names, university and sports team garments are fine on declared dress down days. Pressed jeans minus holes and tears are a welcome change on dress down days.

Hats are not to be worn in the office. However, head coverings that are worn because of religious beliefs or ethnic tradition are suitable.

Why not decide to wear a shirt, tie, and jacket to the office wear one day a week? It will make a difference in your attitude and productivity.

In this day and age, when computers are more advanced than ever before, and wireless technology is starting to become the norm, we are not yet at the point where it is possible to have a wireless office. In order to alleviate problems such as snags and tangles, cable management is the only solution to this problem, and should be implemented whenever installing a new desk, or moving existing desks around.

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Although some desks are manufactured with some form of cable management system, there are some minor alterations you may need do, in order to make a cable management system on a new desk more efficient. Depending on your budget and the distance your wires need to travel, this can be done successfully in a relatively short period of time.

Cable ports are the best solution to this problem are inexpensive. It may be necessary to drill a hole in the desktop to push the cables through and feed them through the cable port. You’ll only need to do this step if the desk that you purchased does not have a pre-drilled, cable management hole.

Next, feed the cables through the hole in the desktop, so that they follow, parallel to the floor, to an electrical socket or alternative power source. To enhance feeding the wires, cable baskets can be installed under the desktop, acting like a gutter, to conduct them properly.

If you use a laptop and are constantly disconnecting it, it is wise to have a power source installed on the desktop. As these power modules are located on the desktop, it would eliminate any tangling, as direct access is supplied. These desktop power modules also come with sockets for modems; so, everything can be in one place, reducing tangling and other headaches.

The real trick is keeping the cables organized as they meet perpendicular to the floor. A helpful device to purchase to aid in this is a goose-necked cable spine, which can be adjusted to manage the direction your wires need to go.

With just a few minor adjustments and equipment, your computer cables can be organized with little effort and time on your part – saving you the headaches of dealing with electrical shorts, accidentally pulled wires, and unnecessary, untangling of cable wires.

In the U. K., office environments differ from business to business, however, certain regulations should always be maintained no matter the size or scope of the company. Health and safety regulations are in place in office locations to assist both the employer and the employees. These regulations will be enforced to the strict letter of the law and no provisions will be taken if they are disobeyed. It is the responsibility of every member of the office, manager and worker alike, to make sure these regulations are not violated and a safe and healthy work environment persists.

Whether the business is just getting started or a long-established company wants to take a look at its office conditions, regular checks for health and safety should always be taken. Risk assessment consultants recommend a monthly audit of all necessary precautions and that adequate paperwork should be retained, including statements regarding employee training.

There are a series of key elements to remember regarding office safety regulations in the U. K. Check to make sure the business is registered with the Health and Safety Executive or a local authority depending on the business model. This will insure that full compliance is attained and monitored. Be sure the business has Employers’ Liability Compulsory Insurance and make sure the certificate is displayed. Make sure someone competent is working for the company to meet health and safety duties. This person can be an external consultant, but does not have to be. Establish a health and safety policy. This will inform management and employees on the proper regulations required by law. Perform a risk assessment about the business. This is basically an attempt at figuring out what in the office could harm people. Put sensible controls in place including training sessions if necessary. Basic welfare facilities are mandatory. This includes toilets, washing areas and clean drinking water. Display all relevant poster and leaflets required by law. Finally, be sure to report and safety violations, accidents or diseases as they happen to the necessary authorities.

Regardless of whether the operation is a large organisation or a small firm, risk management is a priority, especially in the U. K. Health and safety obligations contribute to a strong workplace as well as corporate social responsibility. It limits unwanted expenses in litigation and also boosts employee morale, knowing that the company they work for cares for their well being.