You are what you wear? The importance of first impressions in the workplace

In his latest blog, Gary Lory, managing director at Grahame Gardner, takes a closer look at the importance of first impressions in the workplace.

At Grahame Gardner, we spend a lot of our time talking to our much-valued clients about their priorities when it comes to workwear.

For some, it’s purely down to looking the part. They want their brand brought to life through bold graphics and colour, to inspire and engage their staff and their customers alike.

For others, it’s a more practical affair. Breathable fabric, hard-wearing materials, comfort, for example, are the order of the day.

However, whatever their needs and no matter how diverse their organisations are, all of our customers have one thing in common. They know and understand the importance of making the right first impression on their customers and those with whom they come into contact with, within their organisation.

We recently carried out research into this area to help us learn more about the facts behind first impressions.

If we’re to help businesses find the right workwear for their teams, we need to understand what makes people tick and what impact it can have if organisations get it wrong.

The results have been fascinating and make interesting reading for employers everywhere.

Every second counts

According to our survey, more than three quarters of UK adults make an initial judgement of a person within just 60 seconds of meeting them.

That means your staff, whatever sector you work in, need to make the right first impression on your customers incredibly quickly.

And, what they’re wearing could play a vital part. Clothing was ranked by our respondents as one of the top three things people notice first when making an initial judgement of a person.

More than a third (36%) of the 1,000 UK adults we questioned also revealed that when they see a ‘smartly dressed’ service person, they trust them to do a better job.

Equally, almost a quarter (24.6%) state they assume the venue is of better quality.
Clearly, first impressions really do count.

Look good, feel good

However, how your employees feel at work matters enormously, too.

If your staff are feeling uncomfortable in what they’re wearing the service they provide to your customers could well be compromised.

Our survey results highlighted this link between how employees dress and how they feel, with more than half (52.2%) of respondents stating that being smartly dressed makes them feel confident, positive (35.4%) and professional (31.3%).

It’s a comment we hear frequently at Grahame Gardner when we’re discussing workwear with our clients. It’s not just about how people look − it’s about how they feel, too.

That’s why we’re always striving to improve our workwear garments, be it our tunics, outerwear, trousers or polo shirts, using our extensive experience along with the latest printing technologies and fabrics to create workwear that makes the right first impression for both the customer and the wearer, every time.