This Is Guernsey

Jim Delbridge, right, is without tie, as is world champion driver Andy Priaulx, with the more formally attired Tim Langlois. (0304023)

STAFF are often more productive when they are allowed to dress more casually at work, according to the boss of a PR agency.

White Knight co-managing director Jim Delbridge said the conventional suit and tie look was becoming an old-fashioned uniform for the workplace. His comment came hot on the heels of research by Debenhams that reveals Britain is dressing down at work, with more than a third of workers wearing jeans in the office.

Figures from the high street retailer showed nearly 40% of employees had been given permission to ditch their suits and wear casual clothes instead.

‘We have an unwritten rule which is you must always be professional in your attire and dress appropriately depending on the nature of your work,’ said Mr Delbridge.

‘Wearing jeans at work is fine, but if you are visiting clients, you must look professional.

‘That doesn’t necessarily mean you have to wear a suit. It’s just about having respect for the clients. You wouldn’t turn up at a bank in jeans and a baseball cap for instance.’

The shift in attire has been attributed to a rise in web-based companies run by trendy young entrepreneurs and a more relaxed attitude to doing business.

Some 3,000 workers took part in the Debenhams survey and two-thirds said they felt more comfortable in jeans and 40% claimed they were more productive as a result of dressing more casually.

‘I think there is a link between casual dress and productivity – it certainly works for me,’ said Mr Delbridge.

‘Anything that improves productivity is a good thing and if staff feel more relaxed and able to concentrate on their work by dressing down, then I’m all for it.

‘In Germany they seem to have ditched the suit and tie look and it appears to have worked well for them.’

‘There is always the risk of it being abused, but if you have good staff then that shouldn’t be an issue.’

Many businesses feel that a more laid-back, open-collar approach to the boardroom gave the impression of being friendly, approachable and less formal.

Yet for one in 10 folk, jeans are still accepted in the workplace only on Fridays at most.

‘We work in the communications industry and there are a number of ways we all communicate through body language and so on,’ said Mr Delbridge.

‘Sometimes things can get hidden behind formality, so breaking down those barriers could prove to be highly beneficial for gaining results.

I think in the future, with the increase in people working from home, personal contact will become even less and the need for formal business attire will become all but obsolete.’

Article posted on 17th March, 2008 - 2.30pm