Behaviorists call it modeling. When you want children to eat broccoli, you cram a few spears in your own mouth, chew with excitement, then turn over the fork. Alright, so maybe not the best example. We all know there is a failure rate with this plan but with adults, one must model expectations.
For adult employees who may balk at the idea of wearing a uniform, there is a sneaky way to get the job done. By sliding in references to popular T.V. shows during your onboarding process, new hires will associate with pop culture.
It sounds like this…
“For our uniforms, we’ve taken style cues from [insert show] so you can show up to work with confidence.”
This, by the way, only works if it’s true. If the uniforms really look like they came from the set of Taxi, then you’ve got bigger problems.
Your alternative is to sell new hires on the value of not having to decide what to wear every day. See how far that goes.
People like stylish clothing. You can help them by choosing a dress code that is modern. If you’re providing the parts, have sizes that fit them too. Take your cues from popular culture to serve everyone’s needs, the business and your team.
Here are eleven places to start.
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
There probably are few hosts as dashing and charismatic as Ty Pennington. His show, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, ran for nine seasons, until 2012. The regulars on the show always looked just a little clean for laborers, but Pennington often wore his signature jeans and fitted outerwear. This is what making uniforms cool is all about.
Holmes On Homes
There’s one thing about Holmes you can’t miss… two things, actually. He doesn’t look like someone you’d want argue with, even though he’s actually a fun-loving guy on the show. The other thing is the overalls. The man doesn’t own pants that stop at the waist. He’s a Carhartt guy, through and through. And yes, he looks like Mr. Clean, but he’s still cool.
Chopped
Forget Hell’s Kitchen. Gordon Ramsey is a walk in the park compared to Chopped. These chefs don’t deal with one hot-headed chef. They have to perform for three chef judges, against other chefs and a clock. They compose boutique cuisine items from mystery ingredients they’ve often never seen before. They do this all in a stylish, fitted chef’s coat. The colors change depending on the time of year and skills of the chefs, but they always match. Even though it’s a competitive environment, they’re on the same team.
Ask This Old House
This ain’t your father’s This Old House, the one with Bob Villa. The new version features guys from the original show (if you’re old enough to know them). The premise is the same, flip an old house into something beautiful. Not exactly uniform, by definition, these craftsmen wear nothing but rugged gear, like Carhartt and Wrangler. Mustaches aside, there is a cool-factor in the venerable reputation of this old show. It wouldn’t be the same if they were wearing tank tops and board shorts.
Grey’s Anatomy
No show on this list can touch the marketability of Grey’s. The fanbase for this show is indisputably massive. If you’re not one, you know someone who is. The show can break your ribs with laughter, then drain your tear ducts. Oh yeah, and it’s steamy; probably too steamy. Medical uniforms never looked so good as they do on (and off) the cast of Grey’s Anatomy.
Extreme Engineering
Uniform safety accessories are one of the most difficult hurdles to cross, even though the goal is safety for the individual. Safety gear lacks a certain… sexiness. It helps if employees can see the “sexy” [read: cool] places where safety can get you. People watched this show until it went off the air in 2011 just to see the host, Danny Forster, climb ungodly heights to risk his life for the camera. For that reason, his safety vest and helmet are never too far away.
Duck Dynasty
Controversial? Yup. Successful? Also, yes. Duck Dynasty found themselves waist-deep in scandal a couple of years back, but the guys on the show never claimed to be diplomats. It’s a reality T.V. show about real people. They’re also still on the air as of this writing. Their business, selling duck hunting gear, is the reason for the camo.
Property Brothers
The property brothers, Drew and John Scott, have made a killing flipping houses on a number of shows on HGTV. Their most popular series is Property Brothers, which still airs in perpetuity. One brother is more the business side, the other gets dirty knocking down walls and contracting. Of the brothers, who sometimes wear suits, they also get rugged with workplace uniforms. Their signature look? One wears a tan Carhartt jacket, the other a blue denim one.
Hotel Impossible
It’s a familiar format. A struggling business brings in a professional to help them save their business. If your employees know this one, hopefully, it’s not firsthand. The host, Anthony Melchiorri, is usually in a suit. The staff of the hotel may not start out polished, but by the end of the show, their hospitality uniforms are pressed like professionals.
Fixer Upper
Chip and Joanna Gaines might be the cutest hosts on this list. They are native Texans, who help people find good home deals in nice areas, then further help them upgrade that property on the cheap. Chip is antic, the goofball of the show, but he wears Wrangler like a boss, every dang show. (Doesn’t everyone in Texas?) The key to this pairing is the endearing relationship built around a successful business, and despite Chip’s antics, their attention to doing everything the right way.
Mail Call
Most viewers knew retired United States Marine Corps Staff Sergeant R. Lee Ermey from his role in Full Metal Jacket. That was long before he hosted Mail Call, his own show. On his show, he answered viewer questions about many aspects of the military. And, of course, he hosted the show wearing military or tactical clothes. The show went off the air in 2009, but it ran for seven seasons. If you’ve never had the pleasure, go find old episodes. Ermey’s a hoot.
About the Author
Nick Warrick
Nick Warrick is the Sales Manager at All Seasons Uniforms. With over 15 years of experience in the work uniform business, he has worked with hundreds of clients across 20 different industries. Holding bachelor’s degrees in both Business Administration and Information Technology, Nick revamped the company’s online presence, offering its customers a new uniform shopping experience.