The pandemic-led decline in office dress codes is good for diversity and inclusion

Karl Oczkowski is senior director, corporate communications and public relations, at the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.
While dress codes were already shifting before COVID-19, with Silicon Valley and the rest of the tech world spearheading the transition to more casual dress in the office, the pandemic acted as a strong catalyst for further change. Indeed, a gradual shift from office formal to office casual, and then on to smart casual, has quickly assumed its final form in an acceptance of office wear, in many environments, that is simply casual.
Critics will bemoan this shift, passing harsh judgment on colleagues who show up to work in Birkenstocks, athleisure wear and T-shirts. In some cases, such judgment may be defensible, knowing that many professionals fail to read the room and appreciate the norms of dress code for their specific workplace, industry or circumstances. Nevertheless, there is a bright side to more casual dress in the office.
The loosening of dress codes as the pandemic has eased presents opportunities to support diversity, equity and inclusion. While reading the room is important, the room is much more diverse than it used to be. As DEI initiatives grow in importance across the corporate world, the resulting variation will manifest itself in several ways, particularly as younger generations enter the work force. And one of those ways is with dress.
Opinion: There’s been a ‘slobification’ of dress codes since the pandemic, and it needs to stop
The fact that the office has become a more casual frontier has made it more accessible to many people who have historically felt unwelcome in the corporate environment – including those with different cultures and backgrounds, gender identities and beliefs about how they should present themselves to the world. For example, the business suit, a distinctively Western invention, is hardly an inclusive choice for a uniform.
This doesn’t even begin to address the swaths of young workers raised in challenging economic times. They will understandably struggle to afford a closet full of traditionally appropriate corporate attire when the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment has soared to more than $2,000 a month in many cities, and wages are at historic lows relative to productivity.
So, while there is no harm in clinging to certain expectations and standards of dress in the office, we should be celebrating the diversification of those standards, and their ability to make the workplace more diverse and inclusive.
Furthermore, it would be simplistic to decry the change we’ve seen as a slobification of office dress codes, ignoring the fact that even in environments with the strictest codes, many people still fail to dress in a way that looks considered, intentional or co-ordinated. Indeed, ask yourself who is the better dressed: a gentleman in patent leather oxfords and an oversized suit, or the modern professional in clean white sneakers, dark denim and a well-fitting cardigan over a white T-shirt?
As expectations and standards have diversified, intentionality has taken the place of formality. The focus now is much more on thoughtful, contextual expression of individual style and identity, thanks to an overdue recognition that looking good isn’t just about how formal you are, but how well you are put together. It is a big change, it has occurred quickly and it is far from losing its momentum.
While it is the traditionalists’ prerogative to cling to traditional expectations, doing so will only become more difficult as the corporate world rightfully changes into a place that is more open, welcoming, dynamic and interesting.