Smaller companies are starting to realise the benefits of corporate clothing, which is not limited to major corporations with large staff complements. When your few staff members are dressed in corporate wear, it makes your small company appear bigger. Clients start to take notice of the company and assume it is bigger than it really is.

Professional Recognition

Corporate clothing is a fantastic tool for creating a specific brand image and to increase the professionalism of your company. It creates a united front amongst team members working in different departments and those working out in the field. If you're working on site and your workers are wearing corporate clothing, it is easy to tell your team apart from other teams of contractors - much like a rugby or cricket team. Clients are happy because they can see the professionalism, and from knowing what your brand looks like, they are able to tell apart your employees. Brand recognition helps clients to feel comfortable with your employees and they can work with them.

Employees

Corporate clothing also helps to neaten up employees. By getting your corporate uniform right, you can provide clothing that is comfortable, yet smart. Wearing a golf shirt when working outside, is much more comfortable than a dress shirt. However, if you're wearing an unbranded golf shirt, it almost looks too casual. When your team is wearing a nice-looking, professional-quality golf shirt, it is comfortable enough to work in, but it also looks good. Corporate wear also subliminally encourages employees to behave more appropriately in front of clients due to the fact that they are more recognisable as part of the team.

When it comes to more up-market uniforms for your office staff, you want something that is a bit smarter since these employees interact with clients. Here you want to go for a more subtle branding. We recommend going for a smarter button shirt in your company colours, with a tone-on-tone branding. This creates consistency when your clients enter the office and see everyone dressed the same. Clients appreciate the professional image that corporate clothing conveys.

Staff appreciate it when employees provide corporate wear, because:

• They don't have to buy their own expensive clothes that are professional enough for work.
• They don't have to worry about what to wear.
• They feel that they belong to a team.

Since staff have less to worry about, and since they feel like a part of the team, it should enhance team spirit and therefore increase productivity.

Clients

Branded corporate clothing can also be given to clients at events or promotions, such as golf days. However, if you want them to wear it, you need to keep the branding subtle. Making it too promotional will prevent them from wearing it again. By making the branding more subtle, it can be a very presentable gift which clients will appreciate. Avoid the temptation to splash your branding all over the garment, as that will have the opposite effect to what you were looking for.

While corporate clothing does not seem to yield direct profitability, it certainly makes an impact on your company's image and on the attitude of the staff who wear it.

We would like to encourage you to implement the guidelines in this article straight away. If you are not sure how to get started or how it best applies to your business, please contact us and we will be happy to share some further thoughts with you.