Uniforms for Large and Small Businesses – Be the Best

There’s something about putting on a uniform. You stand out in a normal crowd. You feel a little different the first time you put it on. You may feel a little out of place on your way to the game or to work but the minute you step on the field or into work there is a sense of belonging that comes with wearing the same thing as the people around you. 

No matter your age, it’s the same thing. The first day on the job has you a little nervous and yet at the same time, there is still this sense of excitement and pride for the accomplishment of passing the interview process. When you walk through the doors there are a lot of unfamiliar faces and routines but there is something unifying about seeing someone walk by with the same uniform on as you. There is a sudden feeling of belonging despite the new environment. You are automatically part of a team and working for the team’s success. 

As a business owner, the uniform you provide for your employees says a lot. It is their first impression of the business and being part of your team. The quality of the item symbolizes the value they bring to the company and their worth to your business. For example, a high quality embroidered uniform tells them how important their job is for the team and how important their role is in the company. On the flip side, a cheap shirt may make them feel like they are just a number that comes and goes easily. The business wouldn’t want to invest in an employee’s uniform if they don’t expect them to work there for a long time. For a quality business and quality employees, you want them to feel the weight and importance of their job by supplying a high-quality uniform, shirt, jacket or even hat. 

The kind of uniform fit for the job will depend on some obvious factors such as the type of job and the weather they will be working in if it is an outdoor job. However, no matter the situation of the job, there is a way to order them cheaply and a way to show quality. 

From T-shirts to heavy-duty coats, every uniform can be ordered with small or large upgrades to make employees feel valued.

Tips for improving your company’s uniform or apparel

• Add the Employee’s Name and or job title
• Consider a soft polyester material instead of cotton that will shrink easily in the wash
• Opt for a Coat, Jacket or hoodie rather than a simple T-shirt
  
•  Choose something that could be worn outside of work (Bonus: Great Marketing)
  
• Choose the best decorative format for your business (Embroidery, Heat Transfer, or Screen Print)

Take some time to consider how you want to label the apparel 

To stand out as part of your business. So much about your employees and especially how they are dressed makes a statement about your business and can work as a form of marketing. 

A few years ago I encountered an extremely rude driver with a business’ name plastered all over their vehicle. I have no way of knowing if they were on the job or on their way home but while they were driving around town with the business logo on their truck, they were making a statement for that company. In this case, it was a very awful impression. This was a while ago and I can’t remember exactly what they did on the road but I will always connect that bad experience with that company even though the experience didn’t have anything to do with their company. You are careful to hire employees that will represent your business as you would, so give them a uniform that will encourage them to live up to that important responsibility. 

Here are some things to consider about the label on the uniform.

• Location and size of the label- big and flashy or small and classy? 
• Type of labeling: Embroidery, Heat Transfer, or Screen Print.
  
• Colors- sometimes just the color can represent your whole company- do you want the color to match your logo or do you want it black and upscale or do you want different colors to represent different jobs in the company?
• Do you want to include the logo and the company name or just one or the other or name on the front and logo on the back, etc.

Ask your employees for their opinion. 

Pass around some options for them to vote on at your next meeting or send out a simple email survey. This is a sure way to make them feel valued and important. It will also assure they feel invested in their uniforms and ownership so they hold more value for them. Ultimately, it will help you make a selection that your employees will enjoy. 

Wear if yourself.

The final way to make a statement of quality with your uniform is the unspoken impression you can make by wearing them yourself. If even the CEO’s and the managers in the company wear the same sort of uniform that the new hires are wearing then everyone will see the value through quality of the uniforms and the quality of the company.