Do Kenyan Workers Exaggerate The Meaning of “Casual Friday” ? HR Speaks Out

By Jane Gakaria,

Have you ever been on your way to work on a Friday morning and met up with people dressed in minis and tights, more so in this chilly weather, and are just wondering where on earth they could possibly be going to?

So you figure may be the person is on leave or maybe they’re not actually employed. So when you go to your local M-Pesa to withdraw cash you’re actually stunned to find that they are the ones serving you. Goodness, you think to yourself, is this a business premise or a lingerie shop?

Which brings us to the question, have Kenyans made casual Friday to casual? According to one Mr. David Mureithi, HR Manager at Transport and Lifting Ltd, they have.

“Casual Fridays mean different things to different companies. Some companies may be more strict while others maybe more lenient. That said, if wearing a mini skirt or even gym biker shorts might be comfortable for you, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it is appropriate for the work place.”

So what does he advice to wear? “I really don’t care much for what people choose to wear so long as it decent. What I do try to ask them is this, imagine you’re going to meet someone who you greatly respect and admire, how you would dress for them is how you should dress to work, regardless if it’s a Friday.”

He also adds that though employees may not know it, they are indirectly portraying a negative image to management. Should a top position open up, they may not consider you simply based on your dressing.

So has he had any negative experience with an employee in regards to dressing? “Yes. With men it’s rare, maybe once in a while you’ll get one who wears a t-shirt with an inappropriate sign or symbol but most of the time its women who are the culprits. There was a time when a junior female employee would always wear minis and her you know what would get seen. I would always be constantly forced to talk to her to change her dress code or send her home to change.”

His advice on dealing with such matters? One, have proper dress code policies in place. “In the case of the junior employee, our policy doesn’t allow me much room to reprimand her. The most I could do was talk to her and send her home.” Let these policies define what one should wear even on casual Fridays and how to punish the offenders.

Two, involve the employees. If possible, managers should discuss the policies with employees, ensure they understand them and give them examples of what is or isn’t acceptable.

Three, be a role model. If you’re a manager, you can’t possibly be reprimanding employees for inappropriate dressing while you yourself dress in the same inappropriate manner. It has to start with you. Be the change you want to see.

Four, try to stand out from the crowd. In this competitive job market, if there’s anything you can do to enhance your image and stand out, do it. Something as trivial as dressing could very well be the difference in you getting promoted or not.

In conclusion, if you like to follow trends and think of yourself as a fashionista, remember the work place is not the appropriate environment for such. My two worth cents? Dress appropriately, even if it’s a casual Friday, for your company and your industry.

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