Dress Sense

SO the temperature is creeping up, but how is workplace wear faring in this heat?

Not everyone is in the position where it doesn't matter if they dress 'power casual'. This leaves many employers and employees facing the summertime dilemma of appropriate clothing for the workplace. For some, there is little choice. Men, in particular, end up hot under the collar in shirt and tie.

Most managers can recite tales when they have had to pull someone to one side because of their, ahem, 'misunderstanding' of what's appropriate. With this in mind, here are our tips for how you can manage this; whether you're wondering what to wear or how to tell someone that they need to show a bit more discretion.

Wondering what to wear?

1 Hang loose. There's nothing worse than wearing something that sticks to you when you're hot. Loose fitting clothes are probably the easiest way to stay cool and covered.

2 Career minded? They say dress for the job you want, not the job you've got. So, if you opt for casual then remember what message this may be sending out. (Unless you want to give out the impression you're on of the multimillionaires that Rick at FlipChartFairyTales has been blogging about.)

3 Au naturale. Opt for light weight, natural materials where possible. It sounds obvious but so many people forget this rule and end up with sweat patches on a polyester shirt.

4 Cold shoulder. Try to steer clear of turning up at work in vests. Some people are offended by too much flesh, and it can also give off the wrong signals. That said, women can usually get away with wearing shift dresses, or even sleeveless blouses.

5 Arm-oury. Capped sleeves are a good choice for women. Men, we know smart short sleeved shirts aren't exactly the must-have of the year. If you can go smart casual, polo or checked shirts can be a good option. Otherwise stick to 1 and 3 above.

6 Trotters. Lots of work places have policies preventing open toe, sling back or backless shoes. Unfortunately, summer weather has to take a back seat to health and safety when choosing footwear. Also, your feet may be well manicured but you don't want to set a trend and end up seeing Trevor's athletes' foot, now do you? Probably best to leave the sandals for the weekend.

7 And finally... The thing no-one likes to mention.

Smell.

Wash your clothes regularly. Take a shower. Apply antipersperant. Nuff said.

Wondering how to break the news?

Managers, if you do need to talk to employees, make sure you are being consistent. Don't focus on them as an individual. Make it about clarifying your expectations of the whole workforce. As much as reasonably practicable, the same rules should apply for men and women. Be tactful. Explain why dress and appearance are important or why, for health and safety reasons, some items are inappropriate.

For more advice on difficult conversations, repeat offenders or on Dress Policies, contact us by email info@thehrexperts.co.uk.

Medical Terminology Training

We have lots of GP clients and know how important it is for staff in support functions to be able to confidently process documents and information rife with medical terms that would leave most of us scratching our heads in despair!

That's why we're thrilled to be teaming up with Gill Francis Training & Development Services to offer a Medical Terminology Course.

The programme is designed for those who need to understand many of the medical terms used by the doctors and nurses at work. The interactive programme aims to take the mystery out of medical terminology.

By completing the programme delegates will find it easier to understand the medical terms used, gain confidence in spelling terms correctly and reduce the need to “look in the dictionary”.



During the session, participants will learn:
- The origins of medical terminology
- The structure of medical terms
- The commonly used components of medical terminology
- How to work out what medical words mean
- Key terminology related to four body systems:
• Cardiology
• Respiratory
• Musculoskeletal
• Digestive
- Abbreviations commonly used in Primary and Secondary Care

Each delegate will be provided with a comprehensive workbook to refer to during and after the training programme.

Lunch & refreshments included. £95.00 plus VAT per person.

Please telephone (01709) 328864 or email info@thehrexperts.co.uk to book.