As we enter into the dog days of summer, a poll conducted by Monster
shows the impact of casual dress in the workplace. Three quarters of
workers polled (77 percent) feel flip-flops are unprofessional, while an
additional seven percent simply don’t want to see colleagues’ feet while
at work. In contrast, just over one in ten (11 percent) believe
flip-flops are generally acceptable attire.
Monster,
the premier global online employment solution and flagship brand of
Monster Worldwide, Inc. asked visitors to their site the question,
“Which of the following best describes how you feel about wearing
flip-flops in the workplace?” and received 10,723 responses.
International findings included:
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Flip-flops are generally acceptable attire: 11%
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Flips-flops are acceptable only for women: 5%
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They're okay, but I personally don't like seeing feet at work: 7%
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Flip-flops look unprofessional: 77%
Across the regions there are notable differences between the Americas
and Europe, with 86 percent of respondents in the Americas (US, Canada
and Mexico) deeming flip-flops unprofessional, against nearly three
quarters (72%) of respondents across Europe who feel the same. Asian
workers appear slightly less perturbed by footwear, with 68 percent
believing flip-flops inappropriate.
Country by country, a similar number of respondents from the US (87
percent), Canada (86 percent), Mexico (82 percent), UK (81 percent) and
Sweden (81 percent) veto flip-flops in the workplace, compared to a
smaller percentage across the Netherlands (70 percent), Austria (60
percent) and Italy (60 percent).
Conversely, a quarter of all respondents in Austria (25 percent) and
Italy (23 percent) feel flip-flops are appropriate footwear for work,
the highest percentage of all regions. By contrast, the lowest numbers
of respondents who feel the same are Mexican (six percent) American
(five percent), and Canadian (five percent).
In general, respondents express strong opinions on flip-flop wearing as
either acceptable or unacceptable for work; while a mere five percent of
workers across the globe feel flip-flops are acceptable only for women.
"In just about every industry, work environments are becoming more
casual, so it can be hard for people to know what's appropriate," says
Charles Purdy, Monster.com's career expert. "And in summer months,
staying cool becomes a priority. But in any job, you should dress with
an eye toward your future career. Emulate your managers and people you
admire at your company, make sure you understand official dress codes,
and pay attention to your calendar -- you may want to dress up a bit on
days with important meetings, for example."
The results of the current Monster Global Poll are based on votes cast
by Monster visitors from: May 1 – May 14 2012. Only one vote per user is
counted toward the final tabulation. The Monster Global poll, a product
of Monster®, the premier global online employment solution
and flagship brand of Monster Worldwide, Inc., is a series of online
polls that gauge users’ opinions on a variety of topics relating to
careers, the economy and the workplace. These polls are not scientific
and reflect the opinions of only those Internet users who have chosen to
participate.
About Monster Worldwide
Monster Worldwide, Inc., parent company of Monster, the premier global
online employment solution for more than a decade, strives to inspire
people to improve their lives. With a local presence in key markets in
North America, Europe, and Asia, Monster works for everyone by
connecting employers with quality job seekers at all levels and by
providing personalised career advice to consumers globally. Through
online media sites and services, Monster delivers vast, highly targeted
audiences to advertisers. To learn more about Monster's industry-leading
products and services, visit www.monster.com.
More information about Monster Worldwide is available at http://about-monster.com.
