First impressions are everything. You may have built your business, but that doesn’t mean you’re the face of your business.

Ask yourself, what’s the first thing customers see when they walk through those doors?

It’s your employees that are the true face of your business, just like your website is the face of your business online.

But are customers getting the wrong impression from your employees? What your employees wear plays a bigger role than you think.

Here are seven ways an employee uniform can improve your bottom-line.

1. Get on the Same Page

You may have heard of the terms “company culture” or “corporate culture.” These terms refer to a set of standards all employees follow to maintain the integrity of your business.

An employee uniform is an important piece of any company culture. It unifies your staff and puts them on the same page.

Uniforms keep your standards in place. When seasoned employees follow the dress code, it helps new employees settle into the company culture.

Ensure top employees wear their name tag, tuck in their shirt, keep their uniform clean and make shirt logos visible.

Help your best employees lead by example by introducing uniforms that all the staff will want to wear!

2. Reduce Tension at Work

Tension is toxic to your brand. This is one of the most overlooked aspects of a business.

How your employees feel affect how they perform. You’ve heard the phrase, “happy employees make good employees.” Introducing an employee uniform is a surprisingly good way to ease work conflicts.

Individual style can be a source of tension at work. How employees express themselves visually can have an impact on productivity, performance, and brand ambassadorship. You want your employees to stay focused and represent the mission of your company.

Self-expression is important, but is your business really the place for it?

Here are several ways personal style can increase tension:

  • Shirts with controversial words
  • Explicit clothing
  • Clothing that discriminates against race, sex, gender, and religion
  • Revealing outfits
  • Offensive band shirts

These clothing choices can lead to more tension. They’re also distracting to customers!

This is where company culture comes in. Clearly outline your uniform and dress code standards in your corporate culture statement to avoid conflicts from work attire.

3. Off-Hours Branding

Employee uniforms are branding gold.

For starters, employee uniforms feature your company logo, colors, and aesthetic. This is an important piece of your branding identity.

When your employees walk home from work, what do bystanders see? They see your brand. That can make all the difference in turning a bystander into a customer.

When your employees go to the store after work, shoppers see your brand. When they’re sitting on the bus, tourists see your brand. When they walk to their front door, their neighbors see your brand.

Employee uniforms are off-hours branding at its best.

4. An Employee Uniform is Cost-Effective

Uniforms are cost-effective for both you and your employees.

Sure, employee uniforms cost money at first. But the value pays back in spades.

You know the importance of branding. But uniforms also make it easier for your employees.

Imagine how much money your employees spend on professional work clothes. It adds up. Employee uniforms can help relieve the stress of having to buy clothes.

All your employees aren’t living in the same economic bracket. Uniforms can be a much-needed relief for employees that are struggling to make ends meet.

This comes back to the concept of “happy employees make good employees.” Imagine how much work performance will improve when employees don’t have to spend an entire paycheck on their dress code.

5. Brand Consistency

Look at your current branding strategy. Is your brand being clearly communicated across all marketing channels? This is where an employee uniform comes in.

If your website looks nothing like your business, it throws off your brand. If your in-store signage doesn’t match your company colors, it throws off your brand. If your employees don’t look like they work at your company, it throws off your brand.

See a pattern here?

Consistency is the unsung hero of branding. It doesn’t get a lot of attention, but it’s integral to success.

Think of employee uniforms as the glue that holds all your branding elements together. Employees are living, breathing representations of your brand. Make sure your uniform colors, logo, style, slogan, and style reflect the look and mission of your brand.

6. Customer Service

One of the biggest pet peeves for customers is looking for employees to help them. Unfortunately, it happens all too often. It’s not always the fault of your employees either.

Employee uniforms let customers know who’s on duty. If your employees look like regular customers, how are customers supposed to know who they are?

To combat this problem, many businesses implement a dress code with name tags. But dressing professionally and wearing name tags may not be enough. You need a uniform to help your employees stand out.

Remember, it’s all about brand consistency. Walmart’s employee uniforms feature the retailer’s signature logo and color palette. There’s no mistaking who works at Walmart.

Don’t confuse your customers or let your employees become the brunt of customer frustration. Implement an employee uniform that makes everyone happy.

7. Safety and Security

Two of the most overlooked benefits of employee uniforms is safety and security. But safety and security are equally as important for your bottom line.

For many businesses, it’s absolutely critical to have an employee uniform. Pest control employees and carpet cleaners, for example, need uniforms for identification purposes.

Would a customer let a pest exterminator into their home without a proper uniform? Probably not. That’s something to think about.

Uniforms also ensure the safety and security of employees. Depending on your work environment, you may need uniforms to protect against burns, scrapes, chemicals, and other potential work hazards. This is important for keeping your worker compensation costs down.

Unify Your Staff

Uniforms aren’t a drag. They could be the ticket to improving your bottom-line and the lives of your employees. Invest in an employee uniform that makes you, your employees, and your customers happy.

This is just the start of your new outlook toward business. Keep improving with the latest tips and tricks for entrepreneurs.