It doesn’t matter whether you’re a small business owner or an in-house HR specialist. Managing people and, more crucially, managing their performance is undoubtedly a challenging yet rewarding process — especially if you get it right. 

In fact, there are a few things better than a highly motivated workforce fully committed to delivering for your business and your customers. 

However, getting most of the team to that point is challenging. Having a variety of cool company perks might bring short bursts of gratitude and motivation for staff, but that won’t necessarily foster a more positive, high-performance working culture in the long term. 

If anything, it’s the essentials that arguably go furthest with staff. Employees generally seek personal value and purpose at work, which comes from the basic resources they’re given to do their jobs. 

That’s why the importance of workwear should never be underestimated when it comes to establishing and maintaining high levels of workforce performance.  

What is enclothed cognition? 

Below, we’ll explore various triggers that influence an employee’s performance within the context of what they’re wearing. 

But, the key thing to understand first is that it all starts in the mind. Employee performance, good or bad, is a behavioural trait that stems from how a person feels and then acts when they’re wearing certain clothes. That is essentially the definition of enclothed cognition —  the systematic influence that clothes have on the wearer's psychological processes.

Therefore, providing the correct type of workwear gives you a golden opportunity to tap into the enclothed cognition of your workforce, sending the right signals to ignite a strong working culture and attitude among individuals as well as the team as a whole. 

Comfort is key

So, what are the positive signals concerning workwear that can influence the thoughts and feelings of employees? 

Comfort is the most obvious. Comfortable, well-fitted workwear reduces distractions and discomfort, allowing employees to focus on their tasks more effectively. 

This is generally universally important across different industries, too. For instance, a welder is just as likely to value comfort as a chef. 

Guaranteeing comfort is easier said than done. Kitting out your workforce with a one-size-fits-all catalogue of garments across men’s and women’s workwear won’t satisfy everyone. So, you’ll have to remember this when supplying workwear, ensuring each employee is catered to based on their individual specifications. 

Feeling safe

Safety features in workwear, such as high-visibility materials and protective gear, are essential in preventing accidents and ensuring a secure work environment, which enhances efficiency.

It also gives employees confidence in what they’re wearing and what they’re doing. There’s nothing worse for an employee than feeling at risk every time they clock on the job. 

Ensuring they’re suitably equipped with safe, reliable workwear will give them peace of mind, especially if you’re operating in an industry where accidents and hazards are deemed high risk. 

There’s also the litigation side to this. Workwear needs to meet compliance standards for whatever industry you’re in. So, if employees know their garments comply with the relevant health and safety regulations, this adds another layer of peace of mind and means they can rest assured and confidently tackle their daily tasks. 

It also shows you generally care for their welfare and are committed to keeping them safe at work in a responsible manner, which builds trust among employees. 

Branded uniforms

Branded uniforms foster team cohesion and reinforce a unified corporate identity, while easy-to-maintain garments support hygiene standards, particularly in industries like healthcare and food services.

Knowing their personalised workwear represents the brand in the public arena is often empowering for staff, giving them an added sense of responsibility and willingness to do a good job. 

There’s a perception that employees consciously and unconsciously recognise a link between their uniforms and their confidence, customer interaction, motivation and professionalism. 

As well as reinforcing a sense of self-identity, reliability and credibility, employees can also see customers are more likely to trust and engage with them due to their professional and cohesive appearance. 

Long-term benefits

Provided the supply and upkeep of men’s and ladies’ workwear is consistent, all the benefits we’ve already discussed should have long-lasting benefits. However, there are long-term advantages for you as a business beyond the things that appeal to the enclothed cognition of your employees. 

These are key benefits for any business, regardless of whether you’re scaling up or already well-established. 

Keeping employees for longer develops a strong sense of loyalty and a growing sense of motivation among your workforce. Being able to attract new talent easily is also a great plus point — and in many ways, this is an easy win if you can get your workwear supply and upkeep consistently to a high standard for all to see. 

It also sets a positive precedent for recruiting and retaining existing employees. 

Investing in rental workwear: to buy or not to buy? 

So, if you’re already thinking about supplying your workwear with all of the above in mind, you’ve probably got one question on your mind. 

What’s the best way to do it? 

First, you can shoulder the burden as a business and take full accountability for supply, upkeep and laundering.

That means purchasing the garments yourself so you have complete ownership of them. You’ll foot the bill for the initial outlay as well as any replacements, plus the operational and labour costs associated with the maintenance itself. 

You’ll have full control over supply but more costs overall to consider. 

Then, there’s rental. This essentially means outsourcing to a managed service provider who’ll take all the extra operational jobs off your hands — from supply to laundry, including delivery and pickup when required. 

All your costs here are absorbed into a package, so you have a clearer view of your fixed outgoings in relation to all things workwear. 

When it comes to keeping your workforce motivated to perform as well as possible, both options are a start. But, if you want to know more about the nuances of buying versus rental, head over to our blog for a more in-depth analysis of both options to help you decide.