Asbury Park Press, Monday, October 6, 2003

Jersey@Work

By Michael L. Diamond, Business Writer, Asbury Park Press

First came Casual Fridays, making suits and ties unnecessary. Then came the dot-coms, making khakis and collared-shirts look oppressive. Then came television shows like "Ally McBeal," where lawyers wearing miniskirts wrote a brief one moment and partied at the bar downstairs the next.

The result, employment experts say, is now there's confusion among a new generation - entering the work force on the heels of the dot-com boom - about what's considered appropriate attire. And some of them are pushing the boundaries, forcing their employers to rein them in.

"We see a lot of folks come in and are dressed, shall I say, trendily, following the fashion trend," said Michael Tomko, senior vice president and director of retail banking for Dover Township-based Ocean First Bank. "Financial services is not one to keep up with fashion trends. We're on the conservative side."

What's the big deal? Experts say employees' dress contributes as much to a company's image as an advertising campaign. And anyone out of step risks getting passed over for a promotion or seeing customers shop elsewhere.

For a new generation entering the work force, the dress code is muddled. Amy Gurchensky, 24, South River is studying for a master's degree in business administration at Monmouth University and works in sales and marketing for Intel Corp. She sees different styles wherever she goes - formal in New York, more casual in New Jersey.

But she takes few chances with her own attire: nice pants, button-down shirt and a sweater: "I look young, and it helps people take me a little more seriously," Gurchensky said. "It's harder to get people to cooperate if you don't maintain a certain appearance."

Workers began dressing down in the 1990's, and by the end of the decade you could barely tell the difference between employees at the local internet company and students at the local college.

Traditionally conservative companies relaxed their standards as well to help morale and recruit workers in a competitive economy, experts said.

But the technology bubble burst, many dot-com companies closed, and the labor market soured. Now, some 58 percent of executives think employees are confused about what is appropriate attire for the workplace, according to a recent study by Wirthline Worldwide and commissioned by Greensboro, N.C.-based Kayser-Roth Corp.

And to some, that's troubling. The survey found 63 percent of executives think employees who look more professional advance faster in their careers.

"There was a big surge, a lot of people rushing to the dot-coms when they emerged," said Rae Mackall, Kayser-Roth's director of human resources. The company makes both casual and formal legwear. "People are moving back toward more traditional businesses."

It has left some personnel directors shaking their heads. For example, Barbara Davis, who owns employment agencies in Red Bank and Freehold, said she has encountered young workers dressed too seductively, influenced by shows like "Ally McBeal."

"It used to be really simple; you got out of school and wore a suit to work," said Christine Nichols, president of Options Employment Resources, a Tinton Falls employment Agency. "Now a company says 'business casual' and a person doesn't know what to wear until they get there."

Even once they're there, they don't necessarily know what it means. Quintum Technologies, a telecommunications company in Eatontown, has a 'business casual' dress code. Some workers wear khakis and polo shirts, others wear jeans and sneakers, said Paul Doria, human resources manager.

"It means different things to different people," Doria said.

At Quintum, the confusion makes little difference; the company wants to project a friendly, casual image, Doria said.

But slowly workers are learning that image isn't for everyone. Montauk Financial Group, a brokerage firm in Middletown, has a strict dress code outlined in its handbook: Men wear jackets, ties and white shirts. Women can wear pants as long as they are dressy, said Pat Pampel, director of human reources.

Occasionally, though, workers wear clothing that's too revealing. When that happens, they receive a reminder, Pampel said.

"I totally understand the way someone is dressing, and if you want to bring something to change into and go out after work, that's fine. But it's not appropriate during business hours," Pampel said. "The nature of the business is, when you're dealing with someone's money, you want someone who looks the part."