Many jobs today and in the past have required their employees to wear uniforms. This is especially true for jobs that must be recognisable and its greatest drawback relates to resentment.
The jobs that most require uniforms all relate to positions of authority. It is important for the public and other employees to be able to recognise these figures. The original example of this is soldiers who must be recognisable to their own people and each other in order to fight an enemy effectively. Today this same principle applies to authorities ranging from the police to fire fighters. There are also more civilian occupations where authority is self-evidently important such as for doctors, judges, and chefs. Even simple jobs such as working in a fast food restaurant or supermarket require uniforms in order to make it easier for customers to identify them.
The disadvantage to wearing a uniform at work is the effect on morale. In some instances, uniforms can be inspiring if the employee is personally invested in the service or product the company provides. For the majority of employees, however, uniforms repress individuality and comodify. In the same way that cans of soup are wrapped in a label, an employee may come to feel like a company product. The jobs most susceptible to this will not be high-ranking ones such as a doctor, where the uniform instills pride, but lower order work such as a factory worker, cashier, or cleaner. Uniforms will likely only add to pre-existing resentment of their position in life.
In conclusion, uniforms are necessary for operations but can hurt mental health in certain occupations. There is little that can be done to address the necessity of uniforms but their effects can be mitigated with compassionate company policies.
Many
jobs
today
and in the past have required their
employees
to wear
uniforms
. This is
especially
true for
jobs
that
must
be
recognisable
and its greatest drawback relates to resentment.
The
jobs
that most require
uniforms
all relate to positions of authority. It is
important
for the public and other
employees
to be able to
recognise
these figures. The original example of this is soldiers who
must
be
recognisable
to their
own
people
and each other in order to fight an enemy
effectively
.
Today
this same principle
applies to
authorities ranging from the police to fire fighters. There are
also
more civilian occupations where authority is self-
evidently
important
such as for doctors, judges, and chefs. Even simple
jobs
such as working in a
fast
food restaurant or supermarket require
uniforms
in order to
make
it easier for customers to identify them.
The disadvantage to wearing a
uniform
at work is the effect on morale. In
some
instances,
uniforms
can be inspiring if the
employee
is
personally
invested in the service or product the
company
provides. For the majority of
employees
,
however
,
uniforms
repress individuality and
comodify
.
In the same way
that cans of soup
are wrapped
in a label, an
employee
may
come
to feel like a
company
product. The
jobs
most susceptible to this will not be high-ranking ones such as a doctor, where the
uniform
instills pride,
but
lower order work such as a factory worker, cashier, or cleaner.
Uniforms
will likely
only
add
to pre-existing resentment of their position in life.
In conclusion
,
uniforms
are necessary for operations
but
can hurt mental health in certain occupations. There is
little
that can
be done
to address the necessity of
uniforms
but
their effects can
be mitigated
with compassionate
company
policies.