Suit and tie going out of style at work

"Dress-down Fridays" may be fast becoming a thing of the past.

Employers in the UK are increasingly allowing staff to dispense with their ties, suits and formal business wear every day of the week.

Employees in some companies, especially during the present heat wave, are being allowed to turn up to work in shorts and sandals.

Traditional office wear is now regarded as "power dressing", only to use on special occasions.

The more relaxed attitude by employers is paying dividends, with four out of five companies arguing that it increases productivity.

In a survey of 560 British organisations, the employment law firm Peninsula found that nine out of ten had got a "no tie" policy as part of a more informal dress code.

Dylan Jones, editor of men's lifestyle magazine GQ said that ties were now achieving a "new level of importance" because they were worn less often.

"Wearing a tie now is more a symptom of power dressing than it has been for a while. When you wear one now, it really shows that you mean business."

Peter Done, managing director of Peninsula, said that long-standing conventions were being challenged.

"The popularity of "dress down days" and relaxed attitudes towards dress codes soared in recent years.

The traditional standards of attire for work are ever-diminishing and this has become apparent during the recent heat wave.

Traditional conventions within which business is conducted are being challenged and are constantly changing to meet the demands of the growing global environment."Brendan Barber, TUC general secretary, said it was good to see that during the heat wave employers were taking heed of the TUC's "cool work campaign".

He said that it was tough working in sweltering offices, shops and factories, but it was made worse if bosses insisted on staff remaining "suited and booted" as the temperatures soared.

"A little summer dressing down and a temporary relaxing of workplace dress codes will reap huge benefits to those employers who realise that cool, comfortable workplaces are good for productivity and for their employees."

- INDEPENDENT