Yay or nay: Are shorts acceptable office attire?

Business up top, summer down bottom - the Herald asks employers if shorts and jandals are allowed in the office post-holiday.

As you attempt to wash away your back-to-work blues with a caffeinated beverage, you may be wondering: Can I wear shorts or jandals to the office today?

To save you a side-eye from any full-length-pant or skirt-wearing colleagues, we asked employers for the official “yay” or “nay”.

Yay

Contact Energy was all for keeping the summer wardrobe in full rotation during the working week.

“We want our people to feel comfortable at work, however that looks for them. You be you! (Minor caveat of be reasonable),” a Contact spokeswoman said.

The electricity retailer went one well-ventilated step beyond the debate in question, and admitted to allowing Birkenstocks in the office. Evidence was provided - see below.

Contact Energy staff Leah Chamberlin-Gunn (left) and Will Durkin are unashamedly rocking Birkenstocks in the office. Photo / Supplied

Fisher and Paykel Healthcare also allowed knees and toes to be seen in its offices.

Similarly, a Sky Television spokeswoman said: “Heck yeah!”

Stride Property actively encouraged jandal-wearing, with a Jandals January month. Obviously, jandals should only be worn with shorts, so a Stride spokesman said they were acceptable too. Only in January, though.

Seafood company Sanford was also in the “yay” camp but safety requirements meant its staff on fishing vessels must wear covered shoes.

“Of course, if your office is a mussel or salmon barge or fishing vessel, shorts can be a very good idea. Jandals not so much, as they can be a health and safety issue and we do require safe and sensible footwear in any setting,” a Sanford spokeswoman said.

Seafood company Sanford suggests shorts are a good idea for staff working on its mussel barges or fishing vessels, but safety requirements don't allow for jandals. Photo / Supplied

She said no Sanford head office staff were wearing shorts today, despite the glorious Auckland weather.

Staff at broadband network operator Chorus’ office were wearing both shorts and jandals today, a spokesman revealed. Shorts were more popular than jandals, he said.

Chorus colleagues (left to right) Simon Neal, Gregor McDonald and Hamish Buchanan are proudly sporting shorts in the office. Photo / Supplied

Vector was pro-shorts, but drew the line at togs.

“Our guidance is to dress professionally and not come to work dressed like you’re going to the beach – so no bikinis or mankinis please,” a spokeswoman said.

The New Zealand stock exchange (NZX) was somewhere on the fence. “Dress” shorts were allowed in some circumstances but jandals were not welcome. Again, only during the month of January.

“Over the summer period, NZX takes a more relaxed and practical approach to work attire for those working in our offices,” NZX spokesman Simon Beattie said.

“We continue to dress appropriately for the client. If employees have no client commitments, then dress shorts are permitted in January. Jandals aren’t.”

The New Zealand Superannuation Fund allowed shorts under its “dress for your day” policy, but a spokeswoman said few had taken up the offer this summer.

Retailer KMD Brands, which owned Kathmandu and surfwear brand Ripcurl, were cool with staff donning both shorts and jandals, given it sells them.

“As we sell shorts and jandals we certainly allow them all year round in the office,” a KMD spokeswoman said.

“No jandals in the warehouse or stores though due to the handling of boxes.”

NZME, owner of the Herald, supported a smart casual dress code, according to its chief executive Michael Boggs.

However, Boggs admitted he had been wearing shorts since returning to the office in 2023.

“A few of our team, including myself, have been sporting shorts in the first few weeks of January. I think that’s okay as we ease into the year, but come end of the month we’ll be back to our usual, and jandals at work will always be a stretch too far!”

Power company Mercury did not have an office dress code at all.

“We want to create an environment where everyone feels respected and comfortable and encourage a ‘reasonable person’ test when deciding on what they want to wear to work,” A Mercury spokesman said.

Retirement village operator Arvida also gave positive endorsement from the top. Its chief executive Jeremy Nicoll told the Herald staff could wear summer clothing all year round if they wished.

“We operate a dress-for-your-day policy, so yes - shorts and jandals are acceptable attire at any time during the year,” Nicoll said.

Nay

The retirement village sector was divided on this controversial debate.

Despite Arvida allowing summer “fits”, Summerset and Ryman Healthcare both gave a hard and fast “no” to shorts and jandals being worn in the office.

Although, gardening and building staff at Ryman villages were allowed to don shorts, a spokesman said.

Mainfreight managing director Don Braid said staff were allowed to wear shorts if they were making deliveries, but if not, it was a firm “no”.

“Certainly no jandals,” Braid said.

Dairy co-operative Fonterra followed suit, literally, with a negative to shorts or jandals in the office.