Survey : Why to look good at work

25 March 2013

Survey says Western formal wear is most popular in Mena region
Polish your shoes and update that wardrobe — if you want to get ahead you need to look good, says a recent study into the role appearance plays in hiring and promotion decisions.
The poll, undertaken by job site Bayt.com, surveyed 10,525 respondents from more than 12 countries in the Mena region.
Nearly 80 per cent of respondents thought being well-groomed had an impact on professional growth.
Appearance was also key to getting the job, with 76 per cent believing employers’ decisions were influenced by this.
Bayt.com sales vice-president Suhail Masri said it was clear that personal appearance was of importance to many employers and employees in the region. “It would seem to have a major influence on decisions to hire candidates or not, while good grooming may continue to have an impact from within the workplace, affecting the possibilities of promotion,” she said.
However, despite this, only half of the respondents said their company had a dress code, and of these, almost half said they hadn’t been informed of it when joining the company. Masri recommended anyone who was unsure to go with understated elegance.
“When starting a new job, always keep in mind that how you dress will tell your boss and others in the organisation how you see yourself and how you approach the job.”
Western formal wear is the most popular dress of choice, with almost two-thirds of respondents choosing to wear this, while three in ten dress casually and only 8.5 per cent going for ethnic or national dress.
Meanwhile, visible tattoos and piercings were thought to be a taboo by half of the respondents. And despite the level of importance placed on dress — with 83 per cent claiming a link between appearance and success — almost half say they only spend a moderate amount of their income on grooming and clothes.