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Q: Do you "dress down" for work in China compared to your home country?
I saw a similar post about this in the past (I remember someone saying they wore a suit every day), but I couldn't find it, so here it goes (again):
I've been showing up to work in shorts and t-shirts lately, as it's getting damn hot outside and anything else is uncomfortable. I haven't switched to sandals quite yet, but I can see it happening at some point this summer. I feel guilty about this, as if I were at a job in the US, I wouldn't dress so casually, but no one seems to care here, at least not at my office. In fact, most of the employees and even the boss (occasionally) dress much more casually than I had become used to back home.
Several questions: is there any sort of general office job dress code that Chinese companies follow? Is it much "looser" than comparable jobs in other countries? Do you "dress down" for your job in China?
11 years 7 weeks ago in Business & Jobs - China
I do, but then again, I work in a really laid back training center where I personally know all the students. I think its different for those in larger cities where there are much more students and teachers.
As long as Im teaching at the same level they expect no one cares, and the students appreciate the relaxed atmosphere. If I were slipping in how I conducted class, im sure I would be called out and I would be asked to change and change clothes.
On a funny side of it, last year we had a teacher who just dressed normal, but once a month he would dress in proper pants shirt and tie. And the only things the students said was that they felt nervous and wished he would dress normal so they would feel more comfortable, haha.
There is the argument that dressing in professional attire is very important, but I think it depends on the type of job and the atmosphere clients are used to.
I'm fortunate in that I work privately, and as such am not required to follow any particular dress code, and so choose to turn up to work naked, with my balls hanging out, catching the evening breeze. It's not for everyone, and some teachers frown upon it, but I believe the human form to be a thing of beauty, and so choose to let General Wang hang ten.
If you're not interacting with clients in any way, then I think dress doesn't matter. If you are dealing with clients, then I think you should dress to reflect your position within the company. Appearances are more important than functionality in China.
Over the past 10 years, I don't recall ever having seen a foreigner or a Chinese person turn up to work dressed in shorts and a t-shirt. Even fake teachers know that is just wrong.
NiceBrice:
Yeah, I spend most of my days in a cubicle, hence my general apathy to the way I'm dressed. Good point about the clients though. I'll keep that in mind next time there is a meeting coming up.
I don't wear shorts or tennis shoes to work, but I also don't worry about wearing collared shirts here. I think Traveler is right about appearances. I also think your appearance reflects how much importance YOU think your job carries.
Due to the heat I don't wear a tie and I will wear a short sleeved shirt in summer, apart from that my standards are just the same as they would be in the UK; collared shirt, trousers, socks and shoes, but then that's what I wear all the time anyway.
I weak basketball shorts, a t shirt and sneakers to class. Our school told us to dress down so the students wouldnt think we were rich. Fine by me.
My bosses and leaders never wear shirts,not to mention ties.They wear slippers at most of the time in summer.Many colleagues wear T-shirts,shorts,and slippers as well.
As I am struggling to adjust to the heat, I would come to work naked if I thought it were at all possible.
The way you dress at work, in my opinion, reflects your attitude to yourself AND your employer. Further the way you are expected / asked to dress reflects your employer's attitude to you.
If you are a professional it is my opinion you should dress accordingly and what is more you should be expected to dress accordingly. Of course this can be adjusted due to the climate but only to a limited degree. I think the widespread practice in China of professionals dressing in slippers, shorts, and t-shirts etc is a window onto their attitude to work in general.
What is worse, (again only in my opinion), is how this 'dressing down' is becoming more normal in teaching in the UK (and I expect worldwide), if you dress (and act) like your profession is of low status you can hardly be surprised when the rest of society treats it in the same manner.
Dress nice look good feel good. That's usually the motto of someone working at an office. The office workers usually dress nicer than other jobs like let's say construction workers or any other type of hard labor jobs.
I constantly tell my "daughter" to dress "professionally" if she expects to get a better job.... she doesn't and she keeps the same job .... smarten up girl!!!
I told her ..I wil give you $2000 .. upgrade your wardrobe ....s he said no ,, I like what i wear .... like flipping backwards ..... what women refuses a wardrobe upgrade??? stupid daughter... maybe next time, next yeat
the first thing i will do when i go back to my home country is buy new clothes. in my home country i always cared about how i looked and always had nice clean clothes and really liked how i dressed.
after years in china ive let it all go, my clothes are dirty and full of holes. imo china is so dirty and messy and i see so many people wearing dirty and old clothes that i just stopped caring and buying new clothes only to watch them get destroyed became to annoying.
so yes ive dressed down ALOT and no one has ever said anything to me about doing it, most people don't care. in my home country i will have to buy new clothes soon as i go back otherwise people may think im a homeless person haha.
as far as schools go. the only time ive ever seen a school talk to someone about how they dress was a female teacher who they thought was dressing too 'sexy" which was kind of odd considering how short the skirts were of the chinese female staff but whatever.
as far as guys go, i personally do see plenty of teachers walking in in a tshirt, shorts, and flip flops during the summer and ive never seen a school or parents complain about it. most people i know teach at kindergartens though, so im not sure why a teacher dealing with kids that young would need to wear dress clothes to work, casual summer clothes seems fine and normal. i would imagine its different at a university though and you should probably dress more professional.
