Can freedom of expression be good for business?
The justification for many corporate policies about appearance is the impact on customers and other business associates. “Hiring a person is ultimately about qualifications, but the employer does have rights,” said Tytel. If clients have a problem with certain modes of dress or ornamentation, the human resources department may have to take that into account when interviewing prospective candidates. “The main thing is that if it makes one of our guests uncomfortable, then we have to implement a policy to prevent that from happening,” said Cluff. “It’s just like anything else – if a person isn’t willing to wear the uniform assigned to them, they would not take the job, or they would receive a notice.” But a similar rationale has justified many discriminatory practices in the past – including not hiring women for executive positions because of the impression it might make in certain international settings; conducting business at exclusive country clubs because it’s what clients expect; an
