Virgin Money Fargate - Poor Uniform Standards

[Irene Swaine]

I was sat on the now shamefully defunct bus stop bench on Leopold Street. I looked in to the window of Virgin Money. The uniform the staff were wearing was a disgrace. It was trainers, jeans and a striped jumper....for work in a bank! It's an insult to the profession and a very poor image for the customer. Other banks in the area such as Lloyd's still have high standards of uniform, suit, trousers, pencil skirt, tie for the men or a cravat for the ladies. 

 

Uniforms seem to be going in to a state of decline. It seems some no longer take pride in their business anymore (not the staff on the floor's fault, it comes from higher up). Is this all part of the woke agenda, having everybody looking slovenly? Miller & Carter are just around the corner on Surrey Street and they operate a strict dresscode. Interestingly, someone wearing the Virgin Money uniform would not meet the criteria of said dress code!

[Mister M]

4 hours ago, Irene Swaine said:

I was sat on the now shamefully defunct bus stop bench on Leopold Street. I looked in to the window of Virgin Money. The uniform the staff were wearing was a disgrace. It was trainers, jeans and a striped jumper....for work in a bank! It's an insult to the profession and a very poor image for the customer. Other banks in the area such as Lloyd's still have high standards of uniform, suit, trousers, pencil skirt, tie for the men or a cravat for the ladies. 

 

Uniforms seem to be going in to a state of decline. It seems some no longer take pride in their business anymore (not the staff on the floor's fault, it comes from higher up). Is this all part of the woke agenda, having everybody looking slovenly? Miller & Carter are just around the corner on Surrey Street and they operate a strict dresscode. Interestingly, someone wearing the Virgin Money uniform would not meet the criteria of said dress code!

I wonder if the staff at Virgin bank noticed you and wondered 'who's the bag lady scowling at us'? 

Edited January 15 by Mister M

[Irene Swaine]

Just now, Mister M said:

I wonder if the staff at Virgin bank noticed you and wondered 'who's the bag lady scowling at us'? 

I certainly looked a damn site smarter than they did!

[zach]

6 minutes ago, Irene Swaine said:

I certainly looked a damn site smarter than they did!

So, If you look smart and well dressed, you're more intelligent and better at your job?

 

 

Using your theory. If they wear a suit or pencil skirt, they are much better at their job than someone who dresses casually?

 

I must have a chat with my senior cardiac consultant...he wears scrubs! He must be useless because he hasn't got a suit and tie on!

 

[Mkapaka]

5 hours ago, Irene Swaine said:

Is this all part of the woke agenda, having everybody looking slovenly?

Please explain?

I do think corporate dress is on the way out but I’m all for it.

 

I wore a tie everyday for work for years but haven’t for at least the last decade. 
 

i still have an eye on what I wear and wouldn’t wear trainers or sport clothes or anything.

 

[Irene Swaine]

9 minutes ago, zach said:

So, If you look smart and well dressed, you're more intelligent and better at your job?

 

 

Using your theory. If they wear a suit or pencil skirt, they are much better at their job than someone who dresses casually?

 

I must have a chat with my senior cardiac consultant...he wears scrubs! He must be useless because he hasn't got a suit and tie on!

 

It's about respect. Respect for your profession and respect for your customers. And also, respect for yourself.

If you walk in to a board room in sportswear then you aren't going to have your authority taken seriously.

 

I do find your comparison with a cardiac consultant to be insolent. A heart surgeon obviously needs scrubs to perform operations, that doesn't explain why bank managers are going to work dressed as though they are about to do some weeding in the garden.

10 minutes ago, Mkapaka said:

Please explain?

I do think corporate dress is on the way out but I’m all for it.

 

I wore a tie everyday for work for years but haven’t for at least the last decade. 
 

i still have an eye on what I wear and wouldn’t wear trainers or sport clothes or anything.

 

There seems to be an influx of laziness these days, especially amongst generation Z. They don't even speak in complete sentences and shorten words that don't need it e.g. they call an outfit a "fit". In my day, if someone was having a fit, you'd call ambulance for them. 

 

You would have gotten more respect from your employees when you wore a tie than now. Power dressing is important in business. It also shows that you have respect for yourself and your role. 

[zach]

Just now, Irene Swaine said:

It's about respect. Respect for your profession and respect for your customers. And also, respect for yourself.

If you walk in to a board room in sportswear then you aren't going to have your authority taken seriously.

 

I do find your comparison with a cardiac consultant to be insolent. A heart surgeon obviously needs scrubs to perform operations, that doesn't explain why bank managers are going to work dressed as though they are about to do some weeding in the garden.

No, it's a dated view that IMO should have stopped in the 30's! Judge people on capability, manners and respect for you etc, rather than what 'you' think they should dress like.

 

 

Insolent? I think you should ask questions before deciding on your wording. My consultant wears scrubs no matter if he's cutting me open, or I'm in with him for a follow up chat months later. In the 10 years I've been seeing him, I've never seen him in a suit and tie...next?

 

[hauxwell]

It’s the same with Virgin staff in the Newcastle branch, wearing casual clothes.

As long as they don’t smell, look clean and they are efficient doing there job I don’t care how they dress. Wearing comfy clothes might help them focus more on their job.  Having said that I wasn’t sure if they were staff at first until someone came up to me and asked if they could help me.

One thing I certainly don’t want to see is women doing an eight hour shift and being forced to wear six-inch high heels because it’s part of their uniform, which has happened in the past. That part of a uniform should be optional.

 

[crookesey]

As with many public sector employees, the public need to trust the person that they are talking to. I’m sure that these guys carry ID, but feel that they should also be wearing badges that carry their photo, name and position.

[Andy_terrier]

I feel that society has moved on from the need to have a very formal uniform - but saying that I do like the thought of at least a corporate polo shirt/jumper with the name of the business and a name badge.  As much as I hate the place - the Apple shop does this and I think it helps with customers knowing who to talk to.  Capability should not be defined by your dress code...

 

Same with Tattoos.