Almost half of Brits still believe women should have to wear heels in the workplace

44 per cent of people think women should have to wear heels to work “if their role requires it”

Choosing what to wear to work when you’re half asleep every morning can be challenging, but even more so if you’re a woman, a new survey has revealed. 

A new study by personalised clothing retailer, Banana Moon, has revealed that nearly half of Brits (44 per cent) still believe that women should have to wear heels in the workplace if their role requires it. 

The news follows recent recommendations from researchers at the University of Aberdeen, which called for action to be taken to stop women from being forced to wear high heels at work.  

The Banana Moon study, which surveyed over 2,000 men and women in full or part-time employment on their work attire, also found that 1 in 4 women have had comments made about their appearance at work that made them feel uncomfortable, with 21 per cent being told off for wearing the wrong clothes to work. 

With a myriad of rules on what is, or isn’t office appropriate, it’s no surprise that office dress codes are causing women unnecessary stress in the workplace. Nearly a third of women (31 per cent) admitted to finding it difficult to find clothes that are suitable for work and 38 per cent feel judged on what they wear in the office. 

The news comes after previous research revealed that men and women still disagree with whether they are treated equally in the workplace when it comes to dress codes. When asked if they agree with the statement ‘Men and women are treated equally when it comes to uniforms in the workplace’, only 16 per cent of men disagreed compared to over a quarter (28 per cent) of women.

Commenting on the findings, Alex Grace, Managing Director at Banana Moon Clothing, said: “No one should be made to feel uncomfortable in their work attire, especially since we spend the majority of the day wearing our work uniforms. Feeling content in the clothing we wear will not only make us feel better, but will stimulate a more concentrated mind, as we are not worrying about how we look to others. 

“While casual dress codes can be more comfortable for employees, it’s still important for employers to define what appropriate office dress looks like. Putting dress code guidelines or a standard uniform in place can be beneficial in reducing confusion in the workplace over what is and isn’t acceptable, and can lead to happier employees in the long run.”