What do you think of when you hear people discussing work uniforms? An appropriate uniform in a medical setting consists of scrubs and perhaps a lab coat. In a business setting, uniforms are generally aligned with suits and ties, skirts and dresses, etc. Yet there are times when a custom T-shirt is the best work uniform choice.
The Print Bar, a company specializing in Australian T-shirt printing, says that some of their customers are businesses looking for T-shirts and other clothing items to outfit their employees. It makes perfect sense when you consider what some people do for a living. Think about it long enough and you can probably come up with a number of businesses you frequent, businesses whose employees are dressed in custom T-shirts.
Fast Food and Fast Casual Restaurants
The restaurant business is fast-paced, hectic, and often messy. That’s why you rarely see kitchen staff, waitstaff, and bartenders dressed in formal wear – at least in the fast food and fast casual arenas. Formal uniforms are reserved for more formal dining. Custom printed T-shirts and aprons are more appropriate to fast food and fast casual.
In a typical fast-food joint, for example, workers plan for their T-shirts to get dirty. They plan on stains, holes, and tears. It is no big deal, either. T-shirts are cheap enough to replace as needed. Even T-shirts with custom printed logos and artwork.
Landscaping and Gardening Services
When was the last time you saw a gardener working in a collared shirt and tie? You’ve probably never seen one because gardeners don’t dress that way. They dress in work clothing designed to protect them against the elements. T-shirts are a big part of that.
A custom T-shirt featuring the company’s logo is the ideal uniform for a landscaping service. The T-shirt is cool enough to be worn alone during the summer months. It can be worn under a heavier shirt when temperatures turn colder. Best of all, T-shirts are extremely comfortable, and gardeners appreciate that.
The Construction Trades
Like gardeners, construction workers need heavy-duty clothing that is as protective as it is covering. T-shirts are a staple among construction workers of every sort. But as the owner of a construction company, why invest in plain T-shirts when you can have custom printed T-shirts with your company’s logo instead? Custom printing doesn’t cost that much in the long run.
When Employees Depart
The only downside to choosing custom T-shirts as employee uniforms is realised when employees depart. Unlike formal uniforms, which can often be rented from linen providers, T-shirts are generally purchased outright. What do you do when an employee is either let go or quits?
One option is to request that all T-shirts be returned. Depending on their condition, the returned shirts would be disposed of or passed along to other employees. The second option is to just let the departing employee keep the T-shirts.
This is a good option if the separation is voluntary and on good terms. After all, even a departing employee can benefit the company by acting as a walking billboard. On the other hand, an employee departing on bad terms might not be the best form of advertisement. Allowing them to keep uniform shirts might ultimately be a bad decision.
Uniforms of all types abound throughout Australia. Some are extremely formal, as they are intended for professional use. Others are considerably less so, including the custom T-shirts worn by food service workers, gardeners, construction workers, and other laborers. All that really matters is that employees have uniforms appropriate to their work.
