Professionals in suits are still perceived as being more 'able', despite the recent relaxation of dress codes across many areas of business.

Professionals in suits are still perceived as being more 'able', despite the recent relaxation of dress codes across many areas of business, finds a study.  

Some 82 per cent of workers still believe they should dress to impress – with almost two thirds (65 per cent), stating they find it easier to respect a colleague or boss in a suit, according to a survey by office finding service officebroker.com.  

The poll may be a wake-up call to many of those workers who have adopted a more laid-back approach to the traditional office dress code.  

In recent years, inspired by the hoodies and sandals look of internet companies such as Facebook and Google, many creative businesses have rejected the formal dress code altogether.  

Officebroker.com asked 400 male and female office workers from across the UK if they felt they needed to dress to impress at work and if they found it easier to respect a boss or colleague if they wore a suit.  

A spokesman for the company says, 'The creep of casual Friday into the rest of the working week has meant that many businesses have relaxed their dress code over the past few years. There’s also some perception amongst young businesses that it’s cool to wear hoodies and jeans to work like Mark Zuckerberg.  

'Yet our poll clearly shows that while many offices have adopted a more casual approach to dress codes in recent years, a vast majority of workers still have a rather traditional view. The findings of the survey clearly indicate that if you want to climb the ladder at work it still best to don a suit. It seems the success of the Facebook generation hasn’t changed business as much as some people might have thought.'

See also: The benefits of professional website design