Making sure your workforce is comfortable and safe to work should be a main priority, and this should be the cause for all of your employees, no matter their gender or stage in life. As of October 2022, the employment rate for women was 72%, closing the gap between genders with men having a 79% recruitment rate.

As with all employees, women deserve uniforms which fit correctly and work for them. And normal life stages, such as maternity and menopause, should be considered when organising sufficient uniform for your female employees.

Here, we will explore ways in which your uniform can provide a more comfortable, and safe, experience for your female employees.

Maternity

Maternity can be a stressful time, from bodily changes to worries about finance, the future, and more. Something your employees shouldn’t worry about is the comfort, or fitting, of their uniforms. Pregnancy requires its own supportive clothing, including wide waistbands which cover the stomach, and comfortable shoes.

Ann Dowdeswell, Sales and Marketing Director at Jermyn Street Design says: “Your employees should be comfortable and safe during work and so the uniforms you supply need to be appropriate and practical for both the employee and the role they perform.

Maternity clothing, for example, should be available to your employees if you enforce a uniform – whether this is for safety orpurposes. Partnering with uniform suppliers who know the benefits of custom uniforms for your employees can help you take all needs into consideration.”

It is not enough to simply have a wide range of clothing sizes when it comes to your uniforms. Instead, maternity-specific pieces need to be available. Simply handing a mother-to-be a larger uniform can present its own problems – it will be too large in some areas and not large enough in others, leading to it being uncomfortable and, in some instances, presenting a health and safety issue. Instead, maternity clothing needs to fit pregnancy bumps, be loose around the legs to prevent health issues, and allow your employee to continue with their work as best as possible.

There are no shortcuts – while it may be tempting to reach for an off-the-shelf, one-size-fits-all solution, there is no substitute for a reputable bespoke uniform supplier.

Jermyn Street Design offers a range of solutions on design and tailoring, fabric and technology, breadth of range, smart production, stockholding, sizing sets and much more – with the flexibility and expertise to make ranges inclusive and cater for all body shapes and sizes.

Menopause

Menopause is a natural phase that women go through, and with the retirement age for women (as of 2019) being around 64, it is expected that a large number of your workforce will experience at least some of the symptoms of menopause during their working day. Making sure your employees can be comfortable during this time is important.

In fact, 10% of women have quit their jobs as a result of menopause symptoms and so making sure your employee’s uniform is appropriate for this stage in life can actually help your employee retention.

And you might suffer legal action if you don’t cater for staff going through menopause. If you enforce close-fitting clothing or non-breathable fabrics, you could be punished under the Equality Act. Uncomfortable clothing could be worsening the symptoms of your employees, making it difficult to work.

Some 6 out of 10 women claim that experiencing menopause has a negative affect on their work. With symptoms including anxiety and depression, poor concentration, and hot flushes, it is important that employers produce an environment conducive to all.

No matter the age, gender, or ability of your employees, you should be able to provide clothing which is practical, not only for the work being produced, but also for the comfort and happiness of your employees. If you are to have a work uniform, whether to promote your company and set a specific image or for the health and safety of your employees, then considering your employees’ differing positions and experiences is important for finding the best level of comfort. Comfort is key when it comes to productivity, with happy employees being 12% more productive.