One major way to predict the future success of any business, brand or organisation is by taking a good look into its culture, and the response of its workforce towards it. History also proves that for culture to remain relevant, it must go through the process of change over time.
However, it is pertinent to note that change and innovation work hand in glove in a generation where it has become more evident that better, flexible workspaces are key to unlocking workforce potential.
Workspace attire or corporate dress codes as widely regarded by many significantly affects the perception and growth of any brand, more so its workforce. As innovation continues to serve as the bedrock for economic growth, brands are beginning to look inwards to see how they can leverage workforce uniqueness to promote better work environments, and to boost productivity.
Nigeria’s leading insurance firm, Leadway Assurance, believes that creating a more relaxed dress code formula will reinvigorate its predominantly millennial workforce.
Workspace attires contribute immensely to productivity and better-improved workspaces. According to a workplace productivity study carried out by Stormline in the UK, 61 percent of employees believe that they become more productive when the dress code is casual or flexible.
This fact does not come as a surprise considering that millennials make up for nearly 70 percent of today’s global workforce, and may increase by 5 percent in 2025 according to a 2014 Deloitte Millennial Survey. Further study also proves that there are chances of creating negative perception of your brand or product by embracing strict dress codes and this could be a potential downside for marketing.
Delving into the realm of marketing which comprises the bulk of Leadway’s success strategy, it can be argued that considering the age in which we live in, retail success cannot be attained without a great, visible level of versatility.
This alone has an amazing positive effect on workforce growth and performance as it tends to build brand affinity, thus boosting employee dynamism and confidence by a great margin.
Confidence is crucial particularly when the focus is directed on the insurance industry whose success is hinged on product marketing aimed at driving sales. Leadway believes that confidence is key to unlocking new businesses, and that it could play a very significant role in penetrating emerging and unexplored markets.
However, since every success emanates from internal strategy, then creating a conducive workspace is foremost for Nigeria’s leading insurance provider.
Leadway has constantly remained committed to preserving its brand identity, and creating a lasting legacy of innovation for future generations in the process. Workplace dress code for the insurance giant is only one way, but surely a great way to solidify the synergy between the company and its customers, as well as to boost workforce morale.
Its culture of dynamism has not only preserved its unrivaled reputation as a next generation insurance provider but as a change leader and organization dedicated to workforce improvement. Attracting the next generation workforce required for business growth and expansion is no easy task.
Hence, Leadway’s plan is to unearth the uniqueness in its workforce with the aim of encouraging versatility and dynamism within the workspace. Adopting a flexible-casual, but smart dress code system certainly counts for innovation, and even more for brand attractiveness.
More so, the process of integrating the new with the old is fast becoming a challenge of the past.
Building an attractive brand that boasts a very conducive workspace for employees is important for an organisation such as ours considering the workings of today’s market explained Kunbi Adeoti, Head of Human Resources at Leadway.
“Apart from serving as a means through which we drive innovation, the fact that people can express their individuality within the organisation is very important to us. More so, our decisions are guided by our values which form a huge part of our dynamic culture here at Leadway”, Adeoti said.
Leadway’s path to innovation through the encouragement of flexibility and dynamism among its workforce is setting the stage for accelerated growth. And by changing its dress code perspective it aims to create a forward-thinking, conducive workspace that matches emerging workforce trends. Futuristic leaders such as Richard Branson who originated Virgin’s “Drop the Dress Code” mantra regards flexibility of workplace attire highly, opining strongly that it contributes in no small measure to conducive and proactive workspaces for the next generation workforce.
Since Leadway is a forward-thinking, new generation company with a global outlook, adopting a similar approach towards innovation says a lot about its drive for building a formidable workforce that meets top international market standards.
It is, therefore, safe to conclude as in the words of the renowned physicist, William Pollard that those who initiate change stand a greater chance of managing the change that is inevitable. In light of this, Leadway’s drive for innovation transcends managing change; by promoting flexibility and individuality within its workforce, they are championing it.
Israel Odubola
