As mentioned in last week’s blog post, it is specifically important in this industry for personnel to wear a healthcare uniform chiefly due to maintenance of hygiene standards. This week I will explore in further detail how the introduction of a uniform in private healthcare organizations can improve the business as a whole. This will include how a healthcare uniform can improve staff morale and unity, personal standards of the workforce, and professional branding; ultimately stimulating growth.

We must first consider the healthcare business as a service industry, patients rely on carers as the first level of contact and as a result these employees become our vanguard. As primary ambassadors of an organization they will account for a huge proportion of patient or customers’ satisfaction. The front line appearance should represent the business in its entirety, and in the healthcare industry what better to do this than a clean, clinical, yet caring purpose designed and manufactured healthcare uniform. Once more, a branded healthcare uniform can reward good work by leaving lasting positive and trusting feelings for a business, which should promote further custom. On www.uniforms4healthcare.com we offer a bespoke service whereby any products can be branded with your care home, pharmacy, or any other business logo, for details please email customerservices@dencowear.co.uk

A healthcare uniform can also strengthen and improve an organization from within, promoting unity amongst the staff and creating a sense of caring between colleagues as well as towards the business as a whole. ‘According to Victoria Seitz, a San Bernadino, California, marketing professor, uniforms can result in employees becoming “entwined” with their company, which ultimately leads to greater success for the company and increased employee loyalty.’¹ This could be explained by uniform wearers sharing a feeling of belonging, which can otherwise be difficult to achieve.

Of course this can be seen as an authoritarian policing structure which may make employees and patients alike feel institutionalized. It’s very important with regard to this to maintain a balance of uniform policy, allowing staff to bring their own personality to the workplace. A feeling of togetherness amongst staff and alliance with the business as a whole is hugely important for quality of work and in the healthcare industry this is ultimately the most important thing. Along with company branding this provides a strong argument for introduction of healthcare uniform into private care organizations.

Next week I will be discussing the criteria upon which an organization should choose its healthcare uniform in my post – ‘Which healthcare uniform best suits your business.’

Anand Sodha, Dencowear

2013

¹ http://smallbusiness.chron.com/pros-cons-employee-uniforms-1741.html