Should we leave our suits in the closet?

It’s been a while since most of us suited up to go to work. The daily commute from the bedroom to the kitchen, or from the upstairs to the basement doesn’t require the same wardrobe as previous journeys to the workplace.

For many, we’ve had a rare opportunity to dress more casually, comfortably, and in doing so have perhaps found ourselves coming across on virtual meetings a bit more relaxed and feeling and acting like our true selves.

The hoodies, alma mater sweatshirts, team jerseys or graphic tee is providing a line of sight for colleagues, clients and partners into our personalities that doesn’t always make its way into the boardrooms and cubicles of corporate life.

Ours is a relationship-based business, and the fact that we wouldn’t be able to meet face-to-face and build traditional relationships – with our colleagues, peers, clients, and partners – was worrisome when the pandemic forced us to work remotely. We were concerned we wouldn’t be able to connect in the same way and that relationships would suffer.

But something else happened.

Corporate dress codes were modified, either formally or simply because of our new environments. Casual dress become the norm, and we became more comfortable presenting ourselves virtually as such. We also became comfortable recognizing we were working from home, not the office, and the dynamics of a family became a day-to-day adventure. The sudden appearance of kids making faces in the background, dogs barking, cats walking across keyboards, doorbells ringing, parcels being delivered, and partners sneaking past became normal. These events lightened the mood, brought a smile to our faces, and reminded us that stuff happens to each of us.

These distractions became endearing, and we started to see the people we work with in a different light. We saw them as human, not simply as executives, colleagues, and clients. We saw them dealing with the same distractions that we have and as a result, we got to know them a little better, saw them for who they really are and, in many cases, our relationships with them got better, deeper, and more familiar. 

It’s reasonable to think we might not have had this breakthrough at the workplace. Corporate culture can be a wonderful thing, but suits, formal attire, boardrooms and cubicles tends to keep a barrier between people. And sometimes that’s ok, but it rarely lets us see anything about anyone that they don’t want us to see. And sometimes seeing people for who they really are can actually bring us closer together.

While the pandemic has presented us with challenges, and while many of us are hoping for a return to something resembling pre-pandemic, it’s important to remember the comfort levels we’ve shared with each other. If working virtually has taught us anything, specifically that we can build and nurture relationships, it has perhaps helped us enjoy them a little more when we’re more comfortable.

Seeing our teams do what they love to do from the kitchen, the basement, from wherever they’re comfortable has become enjoyable… And the pets and the kids are a welcome part of it now.

And that feels pretty good.