UK companies are increasingly relaxing their dress codes and relating comfort to productivity, according to new research from Adzuna.

Adzuna’s research found that February 2023 saw 2,927 UK job ads citing a casual dress code, up from 2,165 pre-pandemic in February 2020. Of the 3,663 jobs specifying a dress code, 79.9% promoted relaxed attire, a four-year high. While the February 2023 figures were higher than in 2020, they were lower than February 2022 (3,146) but higher than February 2021’s 1,446.

Meanwhile, businesses implementing ‘smart casual’ and ‘business casual’ dress codes are dwindling. Aduna’s research showed 5.2% of job ads specified a dress code that asked for smart casual in February 2023, down from 9.1% in February 2020. This was also down from 6.9% in February 2022 and 6.2% in February 2021.

Even fewer ads are calling for business casual at 2.8% in February 2023, down from 4.6% pre-pandemic and down from February 2022 (2.9%) and February 2021 (4.0%).

Among sectors with dress codes the Retail sector saw 86.7% of job ads with a dress code asking workers to wear smart or formal attire. Property (35.7%) and Legal (18.2%) follow as the next most formal sectors.

By comparison, Engineering is the most relaxed industry, with 96.4% of job ads with a dress code citing casual attire as acceptable. Teaching (94.6%), Customer Services (94.2%) and IT (92.3%) followed closely behind.

By region, Scotland is the most casual area of the UK, with 91.9% of job ads with a dress code in the nation deeming casual clothing appropriate. Despite a proliferation of financial & professional services jobs, Londoners are also likely to wear relaxed clothing to the office, with 87.4% of job ads with a dress code specifying casual attire.

On the other hand, the West Midlands (25.3%), Wales (22.3%) and the South West (20.4%) all saw high proportions of job ads with dress codes asking for formal or smart attire.

Paul Lewis, Chief Customer Officer at job search engine Adzuna, said, “Old fashioned formal working traditions went out the window with the pandemic, replaced with flexible options tailored to employees’ individual needs. That’s true of everything from working hours, working location, and dress codes.”

“The theory is that allowing staff to tailor work wear to their preferences means they’ll be more comfortable, and more productive,” Lewis said. “We’ve seen a surge in companies relaxing dress codes and allowing their staff to wear casual clothing. Not only does this fit better around flexible working schedules, but it promotes a more inclusive culture, and can even help to attract staff, particularly Gen Z.