Unifying uniforms: uniforms should represent the image of your club ... and its members.

The benefits of investing millions of dollars to revitalize a club's facilities speak for themselves. Less obvious, but no less important, is the goal of unifying the look of all uniforms -- from maintenance workers to waitstaff and golf caddies.

"If you want to create a consistent service impression, employee uniforms are a large part of that," said Erik Nisbet, national marketing manager for lodging and gaming with Uniforms to You.

"The biggest danger is that every department choose their own uniforms in a vacuum," said Sylvia Hougland, president of Univogue. Club managers must coordinate the look of the uniforms chosen so that the club staff doesn't dress in a hodgepodge of styles.

With a little advance planning and solid advice from an experienced uniform manufacturer a club can easily be decked out in functional, fashionable, effective uniforms.

Why Uniform?

Uniforms deserve attention because they form an integral part of any club's outward appearance, influence employee satisfaction and retention levels, and directly impact job performance.

"When you purchase uniforms, you are not just buying a piece of clothing, you are buying your vision of the property," said Hougland. "Uniforms are accent pieces. They must support the ambiance of the club. You don't want guests walking in and saying, `Isn't that a great uniform.' You want them to say, `Isn't this a great club.'"

"It is not uncommon now to check in and see employees serving food just off the dining room," said Designer Diane Zebell of Angelica Image Apparel. "You used to get away with being different because they were hidden away."

Just as club amenities follow consumer tastes, staff apparel should echo that of members. "We are always researching the ready-to-wear trends," said Zebell. "When members see employees dressed in something they might wear themselves, it says, `We [the club] understand who our members are.'"

For this reason, the traditional black and white color combination of many private clubs is now giving way to more colorful, visually interesting styles. Some popular looks include denims, stripes, and plaids combined with beret-style toque hats or skullcaps. Wilder patterns are still not yet appropriate for club market.

As another example, Zebell suggested outfitting golf superintendents with knit collar jacquard polo shirts and sleeveless wind-shirt vests. "They are wearing what a member might see out on the golf course if they were alone," she said. "But because there are three of four people wearing the same outfit, members understand that they work there."

"Uniforms must be considered carefully from the perspective of the employee," added Christine Mattson-Fiehler, Angelica's director of design and creative services. "Employee retention is such a concern." If the uniforms fit well, serve their appropriate function, and have a reasonable amount of style, most employees will be satisfied.

Plan to Unify 

"Provide as much information as you can to the uniform company," Baker advised. The size of the staff, number of uniforms per employee, and time frame for the job are obvious criteria. Color scheme of the club, the ratio of male to female employees, and the range of skin tones and body sizes of the staff greatly assist the uniform company.

"We always ask, `Will this uniform look good on all your employees?'" said Zebell. Angelica designers like to visit the site of a club to verify the color palette and better understand workflow.

Help from a uniform company can also help head off a potential problem at a club: inadequate space for uniforms. "We are full of advice on how to set up uniform rooms," added Zebell.

Unified by Intent

Combine a logo with a signature shirt, fabric, or style to visually link the uniforms of all employees. It is an approached endorsed by Peter Papageorge, president of Culinary Classics: "I think the best way to unify everyone is to have the club logo used on everything from jackets to hats, and chef coats."

Mattson-Fiehler noted that the size of logos has shrunk in recent years. "There is less billboard logoing," she said. "We recommend creating a signature or core collection based on the color palette or attitude of that club," said Mattson-Fiehler. "Layering is the way to go."

Putting the club's name and logo on a shirt or vest can mean free advertising. It also cuts down on the opportunity for employee theft.

The benefits of this approach extend beyond unifying the look of the staff. "These kinds of work demands are a consideration to make it easy for a program to work and for employees to move about the property," said Mattson-Fiehler.

As recently as a decade ago, private-club uniforms were exclusively formal, leaving little room for creative experimentation of expression. Today, many clubs are choosing to use more casual clothing for servers in less-traditional areas like the grill of poolside. Uniform distributors supply khakis, tan shorts, golf- and button-down shirts to fit in with outdoor areas.

Conversely, while front-end wait-staff and bartenders still dress in black pants and skirts, their uniforms are leaning toward the dressier. The new look includes black-banded collars on white tuxedo shirts instead of bowties.

The Perfect Fit

Most private clubs don't have the budget to routinely update their staff uniforms. That said, avoid high-fashion colors and trendy patterns and the costs associated with them. Manufacturers are more likely to discontinue looks that are not considered classic.

Good managers, however, know how to get the most from a dollar; wise ones don't look to scrimp on the appearance of the staff. "Budget sufficiently for your uniforms," advised Smith. He warned against simply allocating a percentage of the overall budget since some uniforms cost much more than others and some jobs have a much higher turnover rate.

Smith works out the cost of each uniform individually and multiplies that figure by the number of employees and the quantity of complete uniforms each worker will have, also known as the par level.

"The quality is not something we cut corners on," agreed Rodgers. "It is evident to the employees and the guest if we do. We purchase better quality so that the uniforms can be worn properly and with pride."

Adding an accurate turnover ratio to these figures prevents surprises down the road. "Managers often under-budget for reorders of uniforms," said Baker. Many firms offer quick turnaround on reorders; Uniforms to You even allows customers to order through its Internet site, which displays real-time inventory and shipment status.

"You have to have an individual who is dedicated to keeping your uniform inventory," advised Smith. Without proper attention, clubs will lose uniforms when employees leave and waste money purchasing new uniforms to replace old ones that could be repaired.

Care and concern for the details of selecting and caring for new uniforms can yield a unified look for a club's staff. "In the end," said Hougland, "you want uniforms which are functional and beautiful."