APS Values and Code of Conduct in Practice provides advice for managers and employees in the APS about the application of the Code of Conduct and the APS Values. Section 2 of the publication discusses standards of dress in more detail.
The clothes that we wear to work send quiet but powerful messages to our colleagues and our clients about how we approach our work, but also what we think of them. How we present ourselves to our clients is seen as a marker of the professionalism of our agencies, and the APS as a whole.
Some APS agencies have specific rules about uniforms or standards of dress, while others leave it to their employees to consider, often within defined limits.
The appearance and dress of APS employees should be consistent with the standards of their agency, their duties and the people with whom they are dealing.
Your agency may have specific policies on uniforms or standards of dress. Check what's on your agency's intranet or get advice from your agency's Ethics Contact Officer. If you have any questions about this article, please submit them via the form on the Integrity: your questions answered page.
Often this will mean that we should be dressing quite formally, especially if we are working in public contact areas. As APS employees, we are obliged to behave in a way that upholds the good reputation of our agency and the APS. The way that we dress demonstrates the respect that we have for our clients and other stakeholders.
And it's a good idea to steer away from clothes with political slogans or that comment on sensitive social issues or that are simply offensive. The sixties are over; leave the t-shirts at home.