by Becca Anderson
didn’t apply. But Mark said, ‘Why not do Formal Fridays when the rest of the folks are dressing down?’”
FORMAL FRIDAYS – Archaeologists dig it!
A few months ago Darcy Griffi th, of Clean Scene Dry Cleaners and Uniform Rental in New Liskeard, Ont., contacted us with an intriguing story about some of his customers. They’d instituted a Formal Fridays program, and were enjoying the fun of dressing up the last day of the work week. That might not sound like a big deal until you realize these folks are archaeologists. Formal is generally not in their vocabulary!
THEY’RE EVERYWHERE
Woodland Heritage Services Ltd. performs heritage assessments prior to land development to ensure cul- tural heritage resources will not be negatively impact- ed. They perform Stage 1 through Stage 4 assessments in compliance with the Ontario Heritage Act. Some of the kinds of projects they’ve worked on include solar and wind farms, hydroelectric developments and upgrades, transmission line corridors, forest road access and bridge planning, subdivisions, cottage lot development, industrial land development, and high- way corridor planning. In short, anything that can impact cultural resources must be evaluated prior to construction.
Naturally, digging excavation pits, visually sur- veying forests and being in the back woods are not activities that lend themselves to formal clothing. But the rough-and-tumble garb was worn even in the offi ce – until one offi ce member proposed a change.
UNUSED SUITS
“The idea came from Mark Bradford in our office, while we were discussing our suits that had not seen much use,” said Ryan Primrose of Woodland Heri- tage Services. “Due to the casual/outdoor nature of our work, the climate for wearing a suit seemed to be restricted to weddings and funerals. Since our offi ce is casual in nature, the trend for ‘dress down Fridays’
With that casual discussion, a new look came to Fridays in the office. “To our surprise, Katrina Lauzon, who assists in the office, had overheard our conversations and she dressed up for the fi rst Friday along with us,” said Primrose. All of them have continued to participate in the initiative. “It adds a bit of class to the workplace,” he said. Bradford noticed a differ- ence immediately. “It makes me feel as though everything I am doing is important,” he said. “Dressing up increases the feeling of professional- ism.” Primrose added, “It’s also nice to go out and social- ize after work wearing some- thing dressy and well-fitted. It provides a contrast to the casual attire most people wear now.”
CONTAGIOUS IDEA The good idea is catching on. “Others in the communi- ty think it is a great idea and have talked about starting it up in their respective offi ces,” said Primrose.
How can you encourage
your customers to dress up instead of down? Why not post signs encouraging For-
1
2
Top left: Formal Fridays – L-R: Mark Bradford, John Pollock, Ryan Prim- rose, Katrina Lauzon. (Not pictured: David Gadzala and Savannah Peters.) Above: 1. ‘Wildlife Management Offi cer’ Dax on duty while others prepare a dig site.
2. A typical test pit is begun. Below: A great view from the ‘offi ce’.
mal Fridays, promote it on hang tags and in electronic communications with custom- ers. You might be surprised by an upsurge in more business- like attire as the ‘new’ idea of looking good spreads. █
18 FABRICARE CANADA September/October 2015
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