Good grooming is booming, especially when it comes to making your personal brand something elegant and distinctive. So…why not brush up?
According to the findings of an eye-opening study conducted by CraftJack, grooming and Zooming have an inverse relationship. Hey, just look at Dolly Parton.
In other words, if you spend a lot of time working from home, you’re perhaps not going to put much effort into your appearance and hygiene. The change from working in an office to working from home in the last two years has roughed us all up a bit.
Data results from the CraftJack survey were taken from 1,255 Americans. They ensured that survey participants were completely anonymous. The anonymity was vital for revealing the reality of body care benchmarks in the remote world of work.
Everyone knows that working from home saves time by eliminating the commute to work. Still, now we can see how much time WFHers save by removing the minutes they would otherwise spend on grooming and personal hygiene (or lack thereof).
Taking the hallway rather than driving to work appears to be a more efficient way of getting to work. That is to say, many of us seem to make only a brief stop in the bathroom on the way there.
Recent Findings
According to the findings of the study, some of the things we are doing less of are as follows:
- shaving, down 65 percent;
- washing one’s hair, down 52 percent;
- taking a bath or having a shower;
- 27% say they only shower twice a week or less.
- more than 46% of remote employees shower less than before the pandemic.
- 27% say they only shower twice a week…or less.
- brushing one’s teeth, down 26 percent.
It has been the most dramatically reduced habit since the pandemic outbreak. People who used to wear makeup at work are now wearing less makeup at home, according to 92 percent of respondents. 66% of those polled no longer wear it during the workday. Many people will undoubtedly experience a sense of relief if they can eliminate that from their morning ritual. (Even if they were applying it while stopped at traffic lights or sitting on the subway.)
Furthermore, and more concerning, we have developed habits that may appear unprofessional to our colleagues, clients, and teammates, according to the study findings. When asked if they work in their pajamas, 88 percent of those polled said they do so occasionally. An astonishing 16 percent said they had done so while naked…hopefully only on days when there are no Zoom calls!
Is any of this grooming talk important?
What difference does it make if you’re not sitting next to anyone in your meetings if you smell a little ripe?
Indeed, dressing up in a suit or putting on your pumps is not required and would look strange and out of place. (“Does she have a job interview today?” inquire some.) However, resuming some of your old habits from BC (Before Covid) will benefit you in three ways:
- Grooming for your day communicates to yourself that it’s time to get to work.
- Consequently, assisting you in adopting that mindset by creating a distinction that will be visible.
- Indeed, on camera and when you’re plowing through a project all by yourself, alone in your home office.
- If you’re aware that you’re disheveled, your mental state can also lead to chaotic performance.
- People on the other side of the screen take mental notes when you’re clean, coiffed, and professionally dressed in meetings.
- When you look just a tad more polished and professional than the rest of the pajama-wearing crowd, you stand out.
- Differentiation is essential for successful personal branding.
- Moreover, making an effort to look your best demonstrates a high level of respect for others and attention to detail.
Perception is a powerful, unspoken branding message.
Another difficulty with this new (or forgotten old) routine is that people on the other side of your computer screen pay very close attention.
You don’t want your appearance to send the message, “I’m not taking this job seriously” or “I don’t care about work,” because that would be a significant drain on your brand bank. Of course, your dedication to your team and company may not have waned…but an out-of-control beard may suggest the opposite.
Sure, if you don’t have any online meetings that day, you can take a break from your grooming routine.
However, by adopting a “dress for my day” mantra, you’ll ensure that you present yourself as professional and engaged — whether in your mind, if you’re working alone, or in the minds of the people you want to influence and impact when you interact in the Zoom room.
