Home Depot employs more than 500,000 people as of 2021, making it the largest home improvement retailer in the world. Many current and former associates have reported Home Depot to be a conducive workplace environment.
Home Depot doesn’t seem to have a strict dress code and emphasizes performance and attitude over appearance. That said, you can’t just wear whatever you want to work, as you are still representing a billion-dollar company.
So what exactly is Home Depot’s dress code?
Home Depot Dress Code – Overall Appearance
All staff should wear collared shirts, jeans, Home Depot’s apron, or shorts (not shorter than 4 inches above the knee). Associates are also allowed to have dyed hair, tattoos, and piercings, provided they are not obscene, offensive, or a safety risk.
We will go into detail about Home Depot’s dress code, but it is business casual and even baseline casual.
Associates must ensure that their attire is tidy and well-kept, not showing any holes or damages. Associates are also encouraged to wear comfortable and colorful clothing, while still upholding a professional appearance.
Since Home Depot has a fairly casual dress code, you may notice some employees wearing t-shirts. This depends on their position in the company and your store supervisor’s discretion.
For your first day, we recommend wearing the orange uniforms that Home Depot provides. You can never go wrong with wearing company clothing!
Tops
Associates must wear collared shirts, button-ups, or blouses with at least half-sleeves. In colder weather, they can also wear jumpers or sweatshirts. As with all work attire, ensure your tops are creaseless and tidy — you want to set a good impression towards the customers.
You are not permitted to wear anything sleeveless, shirts with huge logos, or tank tops. Sales associates cannot wear t-shirts either, but those who don’t work in customer-facing jobs seem to wear t-shirts regularly. Just to be sure, wear collared shirts on your first week, then consult your supervisor on that matter.
Bottoms
You can wear jeans, khakis, skirts, and shorts as long as it’s not 4 inches above the knee. Associates cannot wear sweatpants, yoga pants, tights, or anything with holes or stains.
Face and Hair
Home Depot’s dress code policy is fairly lenient and emphasizes workplace safety rather than micromanaging employees’ hair. Faces should be well-groomed, and long hair should be tied to avoid workplace accidents. All hair colors are acceptable too, as long as the dye or hair does not get in the way.
Apron
All associates must wear Home Depot aprons while working. The orange aprons are the trademark symbols of Home Depot, and thus associates must keep them clean and in good condition.
No staff is allowed to wear the apron off-site unless they are working, even if it’s for cleaning purposes. Additionally, you can decorate the aprons with company badges, pins, and other creative artwork for a personal touch.
Hats
You can wear a hat as long as it has the Home Depot logo on it. You can and should wear safety gear whenever necessary. Naturally, head coverings for religious purposes are permitted too.
Shoes
All associates working on the floor must wear close-toed shoes for safety reasons. So, no flip-flops, sandals, slippers, or other open-toed shoes.
Body Art
Home Depot allows its employees to have visible tattoos and any form of body art. However, they cannot indicate any political, religious, racial, or offensive messages.
Not Permitted in the Dress Code
Overall, Home Depot does not permit associates to wear the following:
- – Tight shirts and pants
- – Clothing with other brands’ logos
- – Sweatpants and athletic shorts
- – Sleeveless shirts such as tank tops
- – Any open-toed shoes
- – Garments that promote political, religious, or personal beliefs
Home Depot also forbids associates from displaying “causes or political messages unrelated to workplace matters” on any clothing items, according to New York Times. In 2021, Home Depot threatened to release an employee for wearing a slogan supporting the Black lives Matter movement on his apron.
While Home Depot does take a public stance on topics of social justice, its dress code is distancing itself from political positions. Regardless of your stance on the issue, Home Depot has made it clear: associates cannot wear clothing with logos or slogans that aren’t about them.
Read: When Does Home Depot Send Out W2?
Merchandise Execution Team
You may have noticed certain Home Depot staff walking around in orange, collared shirts. These employees are part of the Merchandise Experts Team, a group of specialists tasked with bay and aisle-level maintenance.
All Merchandise Execution associates must wear the provided uniforms because it helps them stand out from other workers.
Conclusion
Overall, Home Depot has a lenient dress code that allows employees to wear anything business casual. Comfortable jeans, closed-toe shoes, and collared shirts or blouses are highly recommended because there is much walking involved when working at Home Depot.
If you want to learn more about other retailers’ dress codes, you may be interested in the following articles:
– Can I Wear Whatever I Want To DoorDash?
How was your experience working at Home Depot? Let us know in the comments below!
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