Flip flops to work in Switzerland? No chance.
Keystone / Claudio Thoma
In Switzerland, despite the heatwave, people continue to wear pants to work. Shorts have no place in the office – far less so than in other European countries. This is according to a study by the YouGov institute published Tuesday on behalf of the online site Galaxus.
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These somewhat conservative habits remain deeply ingrained in Switzerland. The YouGov survey, conducted on behalf of Galaxus of 2,616 people in Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Italy, and France, shows that 60% of Swiss men prefer long pants, which they typically pair with closed-toe shoes (56%).
Only 27% of Swiss men wear shorts to work. The same is true in Italy. In contrast, Germany is where people are most likely to wear shorts (38%) and T-shirts (69%).
As for women, there are no notable differences between the various countries. T-shirts and pants are the norm in all countries surveyed, even in extreme heat. Only one-third opt for skirts or dresses.
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When it comes to appropriate work attire, Switzerland has the strictest dress code. For example, showing your belly button is out of the question. In fact, 73% of Swiss people consider crop tops inappropriate for work in the summer when interacting with customers.
Some 57% even believe they are inappropriate when there is no direct contact with customers. In Italy, this figure stands at only 25%, and 37% when interacting with customers. Sweatpants are also off-limits in Switzerland: 61% of those surveyed say they are inappropriate for work when interacting with customers, compared to 39% in Italy.
Switzerland also stands out for its rejection of flip-flops. 72% of Swiss people consider them inappropriate for the office. In Switzerland, work is still a serious matter.
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Translated from French, reviewed by an English Department journalist.
