We go shopping at Wal-Mart for stuff like basic home and bath products cause it’s often cheaper than other stores.  Over the years I’ve become accustomed to seeing the employees in those trademark blue vests - sometimes with the GIANT smiley on the back.  Always makes me glad I’m not wearing one.  Always.

Now WallyWorld has had this genius idea to alter the dress code for all the employees.  Before the mandatory policy change, a person would come to work in whatever clothes they had on that day and then throw on the blue vest to distinguish themselves as an employee.  Now, in order to present -according to the company- a more professional look, it’s been decided that employees will now wear a dark blue polo shirt and khaki pants. 

Umm, I don’t go to Wal-Mart seeking a professional looking employee.  I do, however, go to Wal-Mart looking for sales and “Always Low Prices.”  If I can’t find something I do like to be able to find some help quickly without wasting time.  The company spewed some nonsense about how this uniform would also make the employees stand out more to the customers on just such an occasion.  Baloney!  I’ve been to the store several times since this change took effect in Northwest Ohio and if anything, I find it more difficult to notice that someone is an employee.  I end up looking for the nametag to determine if they work there or not, otherwise they look like anyone else that is in the store.  C’mon, a polo shirt is supposed to be more noticeable than a trademark blue vest with printing and/or a smiley face on the back?  P’shaw I say, p’shaw.

While I was looking for articles to link to for this post (I couldn’t find any) I saw a couple comments by other bloggers and reporters that I thought were interesting.  First off, supposedly the person that initiated this change at Wal-Mart company headquarters was a former big shot at Target where the uniform is, you guessed it, a red polo shirt and khakis.  Secondly, someone else noted that this new look is practically identical to what Best Buy employees wear.  Yup, way to distinguish yourself from the pack Wal*Mart!