There’s a fine line between casual wear and pyjamas.
Japan is known for its formalities, especially when it comes to customer service, where neat uniforms and conservative appearances are often considered part of the job. However, as some industries face increasing labour shortages, companies are beginning to relax these conventions in the hopes of attracting more workers.
That’s what convenience store chain Family Mart is doing right now, with the introduction of casual uniforms and a new grooming policy that removes restrictions on staff hair colour. The changes are all part of the chain’s goal of becoming “the most desirable place to work” among Japan’s convenience stores.
The new uniforms were unveiled on 26 August, with three models showing some of the looks customers can expect to see on their next Family Mart visit. The new dress and grooming rules, collectively known as “Family Mart Coordinate”, are designed to give staff more freedom to express their individuality.
Family Mart is breaking new ground with the initiative, replacing its traditional jacket-style uniform with a T-shirt design, making it the first convenience store chain in Japan to introduce a T-shirt-style staff uniform.
As the first uniform change in 10 years for the chain, the look is markedly more casual, with the top half based on the chain’s popular Convenience Wear “Outer T-shirt”, which has sold more than seven million units. The change was made partly in response to staff requests for something that would be easier to move around in and more casual to wear.
The shirts are made from thick 100-percent cotton fabric and have antibacterial, deodorising properties to help prevent unpleasant smells. The familiar Family Mart colours feature prominently, while the “Staff” lettering uses a more “refined” font intended to retain a sense of professionalism.
The uniforms were designed by Hiromasa Ochiai, creative director of Family Mart’s Convenience Wear range, and will be available to staff in 14 sizes, ranging from XS to 11L, with long-sleeved versions available up to 7L.
The uniform itself isn’t the only thing getting a makeover, because under the new “Family Mart Coordinate” standards, staff will have more freedom over their appearance, including their hair colour and how they choose to style their uniform. Hopefully there’ll be some guidance on styling, though, because pairing the T-shirts with Convenience Wear Easy Pants runs the risk of making the whole outfit look like pyjamas.
The idea is for staff to feel like they can retain their own identity while at work, with the new standards expanding their clothing choices and allowing them to customise their uniforms through layering. They’ll also be able to use a working name written in hiragana or katakana on their name badge.
The chain is also planning a staff-only version of its popular Line Socks in a special colour, giving workers another way to customise their look.
While it’s an admirable move for the chain to shake up some of the traditional norms of the convenience store industry, the new looks have divided opinion online, with locals leaving comments like:
“The green punk look is a bit too much.”
“The chain will be flooded with complaints.”
“Isn’t it all a bit too casual?”
“I don’t care about hair colour. I care more about their attitude towards customers.”
“There’s an employee with pink hair at the Family Mart near my house, so I’ve always thought it was a free-spirited place.”
“As long as they do their job and provide good customer service, I don’t mind.”
It can be difficult to please both customers and staff in customer-facing roles, but Family Mart is confident that the new look will be well received. Following the popular response to its Famima flagship, which is also taking the chain in a different direction with its street-cool vibe and uniforms, Family Mart is happy to stand out and do things differently from its competitors.
The changes will take effect on 1 September, when the new uniforms will begin appearing at around 16,500 Family Mart stores across Japan.
Source, images: Press release
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