Grocery store and retail careers can be hard work, with employees constantly on the move and interacting with customers.
Employees, more than anyone, are the public face of the company, so it’s natural that employers would want them to look professional, neat, and approachable.
With their reputation for above-average pay, you might be wondering if employees at grocery chain Aldi have to dress above-average for work. Here is what you need to know about the Aldi employee dress code.
Key Takeaways
What Is The Aldi Employee Dress Code In 2022?
The Aldi store employee dress code includes three basic components: Aldi-logo polo shirts, basic, solid color pants and steel-toed footware. Aldi’s company image is clean-cut and conservative, and employees are expected to reflect that. Excesses tattoos, hair dye, and jewelry, are not permitted, but are allowed in moderation.
Let’s get more in-depth about the Aldi employee dress code, including permittable pants, and tattoos, dyed hair, piercings, and even jewelry. Read on for the Aldi company standards and why you might see variations at different stores.
Why Do Aldi Employees Need Steel-Toe Boots?
Working at Aldi is hard work, as any employee will tell you. New truckloads of goods come in every day, and with employees cross-trained to do almost every task in the store, unloading and stocking will certainly fall on the list of job duties.
Steel-toed boots are needed so that every employee protects their feet at work.
Can Aldi Employees Have Tattoos?
People spend a lot of money on their tattoos, so it can be a point of contention when their workplace requires them to cover it up.
Luckily, Aldi does allow its store employees to have and display the tattoos on their arms. The polo you most commonly see Aldi store employees wearing are short-sleeves, after all, so extra covering up (like a long-sleeve underneath) is unnecessary.
However, the tattoos must not be deemed offensive by the store manager. And tattoos of a political, sexual, or racist nature should be covered at all times.
Additionally, face or neck tattoos will likely be handled on a case-by-case basis according to the individual store manager.
Can Aldi Employees Have Dyed Hair In Bright Colors?
While the Aldi employee handbook is purportedly vaguely worded on the topic of bright hair colors, it’s a safe bet that your hot pinks, purples, greens, blues, etc. are strongly discouraged.
This is not to say, however, that you are immediately going to be fired for experimenting with some color.
Again, Aldi corporate leaves a lot up to the individual store managers, and so in a bigger city, where brightly dyed hair is more common, it might be less offensive to patrons and deemed all right.
One Indeed commenter in Connecticut did note that a coworker’s blue-tipped hair was allowed.
Can Aldi Employees Have Visible Piercings?
Ear piercings are innocuous these days, but it’s worth noting that Aldi employees have been found, on a case-by-case basis, to wear their facial piercings during work, though some have complained about a lack of consistency in policy.
Nostril and septum piercings are the most common, but again, a lot of decision-making in these instances is left up to the store manager or even the district manager.
If you’re thinking about getting a facial piercing while an employee at Aldi, it would be best to ask your store manager their thoughts before spending the money.
Additionally, if you end up having to take the piercing out altogether during work hours, you could risk it closing up.
Jewelry makers do sell clear plugs to keep new piercings open, though, so those might be worth looking into.
Are Aldi Employees Allowed To Wear Jewelry?
Aldi employees are allowed to wear tasteful and conservative jewelry. Examples include simple one-strand necklaces that sit below the collar, stud earrings, or even small hoops.
Larger jewelry pieces, like big statement necklaces or hoop earrings, not only veer from the conservative dress code, they constitute a safety hazard, as employees could run the risk of getting their jewelry caught on something.
Can Aldi Employees Wear Jeans or Leggings?
Aldi employees are permitted to wear jeans to work! Provided they are of a solid color, have no rips or tears, and sit around the waist (no low-riders or low, baggy fits), jeans fall under the dress code.
When it comes to leggings, I have looked everywhere for a definitive answer, but cannot find one.
However, I have seen employees at my local Aldi (I’m in Pennsylvania) wearing leggings as pants, so leggings are likely handled on a store-by-store basis.
Can Employees Wear Shorts At Aldi?
While I couldn’t find anything conclusive from about shorts on store employees, a few commenters on message boards indicate that shorts are permitted at Aldi during the hot summer months.
You can assume, knowing Aldi’s overall conservative image, that the dress code would discourage anything too short or revealing, with no rips or tears.
What Should You Wear To Your Aldi Job Interview?
I’ve covered what you can wear on the job, but what if you’re going through the application process and now you have an interview?
Aldi surprisingly suggests business casual for interviews (a good rule of thumb is to dress one “level” higher than the workplace dress code; it’s always better to be over-dressed than under!).
This means business casual pants for both men and women (or a dress or business casual skirt for women), a suit jacket for men over a nice button-down or polo, or a professional-looking blouse/top for women.
Similarly, if you have been invited to an open house for applicants, business casual would be an appropriate dress code.
If you are looking to gain employment at Aldi, you might want to become familiar with whether or not Aldi drug test, if Aldi is a franchise, why Aldi is so cheap, and some interesting Aldi statistics.
Conclusion
Aldi’s dress code does veer toward the conservative, but individuals stores – and the managers who get the final decision when it comes to issues not covered in detail in the employee handbook – will vary when it comes to matters like dyed hair, tattoos, piercings and even pants.