Your employee handbook clearly outlines the office’s dress code, which is crucial for these warm summer months when clothes get shorter and lighter. You’ve even sent “reminder” memos about the summer dress code to help keep everyone in check. But one of your employees, Hannah, still comes to the office dressed for a day at the beach. Her airy attire is preventing others from taking her seriously. How can you gracefully tell her she needs to dress more professionally?

You’ll have to have a one-on-one. Yes, that will be as pleasant as flossing popcorn out of your teeth, but it must be done, especially if you want to help Hannah get ahead in her career. Remember that most employees, especially young professionals, don’t intentionally violate the dress code; they often don’t think about it or don’t know any better. So for best results, try framing the conversation like this…

• Choose the best time. This is going to be awkward for both of you, so having the talk privately at the end of the day allows Hannah to escape and process her feelings outside the office. If Hannah dresses appropriately on some days, have the talk on a good wardrobe day; you can build on this positive example of what she’s doing right.
• Show her you want to help. Playing the dress code police—Violation! Violation!—is probably not the best approach, as it will only make Hannah feel punished and dejected. Instead, take a positive tack by showing Hannah you are on her side. Try leading with, “Someone had this conversation with me way back when, and it really helped me, so I want to share that advice with you.” You could also say, “I want other people to see the potential in you that I see. Dressing more professionally would really highlight that.” Describe an example of appropriate workwear that also addresses Hannah’s dress code difficulties. Also tell her you would love to see her succeed and reach her full potential, and that you’ll check in with her in a few weeks to see how she’s doing.
• Follow up. If Hannah has been rocking the dress code to a T, tell her how great she’s been doing. If she’s still shopping for workwear in the swimwear section, she either didn’t take your talk seriously or she genuinely has no clue how to dress in a professional environment. In that unfortunate case, you may have to step up your HR game and call out those dress code police. It could also be a reminder that not everyone is a fit for every company’s culture. And if she’s on the right track but still needs some improvement, tell her that too, and reaffirm ways she can get there. Always be encouraging!

When dress code violations pop up this summer, take away these two things when addressing your employees: 1) Keep it positive and encouraging, and 2) Remember that most employees don’t flagrantly violate the dress code. Education may yield the best results!