It can be difficult to find the perfect footwear for work, because this can really depend on the type of industry you work in. It is important to have suitable shoes for the industry you are working in (or provide your team with appropriate footwear). The best way to assess this is based on what you and your team will be doing day-to-day.
Why is Footwear Important?
It is essential that you wear the correct type of footwear - even in day-to-day life. A great example is wearing hiking boots on a hike or long walk, rather than sandals. This is due to the supportive nature of walking boots, as well as high levels of grip and suitability to different weather conditions.
The same practices should be followed in the workplace. This means, for example, providing anti-slip footwear for your employees, whether working in a warehouse or a hair salon. This is why it is very important to consider what your team is doing on a daily basis. As another example, it is vital that people lifting items or working around heavy machinery should wear boots with toe caps. This safety measure could help to save your employees' toes!
It is essential to think: are your team members constantly on their feet? Or, does your team spend most of their day driving heavy machinery? Let’s take a look at some of the industries our wide selection of footwear covers:
Hospitality, Retail & Beauty
Depending on the establishment, there are two types of footwear one could opt for when working in hospitality. In a restaurant setting, you will typically see more smart shoes worn by the front of house staff, compared to bars and pubs with staff generally wearing trainers. However, some restaurants allow for smart, black trainers due to the amount of time spent on your feet and walking around. On the flip side of hospitality, chefs tend to wear clogs. This is due to the fact that someone may trip over their laces (or someone else’s laces) if wearing other styles of footwear.
For those in retail and beauty, there will generally be a requirement for black shoes or trainers that offer all day comfort (especially when working on your feet all day). Therefore, it is also important to consider whether your team will require laces in case of at-work accidents.
Warehousing & Production
Working in warehousing or production often entails using a lot of heavy machinery. Using this type of machinery can sometimes mean the risk of an accident happening are greater than other types of work (like working in an office). This means it is very important to protect not only your head, but to protect your feet too. The most typical style of footwear seen worn amongst warehousing and production folks is steel toe cap boots or trainers - though most popularly, steel toe cap boots. The difference is that steel toe cap boots offer ample support for your ankles, as well as protecting your toes with the steel toe cap feature.
Trades & Distribution
Working in trades or distribution can often mean a lot of heavy lifting and using large machinery. Therefore, it is required to wear industry-standard safety equipment - including safety footwear. The type and level of safety footwear can vary depending on the nature of the job.
Safetywear is so important on construction sites and other environments that involve heavy machinery. Think: if your team needs to wear hi-vis up top, it is best that safety boots and other safety footwear are also worn for your team’s protection. This can include footwear that features padded ankle support and toe caps.
Other features like oil resistance and anti-slip technology are also very important here. Those working in distribution may not require oil resistant technology in their footwear, but will need something comfortable that includes anti-slip technology. The nature of the job can often mean being out and about during all seasons and types of weather - with the most unpredictable of elements.
So whether you need waterproof shoes, safety footwear, or clogs suitable for a professional kitchen, know your industry and find the most suitable footwear for your industry here at Workwear Giant. With our Price Match, we can guarantee to be transparent about our prices and whether you are getting the best deal on the market.
