公司高层开会，老板Frank建议，规定着装标准，不能太随便。
Frank: Good morning everyone. Thanks for being on time.
Gary & Penny: Good morning, Frank.
F: We’ve got a whole bunch of topics to go over today, but let’s start with a simple one: our company’s dress code.
G: We have a dress code?
F: Well…if we didn’t have one before, I’m instituting one, starting now.
P: What exactly does this mean?
公司老板Frank说，首先讨论着装要求，dress code。Gary觉得奇怪，不知道公司什么时候有了dress code. Frank表示，以前没有没关系，I’m instituting one starting now. 就从现在开始定。
F: I’ve become concerned that we are getting a bit too casual. I was walking through the office the other day and some people were wearing shorts and T-shirts! I don’t think that is appropriate office wear.
P: It’s true. Our standards have been going down. It used to be that we wore casual clothes only on Fridays, but these days it seems we do it almost everyday.
Frank原来是看到员工穿得太随便，a bit too casual. T恤衫，短裤，什么都有，不合适上班穿。另外一位女主管Penny承认，着装标准是有些下降，原来只有星期五不用穿得太正式，也就是常说的Casual Friday, 可如今大家每天都穿得很随便。
G: But Frank, don’t you think maybe this isn’t such a big issue? I mean, why does it matter what we are wearing? I think productivity is more important!
F: Actually, I agree with you, Gary. Productivity is the most important thing. But I think what we wear is linked to productivity.
P: In what way are they linked?
F: Police officers wear uniforms, right? It’s a symbol to both them and the public that they are serious about what they do.
Gary觉得，穿着并不重要，重要的是工作效率，productivity. Frank却认为，穿着跟效率之间也有密切联系。比如警察穿制服，就是一个象征，a symbol, 告诉自己，也告诉大众，他们觉得自己的工作很重要。
G: You’re the boss, Frank, so of course it’s your call…but I have to say, I’m not so keen on this idea. I think neckties cut off blood circulation. I’m much more in favor of a relaxed workplace environment.
F: And for some companies a relaxed atmosphere might work. At Google they let you bring your dog to work! But we are a serious financial company with an image to uphold.
Frank的工作态度论并没有说服Gray. 他说，you’re the boss. It’s your call，你是老板，你说了算，但我还是主张有一个轻松的工作环境 I’m in favor of a relaxed workplace environment. Frank看来已经拿定主意，说轻松的工作环境适合某些公司，但他们是一家严谨的金融公司，with an image to uphold，要保持公司形象。新的dress code是什么呢？我们下次继续听。