Anecdata here, but I've been wearing a tie for a few years, and while I don't think it has changed my behavior much, it definitely changes how other people treat me.
It's actually a little creepy how that one little difference of putting on a tie changes other people's behaviors in so many tiny daily interactions. Things like: when you approach a door, escalator, getting in and out of elevators, people let me go first. People are definitely nicer to me, cashiers smile more, etc. It's noticeable, and a little weird.
We're conditioned from a young age to respect the tie. So, it's not crazy to think that forcing everyone to wear ties in an office will make them a little nicer to each other. I do think it affects people at a subconscious level.
I don't believe it's just about how your comport yourself to clients, but also to establish a hierarchy and pecking order within the organization itself.
The employer may feel that the caliber of people they are hiring requires a very strict, by-the-books mode of operation, and forcing uniforms of people goes a long way towards showing who's in charge, and enforcing discipline.
Yes, but I'm sure you crawled with a more professional deportment. I can tell, even now, at a much later date, and a location indeterminate to that of the crawling.
