From shoes, to glasses, makeup and even undergarment colour, UBS means business with its dress code. Everything from head to toe is spelled out!
Swiss financial services firm UBS, which was hammered during the financial crisis, is setting out to reconquer its customers. Accordingly, it wants its employees to have an impeccable appearance, hence the very strict dress code it has drawn up. The 44-page code, which was leaked to and published by Swiss newspaper Le Temps, contains a series of detailed recommendations to give UBS employees a professional and classy appearance emphasizing their skills and personality. It is not simply a question of type of shoe, blazer or suit—although these topics are addressed—but also of overall employee appearance. For instance, the guide specifies that women must wear flesh-coloured undergarments under their white blouse, that skirts should be neither too long nor too short, and that makeup should be light. Men are not left out: they must wear a conservative, dark two-piece suit, and underneath, a long-sleeved white shirt with no cufflinks. The guide doesn’t stop there—everything is scrutinized, from the choice of perfume, to accessories such as jewellery, scarves and watches. Depending on reaction to the dress code in the five pilot offices where it is currently being tested, management could decide to quickly roll it out to its 1,500 employees across Switzerland.