From John Carney @carney http://www.cnbc.com/id/101081451#_gus
You wake up on a Friday afternoon still a bit hungover from a colleague's bon voyage party. He's either going to a hedge fund or an internet start up. Someone said it's actually a coffee start up. Or maybe a coffee hedge fund. You forget.
It's Friday but you suit up anyway. Casual Friday had its moment in the early oughts but faded sometime just before the financial crisis. You're glad. You never looked that good in khakis and a polo shirt anyway.
So while you trudge off for the subway, you pass some kid in sneakers, blue jeans, a T-shirt and a hoodie. Another damn start-up kid who can afford to cab it to work instead of taking the subway like a normal human being. Or maybe he works for Google or Facebook.
Guess what? You could be wrong.
He might work for Barclays. The bank has recently put in place a policy of super-casual Fridays. Jeans, T-shirts, and even sneakers are acceptable on Fridays, according to people who work for the bank (and spoke on the condition of anonymity because banks keep everything top secret, even stuff like the rules of permissible footwear).
The idea, apparently, is to make Barclays a better, cooler place to work. It's one of a number of initiatives the company is taking to make employees enjoy their workplace more.
Not everyone is thrilled. In particular, some of the holdovers from the Lehman Brothers days are dismayed. One former Lehmanite expressed horror at the idea of going to work in sneakers.
"I didn't become an investment banker to dress like a perpetual teenager," one Lehman vet said.
"It's ridiculous. Please make them stop," said another. "It's like working at a start-up but without the IPO."
Former Lehman CEO Dick Fuld is probably rolling over in his Idaho hideaway.
"It's a complete slap in the face to Erin Callan's personal shooper at Bergdorf," one former Lehmanite at Barclays said. (Callan was the notoriously well-dressed CFO in the months leading up to Lehman's collapse.)
A spokesperson for Barclays declined to comment about the policy or about what she was wearing as CNBC.com spoke to her.
Follow me on Twitter @Carney
I need to get me one of them personal shoopers... see what the fuss is about.
At my bank it's dress down Monday and Friday at the moment. Stay mad
qatalyst does this too, and business casual mon to thurs.
Absolutely unacceptable. A proper bank would be white tie formal* mon-thurs, black tie semi-formal** fri and business professional sat-sun.
*Obviously it would be morning dress before 6pm. The employees would be required to change after. **Ivory Jacket allowed on fridays in the summer.
Really giving the peasants a little too much slack on this one. Tighten it up.
They can still suck it, because I wear my boxer briefs until noon.
It is now inevitable that they will get an intern coming in wearing pajama bottoms and a filthy "band" T shirt. Place is gonna start looking like the Occupy crowd, IN Barclays! Complete horse hockey.
Looks like I'm going to apply for Barclay's. Hahahahha
So then looks like they succeeded at their goal!
Looks like it, eh? pullin' in them YuNg BuCk$
friday is hawaiin shirt day...
I thought the European banks were supposed to be super uptight re: dress code?
That's so sad.
Does 'super-casual' include pasties for the ladies?
If so please pass the sign-up sheet.
Oh god... oh god no. What are we gonna do guys?! GET TO DA CHOPPA
Just a matter of personal preference, but I prefer business formal. That's my organization's dress code, except for Fridays, which are business casual. Even then, I still go in business formal. Why? Because I perform down to that same level when I don't dress up in the same way that I'm a crappier employee when working from home, "un-showered" without shaving. So I definitely would not like super casual Friday. Besides, my only clothes are suits and sweatpants.
almost the same, except for Fridays, which are full casual, but some others and I still go business formal or business casual.
You serious brah? Yeesh...
Probably easier to pull off not looking like a total goofball going full casual than business casual. I wonder which group at Barclays is likely to turn into a Hypebeast competition.
Gotta cop fire red AJ3's to up my steez level. With a dead stock supreme box logo tee and selvedge line upturned jeans.
sending in my lateral application now
One department here does themed dress days. Things like "mismatch day" or "crazy hair day", we just call these "Dress like the back office" days.
hahaha
Going to be interesting how many will channel the "im saaa cool im from BK look"...not me!!!
While I would never want to go this casual, I would kill for business casual Fridays...
I preform my work much better naked, its awkward when your slacks are chafing her inner thighs.
I would like to see that!!!!
You still haven't come by. Just saying.
^ ahhh, another happy couple courtesy of WSO
Am I allowed to wear my Lehman Brothers golf polo in on Friday?
I've been told by reputable CEOs that Casual Friday's are worth 5 Grand in salary. Wonder if Barclay's made the same calculus?
I've never understood the purpose of "casual" days. If you can go casual 1 day a week, why not 5 days a week? What's the purpose in going professional anyway unless you've got meetings?
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