When I initially read “Dress to Impress, UBS Tells Staff” by Elena Berton, I laughed. UBS is in the process of refreshing their brand, appearance being part of the brand, UBS published a 43-page dress code for their staff. The funny part of the story is some of the codes previewed in the article are so similar to appearance advice people are usually afraid to say straight to the offender's face. Such as, for women, "Make sure to touch up hair regrowth regularly if you color your hair" and for men, warnings "about using hair dyes to mask their advancing age, since 'artificial color contrasts excessively with the actual age your skin'".
Seriously, I think its sad when companies have to micro-manage hygiene and appearance, especially 43 pages worth. But UBS probably wanted to prevent an "I didn't know" moment with employees who are not aware of expected standards. Some people don't know obvious standards of the work place or the strict standards of a particular company. Let this be a lesson: appearance is essential to all brands, including personal brands. You will be judged by your appearance, in almost all aspects of the job, from interview to promotion. So, in an interview or training, don't be afraid to ask detailed questions about dress code standards.
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