Thank Credit Suisse It’s Friday: Credit Suisse wants bankers to take Friday night off… so that they’re fresh for work at the weekend
Execs at Credit Suisse are a charitable bunch, insisting that staff take a whole 17 hours of time off at the weekend.
The bank has told staff to leave work by 7pm on a Friday and not return until at least Saturday lunchtime, unless there's a big deal in the works, of course.
The groundbreaking scheme, which the lender has called "Protecting Friday Night" instead of the more obvious "Thank Credit Suisse It's Friday", is part of a wider drive by investment firms to soften their hard-working images and stop talented bankers leaving for cushier jobs in private equity.
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And Credit Suisse isn't the only firm in London's financial quarters trying to boost mindfulness in the workplace.
Yesterday, UBS told staff they can now take up to two hours of "personal time" per week, while earlier this year investment bankers at JP Morgan were told to take weekends off unless they're working on a big deal.
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Rumours also abounded earlier this year that Barclays execs wanted to improve the working environment with an office-wide survey asking bankers who their best friend at the firm is.
A spokesperson denied any knowledge of a survey or plans to boost morale.