Securities Companies Do Away with Formal Work Attire

Simplifying or abolishing uniforms at work is attributed to the recent spread of a horizontal and flexible corporate culture. (image: KEB Hana Bank)

SEOUL, Sept. 11 (Korea Bizwire) — There is a wave of change at South Korean securities companies, which used to be represented by business suits and formal dress.

Allowing casual wear and the liberalization of dress codes is starting at some brokerages.

Shinhan Investment Corp., has decided to simplify the attire of its branch tellers for the upcoming winter uniform period.

Furthermore, the customer support team, which previously had to wear branch uniforms, will be permitted to choose their own work attire.

“Because what one wears and work efficiency are not directly correlated with each other, we have decided to implement the liberalization and simplification of dress to promote efficiency at work,” a Shinhan Investment official said.

Meanwhile, KB Securities Co. has also been liberalizing uniforms of branch employees for work since July of this year.

Hana Financial Investment Co. required branch workers to wear uniforms, but it is currently at the discretion of branch managers to choose to require the use of uniforms or not.

In addition, Hana headquarters also simplified its dress code in May of last year and now allows casual attire every Friday.

Simplifying or abolishing uniforms at work is attributed to the recent spread of a horizontal and flexible corporate culture, which is even causing a boom in the liberalization of dress code at typically conservative brokerage houses.

Stockbrokers seem to be welcoming the entry of dress autonomy into the conservative stock market.

“It wasn’t easy to wear a suit every day, but it’s good because we can dress appropriately according to the weather as regulations ease,” said a securities industry official.

D. M. Park (dmpark@koreabizwire.com)