Man o’ the people UBS CEO Marcel Rohner has noticed that billions in writedowns, unsightly construction, and layoffs ’round the clock have taken their toll on company morale lately. No one smiles anymore in the halls. No one whistles when they work. No one laughs about last year’s insider trading charges, or the fact that the Stamford office, having been drained of its workers, is in the process of being converted into a giant fish bowl. And that’s a major buzz kill, at least on Rohner’s end, so in order to turn those frowns upside down, the CEO announced yesterday that all employees are entitled to take one extra day off in 2008. In order to redeem the freebie, you must be employed as of July 1st, and the gift of generosity does not apply to MDs (who will presumably be using the afternoon sans kids for a high impact shredding session of whatever documents need tending to). So take the day, recharge the batteries, and reignite that loving feeling you once had for UBS (and, if you can, remember those warm tingling feelings, and this unprecedented act of charity, during the next round of layoffs).
A Day Off For Grim UBS Staff [NYP]