Corporate offices might just be opening up to the idea of beards at workplaces, but the State Bank of India doesn’t seem to be in the mood to let its employees off the hook so easily. Along with listing down a bunch of rules for ‘professional’ dressing, it has strictly asked its non-uniformed employees to ‘avoid unshaven looks,’ in a recent circular.

The memo doesn’t specify the rules for beards on religious grounds, but considers being unshaven against its code of ‘personal hygiene and appearance.’  Other grooming tips require SBI employees to match the colour of their belts and shoes, complementary socks to trousers and ‘ties with designs’ on solid shirts.

And if you’re in the mood for a checked shirt one day, the bank advises you to pair it with a solid tie. With blazers also comes the responsibility to have sufficiently long shirt sleeves and collars that show at all time.

Coming across has an almost school-like list of instructions, the bank also orders its employees to not wear anything but full-length trousers to work. Sneakers, slippers and any non-formal shoewear has also been banned at the workplace.

Women in both the senior staff and other departments have been mandated to only wear formal Indian or formal western attire. As a general rule, all employees have also been asked to keep a check on bad breath and body odour. What’s funnier is that there’s also a bullet point against belching, for real!

SBI felt the need to reiterate its dressing and grooming rules in order to uplift the ’emotional value and image’ of their brand in the eyes of the customers. We’d also appreciate if there’s a circular to expedite the time taken to sort out the paperwork at public sector offices as well. It might just help better the ‘image’ of the bank even further.