They’re sweaty, bearded, and swarming the streets of the Financial District. No, we’re not talking about the Occupy Wall Street protesters: These days, the bankers themselves are going boho and blending in with their opposition at Zuccotti Park.
Why? For starters, the recession has redefined “business as usual,” demanding cutbacks that would make Gordon Gekko bawl. This past summer, for example, Goldman Sachs said it would trim $1 billion in non-compensation costs (i.e., expenses that aren’t directly linked to salaries, bonuses and benefits) over the course of a year. Translation: Long gone are the days Crystal bottles were charged on the company AmEx.
And perhaps as a result, the down-on-their-luck workers are getting in touch with their spiritual sides, too, nurturing their souls as layoffs, cutbacks, and angry anti-capitalists on the streets where they work all chip away at their confidence.
“When people are experiencing stress and suffering, they start looking for more meaning,” says Kim Ann Curtin, a certified life coach and CEO of The Wall Street Coach.
“This business can burn you to a crisp, and it’s worse now than ever before. Bankers are finding ways to rise above the pressure.”
Here are eight ways bankers are giving new meaning to the term Bohemian Bourgeoisie. Take a look and let us know if we’ve missed any.
