Independent Banker - February 2019 - 62

"
Our bank's
purpose
statement
is that we
try to have
a positive
impact on
people's lives,
and a worklife
balance
culture is our
way of having
a positive
impact on our
employees'
lives. "
-Tim Treml,
Bank of
Luxemburg
amenities is important. " My institution is about
to undergo a renovation to our break room and
kitchen that I am excited about, " she says. " We
plan to offer healthy snacks to employees and
give them a place to quickly relax and detach for
a moment. "
Many of Waddle's coworkers take advantage of
the fact that they can pick up their children after
school and bring them back to the bank for a few
hours-there's a TV in the break room-before
heading home for the day. And, in the past,
many of her peers donated their extra sick days
to a coworker who was in the hospital.
Regardless of how many benefits a community
bank offers, Waddle believes it's important
for employees to maintain perspective on
the concept of work-life balance. " Anyone
striving for 50-50 work-life balance will end up
disappointed, because life at work and life at
home are not always in perfect harmony, " she
says. " Instead, I strive for work-life integration,
knowing that some days are more centered
around a nine-to-five schedule at the bank,
whereas other days involve taking my dogs to
the vet and working from home on my laptop.
Getting rid of the idea that work life and home
life need to balance each other perfectly allows
me to release guilt on both sides of the scale. "
'A really fun place to work'
According to Tim Treml, president and CEO
of $350 million-asset Bank of Luxemburg
in Luxemburg, Wis., work-life benefits are
becoming increasingly important as the
workforce transitions from baby boomers
to millennials, especially as these younger
employees start families. " Our bank's purpose
statement is that we try to have a positive impact
on people's lives, and a work-life balance culture
is our way of having a positive impact on our
employees' lives, " Treml says.
The Bank of Luxemburg offers a variety of
work-life balance perks, many of which are
focused on reducing the number of hours
employees must be at work. One is called " shortshift
Friday, " which allows employees to work
six hours instead of eight on that day. And, at
62 Q ICBA Independent Banker Q February 2019
Illustration: Robert Neubecker
an annual holiday party, the community bank
raffles off five or six extra vacation days for the
following year. " We then donate the money to a
charitable cause, " Treml says.
The bank discourages overtime work because
it doesn't want employees to experience the
stress associated with putting in too many hours.
It also offers paid time off to volunteer-16
hours a year for full-time employees and eight
hours for part-time employees.
To promote employee health, Bank of
Luxemburg offers a popular wellness program
that rewards employees for keeping fit and
making healthy choices. The community bank
hosted a health fair last fall featuring free health
screenings, flu shots and speakers on fitness
and nutrition.
But the Bank of Luxemburg is not done. This
year, the community bank will pay for shortterm
disability coverage for all employees " to
help bridge the gap on sick time, " Treml says.
New personal growth programs, such
as lunch-and-learn sessions, will focus
on balancing work and family life, time
Independent Banker - February 2019

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