Independent Banker - February 2019 - 64

management and how to manage change.
Overall, as Treml sees it, if the bank can
provide even a five-minute mental health
break to employees every couple of hours,
one way or another, it will help to build
and maintain its work-life balance culture.
" Last week, I had an employee come
up to me and tell me that this is just a
really fun place to work, " he says.
Meeting individual
workers' needs
Other banks have fewer formal initiatives
designed for everyone, instead placing more
emphasis on accommodating the needs of
individual employees.
One of these is $1.2 billion-asset First Citizens
Bank of Mason City, Iowa. " To me, work-life
benefits, especially flexible work schedules and
working remotely, are in the top three benefits in
terms of what people want, " says Dan McGuire,
chief human resources officer. " Work-life
benefits impact all generations. "
"
If your bank
puts family
first, people
begin to
recognize
that, and it
builds loyalty
and a deep
culture. "
-Dan
McGuire,
First Citizens
Bank
The community bank makes accommodations
for employees at different stages of life. For
example, younger employees who don't have
families yet may look at work-life balance in
terms of making time to be involved in their
communities. " Some of our other employees
have young children, " he says, " and several
others are helping take care of their aging
parents. For all of these reasons, work-life
balance benefits are important for us both in
terms of recruitment and retention, especially
since unemployment is so low. "
McGuire sees work-life benefits as " culturedefining
benefits. " " If your bank puts family
first, people begin to recognize that, and it builds
loyalty and a deep culture, " he says.
He doesn't point to a list of benefits that
First Citizens Bank identifies as specific worklife
benefits. " Rather, the concept of providing
flexibility to our employees is really just part of
our culture, " he says.
For example, when employees need to stay
home with sick children or take their parents to
doctor visits, they sit down with their managers
64 Q ICBA Independent Banker Q February 2019
to find ways to make things work, so that they
are taking care of their families and also making
sure that work obligations are covered. " In many
cases, to help our employees have the flexibility
they need, we look to technology when we can,
such as technology that allows some employees
to work remotely, " McGuire says.
Tompkins Mahopac Bank also focuses on
individual circumstances more than formal
programs. It does offer a telecommuting
program that allows team members-mainly
operations and support employees, rather than
retail branch staff-to work remotely if need
be, but Callaghan says other initiatives are
determined on a case-by-case basis.
" If employees need flexibility of some kind,
they can check with human resources or their
managers, " she says. " One example might be
working remotely from a location other than
home. "
Community bankers say perks like these are
important to everyone, regardless of their age or
personal life. " In terms of generations, it seems
to be a mix, " Callaghan says. " Every generation
is interested in work-life balance, but for
different reasons. "
William Atkinson is a writer in Illinois.
Illustration: Robert Neubecker
Independent Banker - February 2019

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