Independent Banker - February 2022 - 24

PORTFOLIO LEADERSHIP AT ALL LEVELS
Creative retainment
By Lindsay LaNore, ICBA
ast month, we dove into the
subject of talent acquisition and
retention by exploring the fi rst of the
three Rs, Recruit. This month, we
look at the second, Retain, with more
advice from Valerie Utsey, ICBA's chief
human resources offi cer.
Thanks to high levels of
L
engagement, community banks are
well known for having long-standing
employees. But, in this challenging
labor market, how do you make sure
you retain new talent? Employee
retention starts with powering up
engagement, and here are some key
issues to consider.
Focus on your onboarding
experience
Make new employees feel welcome
by helping them build relationships
within the team. Setting them up
with a mentor is a great fi rst step, and
mentoring programs have a twofold
benefi t, as they also make the more
senior team member feel recognized
as a leader. Take the time to make
new hires comfortable and get to
know them. Give them a clear idea of
your expectations and ask them about
their goals.
Revisit your processes
Do you make it easy for team
members to get what they need, both
personally and professionally? If
an approval process is like jumping
through endless hoops, rethink it. If it
takes weeks for an employee to book
time off , make that process simpler.
If some processes just take time, be
transparent about that.
Values and ownership matter
If you're hiring millennials or Gen
Zers, remember they want to work for
organizations that give back to their
communities. Let them represent
the bank at events and allow them
some input on which organizations to
sponsor. Everyone wants a sense of
ownership, and that's critical across
all aspects of their work. Empower
your team and help them build
camaraderie within their branch and
across the whole bank.
Allow for growth
Think about roles diff erently. Do you
have a rotational program at the bank
that allows a junior employee the
chance to learn something new? If a
teller is interested in learning about
lending, don't wait for a job opening.
Enroll them in a training course or
give them a special lending project.
When they're fi nished, they may not
move straight into a lending position,
but they'll be able to better articulate
lending issues to customers.
Consider nontraditional benefits
These could include parental leave for
both mothers and fathers, a stipend
that could be used for wellness
equipment or gym membership, local
restaurant gift cards, or personal days
that can be taken for birthdays or at
short notice for any reason.
Finally, whether it's fi nancial
rewards, a plaque on the wall or a
parking spot, make sure you have a
recognition program. You don't want to
think about how well a new employee
is doing but forget to tell them. But
more on Reward next month! 
Lindsay LaNore (lindsay.lanore@
icba.org) is ICBA's group executive
vice president and chief learning
and experience off icer
24 Q ICBA Independent Banker Q February 2022
Independent Banker - February 2022

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