teller

b1BANK

Long and detailed.  Summary
5+ yrs successful experience in Banking, with raises, awards, etc.
If B1Bank DOUBLED my salary, I'd still never work there again.
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Got time for the details?  Here we go:

- The Upper Mgmt (Uppers) know your name?....makes no difference when you never see them.  The Used Car Salesman you saw last Tuesday likely has your name written down too, for the same reason.

-No training.  Oh, wait, there is a training dept.  It's ONE person.  She just quit, btw (5/17/19).  Her two-week notice was a 24hr warning.
The rest of your training is via phone and shared screens on the computer.  The proctor rarely (not exaggerating) knows the full content of what they are talking about.  The manual, if there is one, related to the material is either mostly useless and outdated, or is in the middle of a review DURING the training.  Which means, what you learn today will possibly not be true tomorrow.  On top of the fact that a large portion of the meeting is the proctor and (usually) her buddies gabbing about nonsense.  If you wanted to waste my time, send an email.

- The system is beyond archaic.  While even small Financial Institutions (FI's) are going to ticketless, B1B is still using a system that requires a ticket (sometimes multiple) to do EVERYTHING.  And it's not one ticket fits all, or one for Withdrawal, one for Deposit; no.  It's a different ticket for EVERYTHING.  Pay a mortgage?  Different ticket.  Pay a commercial Loan?  Different Ticket.  Heloc?  Different Ticket.  Savings Deposit?  etc.  Quite literally, EVERY transaction has a different ticket.  And in the beginning they were color-coded to make it easier to navigate...but that costs money.

- IT.  Office 365 is neat, yes?  Sharepoint is handy for sharing, saving, etc.  But if you don't have the appropriate servers or bandwidth to handle it all, what then?  You get a SLOW system.  And I'm not talking about "I sat there staring for what seemed like 5 mins when it was only 10 seconds".  No.  I mean I sat there waiting for the Print Page to pop up for 3 mins, after pushing the button, only to wait another 3 mins for the printer to do what I asked.  Top that off with an IT team consisting of experts whose top 5 solutions for problems are "Turn it off, wait 5 mins, then turn it on again".  They attempted to give the employees a "Emergency Call Number" for quick fixes like being locked out of the system.  Forget that the hold music is the Superman theme song, which is laughable alone, you're also on hold for anywhere from 5 mins to 45.  When the email gets sent out regarding a weekend 'upgrade', there is a collective prayer circle that the following Monday isn't without a working system all day.  Not that it doesn't go down at all, no.  That's asking too much.  It's that there's no difficulties the entire day.

- Name dropping will always be a thing.  Why?  Because even the Uppers have friends and family.  However, when the childhood friend of the Market Director screams at a teller in the drivethru because they won't cash a third party check made to a BUSINESS, is this really someone you would want to be friends with?  I don't have friends like that.  I wager the name the client dropped isn't really a friend either.  But they condoned the action all the same because there is now a note on the account stating they are allowed to do that, per their friend.  If only this was the only case instead of just an example.

- The bank has consistently informed the branches that money is tight, cannot afford to overhaul the system, or replace computers, check scanners, or update the key fobs (or even install some in branches without).  However, they've had enough over the last couple years to purchase multiple banks.  To purchase new marketing brochures, logo changes, etc.  The fancy cage with a dying hamster inside, sustaining off moldy water and diseased food doesn't mean much.

- Your Branch Managers are also your Business Development Officers.  For those unaware, the BDO goes out and tries to get the sales, deposits, loans, etc.  Nearly every other FI in the country has a team specifically designed for this.  Not B1Bank.  Why?  Because they believe being different for the sake of being different is beneficial.  Yeah.  I take a fork out of my drawer, twist in five times, and snap of half the tynes, it's still a fork and it certainly is different.  It's also useless.
This means the Mgr can't focus on the branch, like every other Branch Mgr in every other FI in the country.  But hey....at least it's different!

- Every disgruntled employee says the bottom line is more important to the Uppers.  To a point, it is, because it has to be.  There is a line, however, and for those Uppers that are actually invested in their company will know that line, and support it.  When a bank has a branch that cannot keep a Teller, that's a problem.  That position is easily the highest turnover in any FI, no question.  However, the Perkins branch has lost (transfers, quit, fired) more than SIX in TWO YEARS.  And why?  Because the blonde Asst Mgr is abusive, manipulative, micro-managing, overbearing and pretty much all the traits of Snow White's step-mom, minus actual hostage taking and physical abuse.  To this individual's credit, that branch hasn't had below 100% audit rating in who knows how long.  Just shy of impossible, right?  Impressive.  But this is not an individual who has ANY business Managing humans.  You will not be treated like a person.  You will not be respected.  You will be suspected of stealing, of lying, of slacking.  You will be told, to your face, that you, as her employee, are not trusted or given the benefit of the doubt.  Ever.
Now, is that to say all those six people were honest, top-notch employees?  No.  Most?  At least half?  Very likely.
Six....in two years.  The floating staff, a team designed to cover outtings/vacations/sick days at other branches, lives at Perkins permanently.  The branch has become a Leper Colony.  Complaints against said Blonde Asst Mgr have gone all the way to the top.  Multiple times.  Yet she remains and continues to chase away new hires, floaters, and transplants at a rate of two per year.  Make a mental note as to how much it cost a company to train someone new.  
Is she friends with Uppers?  Sure.  Do they value audits over employee retention?  Definitely.  Is there a chance of a future sale, hoping the buying company will solve this problem so B1 is just ignoring it until then?  ....also makes sense.
Bottom line is that perfectly capable, responsible humans decided they'd rather be unemployed than continue working at the Perkins Branch for B1Bank.  And Upper Mgnt has done NOTHING.

*************************

People are jumping ship faster than the Titanic.  It's a skeleton crew across the board.  The front-line staff is horribly overworked, often times with 1 teller working the entire branch, with the Ast Mgr helping when they can (even Perkins), while the Branch Mgr is trying to increase sales.  The Float staff is hilariously understaffed, run by an Ast Mgr (not Perkins) who is prone to favoritism ie. those favored get assigned to branches near home while those not are sent an hr drive 1 way.  Employees are quickly realizing that not only can they get better pay elsewhere, but not be treated like garbage, covering the work of 3 people day in and out, and getting the occasional 'jeans day' as a thank you.
But then again, if the Uppers weren't continuing to support, and reward, an abusive Manager at one branch, then it would domino down the line.
Removing said problem means future and current staff won't quit, which eases the pressure on the Float staff to help elsewhere, which eases the pressure on other branches running understaffed.  Which, in turn, means less people are leaving because of being overworked.  This will ripple through the company, at least in the Greater BR area, overnight.


So with all the issues BLAZINGLY obvious, there are a few answers to the why:
1)  Uppers have no idea and are beyond oblivious and stupid
2)  Uppers and Board are plumping the deposit numbers in order to sell the business, washing their hands of the problems that new mgmt will likely resolve
3)  Uppers simply do...not...care.  But hey, at least they know your name, right?


****************************

Recommendations to the Uppers:
1)  Fire her.  It is not a matter of one or two employees being angry because they were fired after slacking off.  No, this is SIX people in TWO years vacating the same branch because of one person.  Are 100% audits that important?  Because I promise you can find someone who is capable of 100% audits while not treating their employees like absolute garbage every...single...day.  So either you don't believe it's that bad or you don't care.  Perkins Branch has become the scary house at the end of the street, because NO ONE wants to work there.  Don't believe it?  ASK your valued employees.
2)  I could go on about fixing the system, overhauling this and that, but the bottom line is without an employee base, nothing else matters.  And that is a fact.  So go back to point #1 and watch how things just 'magically' fall into place.

All this company needs is one solid flu bug to pass by.  Half the branches will have to close, or be run with the Mgr and Asst Mgr on the Teller line, alone.  Why?  Because no one wants to work here when people like the Asst Mgr at Perkins are allowed, practically encouraged, to continue to treat people like garbage.  No one ever really thinks one person can make a different in a company.....

What is the best part of working at the company?
When we were closed due to covid, or hurricanes, we were still paid as if we worked a full day. Not many companies would do that.


What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Some people don't want to actually work, so they don't stay long. But, for me, working short staffed is better than have a full staff and only one or two actually working.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
The company is very supportive of the staff. If we were closed due to weather (ie. hurricanes)we were paid full salary for the days we were closed.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
We stayed steady. Coworkers are usually very pleasant and easy to work with.

B1bank allows your hard work to go unnoticed. They don't pay much attention to the retail front line staff. No room for advancement and would rather hire external for open positions. Most employees aren't aware of many position openings, they just place whoever they think fit for positions leaving advanced and educated employees in entry level roles. Turnover rate is horrible and never get raises, if you are lucky enough to get a raise, it wont be much. They do not value their employees, except for the ones they like. Management shows favoritism and it's very noticeable. No employee appreciation or dress down days.

Training is fairly thorough. The seniors help you excell at your position. However, it is hard for you to climb up. The promotions are reserved for the top dogs. They would rather higher an additional employee than give you a raise. You're expected to work from 8-5 consistently. Management is good but the additional employees make the work hard. Bankers expect you to drop everything in order for you to work on their deals. Some bankers consistently nag you about updates (every few hours). Sometimes there is work gossip behind back or passive aggressivism. Pay is alright but expect maximum of 3% raise each year. You are "allowed" to work from home but they expect you to be in office everyday. 

Is the Bank perfect?  No, but what work place is?  The pros far outweigh the cons.  The pay is on par with industry standards, the hours are pretty standard - overtime is available, the benefits are nice, paid vacation/personal time/sick leave, very family friendly, big supporter of the local communities - allows you to volunteer with various organizations and in return you earn a paid day off, they match qualifying donations to various non-profits $1 for $1 up to $250.  I could go on...  This is a great place to work.  You have to earn the paycheck, but that's the way it should be...it is a JOB.

I believe that this company needs an evaluation on upper and lower level management. The way that the workers are treated is some of the poorest ever. The staff is extremely overloaded, and the branches are understaffed. The paperwork is extreme and unnecessary. It is like the dinosaur ages with all the paper and the way that procedures are done. The communication gets a negative score. Everyone is on different pages, the is no organization across the board. Some branches does not have a drive thru, some branches close at 5, while others close at 6. It is chaos and it needs to be cleaned up.

I loved working at B1B. The only reason I left was because I found another opportunity that paid more. If I was offered better pay at B1B, I would have stayed at my location. Occasionally the management would push account goals but our busy location had the same customers so it was hard to get accounts. Overall, I loved everyone that I worked with. I would apply again if only I could get better pay. I am freshly out of college and paying loans off so money is very important to me.

I have been in banking over 40 years & my B1 family was by far the best ever. After I left I found out my cancer was back & I really had a hard time getting to my appts. It had began to be hard to drive 125 miles round trip five days a week for twenty-five weeks. They found out & helped me! I was so humbled. I’m not one to ask for help. You want find another place of work that would do that. I haven’t in all my forty years of banking. B1 really cares about you. Not only as a employee but as a person. That’s family

This is by far the worst place I have ever worked at. The managers in the Houston area are the WORST. They are beyond rude and the gossip that occurs at this place is unreal. They gossip about everyone in every department. It’s also very unsafe, policy and procedures around cash, opening and closing are not followed. I was extremely uncomfortable working here. Threats from customers are not taken seriously. The turnover is almost 100%. Extremely toxic place to work. 

What is the best part of working at the company?
The culture,  the people, and the atmosphere 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Dealing with customers on a day to day basis. 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Very family oriented work environment 

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
8-5 work shift helping customers navigate their bank accounts, opening accounts, and maintenancing accounts.

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