AN OPEN LETTER TO MANAGEMENT AND ASSOCIATION/STAFF UNION
After lot of contemplation, I have decided to draft this open letter.
I carry tremendous respect for the Chairman of our bank, our Circle CGM, all our GMs, DGMs, other seniors, Office bearers of our Association, Staff union and all empowered to take and prompt for serious decisions in our organisation.
Introduction is not required. We all know the gravity of COVID spread in our country and that we are almost entering or probably already entered the the 3rd phase of Community Spread. Things are getting out of hand. We are already advised to avoid gatherings.
Undisputedly banks like any other public space are potential strongholds for easy spread of the virus. We appreciate the alternate working day pattern implemented at all Admin offices, RBOs, LHOs and CC. But your inability to implement it simultaneously at the branches is nothing short of cowardice. All of us are convinced it needs to be done. Still we won't take a prompt decision on this. Remember that a late decision is as good as no decision.
We might have hundreds of reasons to quote:
1. The economy will collapse if the banking system goes off suddenly.
2. It is year ending time and lot of things to be done: - Prepare for statutory, take care of advances, do renewals, achieve targets of deposits and advances, implement gold loan subsidy related stuff, try maximum to restrict NPAs and many other (I have less than 5 years workex at bank)
3. We can't simply close branches like that !!! Needs RBI permission, Fin Ministry Approval, Norms of Negotiable Instruments Act. etc etc.
Please remember that these are extraordinary times and require extraordinary decisions. The future will remember your leadership for such decisions and not for giving usual statements. One thousand bucks for Masks and sanitizers will prove futile if community spread intensifies because we have the one of the weakest health machinery in proportion to our population.
It is brainless to open branches and then tell people to not come over. They will come, no matter what.
I have only one thing to say...... SHUT IT DOWN..... NOW !!!
Innovate if you want to reduce the impact like gradual closing down of branches in a district one after the other. Deploy branch staff to work from home and assist customers as phone helplines for giving advices - about ATM usage, Internet banking etc. Or any such measure.
If you think our country is not ready for such abrupt digitalisation, remember we were not ready for demonetisation either, but we coped.
So SHUT IT DOWN !!!
People from LHO still call and ask when we will complete renewals. Still pressure from seniors for achieving advance growth.
It is your chance to take/enable bold decisions. Show the courage. The nation will stand by you if the decisions face setbacks from govt.
Somehow I also lack the courage to send this letter to our management directly because our setup involves a lot off ego and direct statements are not OK in our professional setup.
PLEASE DECIDE NOW OR YOU WILL NEGOTIATE YOUR INSTRUMENTS OVER DEAD BODIES IN A MONTH'S TIME !!!
Tedy Somar
Deputy Manager
State Bank of India
Kottayam Civil Station Branch
After lot of contemplation, I have decided to draft this open letter.
I carry tremendous respect for the Chairman of our bank, our Circle CGM, all our GMs, DGMs, other seniors, Office bearers of our Association, Staff union and all empowered to take and prompt for serious decisions in our organisation.
Introduction is not required. We all know the gravity of COVID spread in our country and that we are almost entering or probably already entered the the 3rd phase of Community Spread. Things are getting out of hand. We are already advised to avoid gatherings.
Undisputedly banks like any other public space are potential strongholds for easy spread of the virus. We appreciate the alternate working day pattern implemented at all Admin offices, RBOs, LHOs and CC. But your inability to implement it simultaneously at the branches is nothing short of cowardice. All of us are convinced it needs to be done. Still we won't take a prompt decision on this. Remember that a late decision is as good as no decision.
We might have hundreds of reasons to quote:
1. The economy will collapse if the banking system goes off suddenly.
2. It is year ending time and lot of things to be done: - Prepare for statutory, take care of advances, do renewals, achieve targets of deposits and advances, implement gold loan subsidy related stuff, try maximum to restrict NPAs and many other (I have less than 5 years workex at bank)
3. We can't simply close branches like that !!! Needs RBI permission, Fin Ministry Approval, Norms of Negotiable Instruments Act. etc etc.
Please remember that these are extraordinary times and require extraordinary decisions. The future will remember your leadership for such decisions and not for giving usual statements. One thousand bucks for Masks and sanitizers will prove futile if community spread intensifies because we have the one of the weakest health machinery in proportion to our population.
It is brainless to open branches and then tell people to not come over. They will come, no matter what.
I have only one thing to say...... SHUT IT DOWN..... NOW !!!
Innovate if you want to reduce the impact like gradual closing down of branches in a district one after the other. Deploy branch staff to work from home and assist customers as phone helplines for giving advices - about ATM usage, Internet banking etc. Or any such measure.
If you think our country is not ready for such abrupt digitalisation, remember we were not ready for demonetisation either, but we coped.
So SHUT IT DOWN !!!
People from LHO still call and ask when we will complete renewals. Still pressure from seniors for achieving advance growth.
It is your chance to take/enable bold decisions. Show the courage. The nation will stand by you if the decisions face setbacks from govt.
Somehow I also lack the courage to send this letter to our management directly because our setup involves a lot off ego and direct statements are not OK in our professional setup.
PLEASE DECIDE NOW OR YOU WILL NEGOTIATE YOUR INSTRUMENTS OVER DEAD BODIES IN A MONTH'S TIME !!!
Tedy Somar
Deputy Manager
State Bank of India
Kottayam Civil Station Branch
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