BOB Officers Association Sends ‘Precautionary Advisory’ on Work Pressure To All Regional Heads

In a recent letter addressed to all Regional Heads of Bank of Baroda, the All India Bank of Baroda Officers' Association highlighted critical issues affecting the well-being of officers across various regions. The letter, dated 14 December, applauded the bank's commendable year-on-year performance but emphasised the need to address the pressing concerns of its human assets. The letter - “strictly part of internal communication” as termed by one of the office bearers - was sourced by Team Kanal.

Officers are currently grappling with severe work pressure, disrupting their work-life balance. Persisting problems mentioned in the letter include officers being compelled to work up to 8 pm,  working on Sundays and holidays, continuous undesirable phone calls, denial of essential leave, lengthy Teams meetings disrupting customer service, and the use of demeaning language and threats of transfer causing mental tension. Even, cases of suicides of BOB employees have been linked to the mental stress mounting from work pressure.

Ajitha Chandran(name changed to maintain anonymity), a BOB officer who has worked in Maharashtra and Kerala testifies to the issues mentioned in the letter. "The work pressure is taking a toll on our work-life balance. These issues require urgent consideration from the management. And similar issues persist whether it be Mumbai city or Kerala", said Ajitha.

The letter suggests specific measures for improvement, such as fixing an upper time limit for late sitting, regulating Teams meetings to specific hours, and ensuring timely sanction of leave. The Association also emphasised the need for clear guidelines regarding calling officers on holidays and campaigns.

"Female employees like me find it difficult to stay late till 7.30 pm and then take extra pressure to reach home safely. The situation is much worse in rural areas, as the public transport facilities are also limited. We hope the management considers suggestions towards a conducive work environment so that we can perform at our best", said Ajitha.

The letter urged Regional Heads to act as facilitators and supporters for branch teams, promoting ethical practices and compliance with the bank's guidelines. The letter concludes with optimism, expressing faith in the leadership acumen of the Regional Heads and their commitment to creating a healthy work environment for the officers. In the previous month, Bank of Baroda Officers’ Association also alleged HR harassment in reclaiming BOB World rewards.

The letter also points to the shortage of staff as the root cause of these issues, and indicates the management has initiated the process of recruiting more staff to alleviate the concern. Earlier, allegations had surfaced over the mis-selling of IndiaFirst Life Insurance, causing target pressure on employees and loss of mandays for core banking services resulting in inconvenience for customers.