‘They Think They Own Us’: Toxic Workload & Quiet Struggles Behind Indian Bank’s Campaign in Tamil Nadu

• Open 5 new non-Basic Savings Bank Deposit savings accounts per day
• Turn around Current Account Savings Account-negative branches
• Push MSME credit
• Conduct customer house visits for recovery
• Run a jewel loan blitz
• And ensure digital adoption through QR and app registrations
  
  The campaign met with compliance and performance — but on the ground, it left many officers physically drained, emotionally disillusioned, and frustrated by what they call a ‘slave mentality’ work culture.

Recovery Drives Early Morning, VCs After Sunset
A key part of the campaign was aggressive loan recovery. Officers were expected to:

• Visit borrower homes by 7 AM
• Personally canvass One-Time Settlements (OTS)
• Issue legal notices
• Prepare defaulter lists by day-end
  
  “We have to go to the customer’s house for recovery around 7AM,” said a Scale I officer from Tamil Nadu to Kanal.
  
  “This is not banking. This is harassment, for us and for them.”, he added further.
  
  Meanwhile, mandatory video conferences (VCs) were frequently held after 7 PM, often announced casually or last-minute, leaving officers unable to plan their evenings or weekends.
  
  “They tell us they’ll keep VC after 7PM on Friday, so we can’t go home for the weekend. This is deliberate.”
  
  Many officers see this not as management oversight but as a systemic pattern designed to erode boundaries and normalize 24x7 availability.

Image: Circular of minutes of BMs review of Indian Bank.

CASA Targets Met — With Zero Balance Accounts
As per the circulars, officers were pushed to:

• Open CASA accounts on “Account Opening Day” (13th & 27th May)
• Make liability-negative branches positive by 16th May
• Fund newly opened accounts on the same day
• And reactivate dormant accounts in volume
  
  Though most targets were achieved, many accounts were opened without real balances or meaningful customer engagement, just to comply.
  
  “We were opening zero-balance accounts, then calling customers repeatedly to deposit ₹500. It’s not growth — it’s just optics.”

Jewellery Loans & MSME Growth — At Full Speed
The campaign also mandated:

• MSME loan applications in slabs of ₹50L and ₹1Cr
• Jewellery loan promotions (17th–18th May)
• Daily tracking of credit disbursal
• Push for Ind Millionaire and Nivesh deposits
  
  While portfolio numbers improved on paper, the pressure to canvas schemes led to forced sales and growing distrust between officers and clients.

The Silent Toll: Officers Burning Out, Privately Resisting
“I joined two years ago to serve the bank, but now I just want peace,” the officer admits to Kanal.

“Even now, I don’t follow everything blindly,” said one officer. “I want to stand up for those who can’t fight back.”

Many junior officers echo similar concerns. They report growing anxiety, disrupted sleep, and strained family relationships. In the absence of a proper forum or collective voice at the zonal level, they often feel isolated and unheard.

“No one really cares how we’re doing,” another officer remarked. “What matters is whether the file moved, the account got opened, or the deposit was booked. That’s all that seems to count.”

Conclusion: A Successful May, But At What Human Cost?
Indian Bank’s Nagapattinam zone may have closed May with strong numbers—but the emotional climate inside branches tells another story: of overwork, understaffing, imposed roles, and eroded personal boundaries.

Unless structural reforms address:

• Real staffing needs
• Respect for working hours
• Role clarity
• Mental health support
  
  This model of performance, if not revisited, may lead to long-term operational strain, declining employee morale, and poor work-life balance.