A stress-free, enjoyable work day is a key step toward a productive business. However, not enough companies are able to keep their employees relaxed and happy, including bank branches.
One major reason why workers are stressed at work is a lack of confidence in their jobs. Many people could be worried that they are doing something wrong or overlooking an important step. As a result, they lose focus, morale drops and your bottom line suffers.
In an article for Entrepreneur magazine, contributor James Parsons outlined a number of ways to keep employees on track. Two include:
- The right tools – Your employees will need to have the right tools in order to succeed. For example, cash recyclers will streamline the teller experience. From a customer perspective, this means quicker service. They will be happy, your tellers will be happy and you’ll be happy.
- The right training – You also need to properly train your employees. Workers who are confident with their skills will be more comfortable on the job, and this will trickle down through all areas of your bank branch. It is up to you, however, to ensure that training is provided.
Given the importance of proper training, especially in today’s financial services industry, here are four simple tips to improve your bank branch:
“Train your employees on the skills they need in the workplace.”
1. Focus on the proper skills
You can train your employees in a number of different ways. Each one isn’t universal, though, and you’ll first need to determine which skills are best suited for each worker. For example, a banker will need to have good listening skills to help customers. A teller, on the other hand, will need to have strong math skills. As you begin training, make sure each employee receives the training that he or she needs for their specific jobs.
2. Translate skills to the real world
Learning skills in a classroom is great, but it doesn’t always help when it comes time to apply that knowledge to the branch floor. To prevent problems here, work on translating those skills into the real world. Create scenarios where employees can practice their training. Run through examples and have workers try out different roles. This will help them get a grasp on how things can play out with real customers.
3. Let employees take charge
In many cases, your employees will know more about branch problems than you do. They have first-hand experience with the bank day-after-day, and that can mean a lot during training.
“Allow your workers to take control of their own training.”
YFS magazine spoke to a number of business leaders about training, and learned that having employees teach themselves – and have a more interactive role – can be beneficial.
“I don’t look for people to fill a particular position as much as I look for a person who I believe will bring value by bringing something new to the table,” Clayton Cohn, chairman, president and CEO of Marketaction, Inc., told the news source. “If someone is bright and motivated, then I like to let them think of ways they can contribute and choose one that is not only helpful to the company, but one that they like as well.”
4. Track their progress
Finally, you’ll want to monitor your employees’ progress following training. You should ask questions to see if everyone understood what was discussed, and observe workers as they go about their daily routine. The modern bank branch is evolving. Workers are now being tasked with performing multiple roles, and the need for comprehensive training has never been greater.
If you want to ensure your bank remains profitable today, then train each of your employees to be up-to-date and knowledgeable of current trends, tools and technology in the industry.