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Seasoned Banking Professional Brings Passion to Developing New Talent Through BankWork$ Program

Adriene Wright

Adriene Wright

By Hannah Flanders

Adriene Wright not only brings more than 25 years of retail banking experience to her students, but she also mentors and supports them through the BankWork$ program and beyond. As an instructor in the program partnered with Employ Milwaukee, CareerWork$, and the Wisconsin Bankers Association (WBA), Wright is able to provide individuals the banking 101 entry-level training needed to fill positions with numerous partner banks.

Wright began her retail banking career as a teller and progressed to a learning and development instructor training new hires. Not only did this role prepare her for her transition to BankWork$ in terms of her retail banking abilities, but it gave her the opportunity to give back to her community and the industry.

“Through the [program’s] eight weeks of training, practice, coaching, and feedback, the students graduate with a clear knowledge of [the] expectations to be successful in banking,” says Wright. “This includes the topics of banking 101, professionalism, attendance, dress code, customer service, rapport, public speaking, technology, team building, sales skills, building relationships, resume building, and interviewing skills.”

Currently, the BankWork$ program in Wisconsin has 14 partner banks and growing interest throughout the state. This could potentially result in growing class sizes, more locations, and new partnerships. BankWork$ recruits from diverse communities with an emphasis on underserved, low-income, and unemployed individuals who are looking for the opportunities to grow and have a successful career. This means not only that these young adults bring “a fierce commitment and drive to never give up,” according to Wright, but their wide range of education, work experience, and languages introduce important factors of diversity and inclusion that align with banks’ missions.

Many BankWork$ graduates are successfully retained and often promoted from their entry-level positions to roles in supervision or management. When these individuals have the ability to provide for themselves and their families, they are able to begin imagining their future and setting goals.

Building confidence, banking knowledge, and providing students with both in-person and virtual skills is critical in ensuring that students feel prepared to put their talents into practice on their first day on the job. In their partnership with 13 other sites nationwide, Wright and her fellow BankWork$ instructors have the ability to make a substantial difference for employers with positions to fill. The role of BankWork$ instructors is unique and impactful in that they help employers, job seekers, and their communities.

Wright’s passion and experience in helping new hires become successful in the banking industry has touched the lives of many in the Milwaukee area. Beyond her compassion for her community, Wright aspires to prepare her students for a stable career and opportunities rather than just a job.

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Promoting Careers in Banking to a Younger Generation

As labor shortages wear on and baby boomers retire in droves, every industry is facing the issue of how to approach the younger generation, and banking is certainly no exception. Raised on technology and emerging trends, there is no doubt these kids know our future. After all, they are it. Each day, it becomes increasingly more important to reinvest our efforts into making sure our future is prepared to take on important roles in our society.

The trouble however is not understanding why banks should hire new, younger talent; they understand future technology and have the ability to use vast experiences to provide a non-banking perspective. The question remains how do banks promote careers in banking to a Gen Z.

Jim Johannes, University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Business professor emeritus of banking and finance, knows firsthand the way his students see banking: an app on their smartphone or a teller behind a screen. It’s a difficult task to grasp every aspect of banking without the ability to experience it directly. According to Jessica Fox-Wilson, director of Career Works at Beloit College, college students are impressively passionate and enthusiastic about what they do, and their lack of preconceived notions also makes them to be far more adaptable to an industry than a seasoned veteran may allow for.

Although, students typically don’t gravitate towards a career in banking, Kim Huntley, senior vice president of human resources at Waukesha State Bank, understands that new graduates from high school and college aspire to make lasting impacts on the communities; a trait perfectly aligned with the banking industry. Through community service and the ability to help foster growth in individuals and businesses in the community, banking offers just the type of rewarding work younger generations strive to achieve.

It’s difficult for many non-bankers to truly grasp the full scope of the industry without experiencing it directly. This means that “telling the banking story” (or, allowing those interested in the industry to fully see their impact) becomes that much more important, according to Johannes. Investing time to give interns the opportunity to allocate capital and see their work in action will make them much more invested in the functions of the job.

When drawing awareness to the different opportunities offered, it is important to consider the different skills that lend themselves to the banking industry. While accounting, finance, and mathematics remain as popular as ever, more and more students are graduating with focuses on communications, business, and computer science. Fox-Wilson highlights Beloit Colleges’ four core transferable skills that, regardless of the major, are evident in every college graduate: communication, collaboration, problem solving, and agility. Individuals who possess traits such as service and detail-orientation also hold the abilities that allow for a strong foundation. This means community banks are able focus their time on task-specific training.

Over the past few years, discussions regarding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) have been important to helping grow the banking industry. By making clear efforts into hiring talent from a broad range of experiences, banks will not only emphasize the potential in every person but allow for a collaborative and innovative environment where employees are invited to enact change through their own perspective. As Gen Z is known to value inclusivity, employers that demonstrate inclusive culture also become attractive employers. Striving to diversify the talent within banks ultimately leads to greater innovations and a well-rounded team.

While the public sees banking as mainly tellers, using opportunities when interacting students while guest speaking or at job fairs to highlight the many facets of the industry including IT, marketing, and human resources may convince the otherwise skeptical that a career in banking could be a good fit for them. Not only are these positions necessary to the bank, but they are also of increasing interest to graduates. Simply informing students of available opportunities can be a great way to drum-up interest in a specific industry.

New graduates are extremely motivated by advancement opportunities and is a major advantage to beginning a career in community banking. “Community banks are small enough to give employees opportunities to grow in several areas of the bank and would prefer to promote employees from within the bank before searching outside of it,” says Huntley. The benefit of learning and growing your career quickly is highly sought-after by younger, bright-eyed graduates, especially when skills learned on the job are applicable to other aspects of banking or their career.

Banking typically isn’t conceived by younger generations as a “glamorous” or trendy career choice, which makes it a bit trickier when convincing younger generations that they make a great fit for the industry. “If you enjoy what you’re doing, it’s just a great career,” says Johannes. “You make a difference in your community in meeting and interacting with a lot of very different people and you’re able to serve a huge social function by allocating credit and preserving the payments mechanism.” Banking also provides stability and work-life balance that is unlike many other industries. Highlighting benefits that resonate with new graduates, such as generous time off policies and the ability to spend holidays with family, help the industry stand apart.

Of course, the answer to how to recruit for banking careers is multidimensional. In working alongside schools and institutions of higher education to promote an accurate image of the full banking industry, community banks would have the ability to create connections and highlight the applicability of a wide range of skills in addition to financial literacy. By having a deep understanding of the career paths that would allow each employee to be successful, banks are able to equip employees with the needed skills in their career path long before openings arise and through creating DEI missions that not only found a thriving community outside of the bank but encourage the same community involvement within. Ultimately, banks can benefit from fresh perspectives and understanding that are brought by individuals who represent the broader community in which the intuition serves.

By Hannah Flanders

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BankWork$ Turns Passions into Careers

A Graduate Profile of Tionne Riley, Bank Five Nine
By Hannah Flanders

Tionne Riley leads life with ambition for anything she sets her mind to. A former customer service representative at a local grocery store, Riley was ready for a change. When her stepmother gave her a Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development flyer for BankWork$, it was meant to be.

Riley graduated from Primavera Online High School with a passion for math, networking, and finances but wasn’t entirely sure where her path would take her. However, her dedication and persistence allowed her to develop even more skills, such as customer service and cash handling, that would make her the ideal candidate for the BankWork$ program and ultimately a career in retail banking.

After completing two interviews and allowing program directors to get to know her, she was accepted to participate in the eight-week program which covered topics ranging from customer relationships and the fundamentals of finances to preparing for employment. Riley described the program as “extremely hands–on” and the small class sizes allowed for one-on-one learning within a team-oriented environment.

“I was looking for a career rather than a job” said Riley, who graduated from BankWork$ in June 2021. After the graduation ceremony, a hiring event is held for banks to connect with qualified talent. “We have been incredibly impressed with the program, its leaders, its instructors, and of course, the students!” said Ann Knutson, senior vice president, human resources director at Bank Five Nine. At this event, Riley was recruited by Bank Five Nine’s Brookfield branch as a universal banker. With her interests in finance and service to her community, she was a wonderful fit for their team.

“Tionne has been a great addition to the team,” said Bank Five Nine branch manager Michelle Kurth. “I feel the BankWork$ program has allowed her to adapt very quickly to her surroundings, which allows her to accurately process her transactions, assist our customers in a professional convenient manner, and even assist her peers!”

“Bank Five Nine has been involved with the BankWork$ program since its inception in 2018,” told Knutson. Alongside fellow advisory committee members from around the U.S., Knutson has been able to offer guidance and input into the program and offerings at BankWork$ to help create graduates that are ready to succeed at any bank.

Riley spoke of both BankWork$ and Bank Five Nine with pride, “Everybody here wants to see you win.” She has gained mentors throughout the industry, even in a short time, and has enjoyed working with like-minded, focused individuals who encourage her to consider the possibilities of her future in banking.

Riley perfectly exemplifies quality talent that needed the right opportunity, as offered by BankWork$ and Bank Five Nine, to help turn their interests into something more. “Completing the BankWork$ program really gave [Tionne] a sense of pride and accomplishment in a work environment that maybe she would not have otherwise explored or realized she would be successful in,” said Kurth. For banks looking to recruit talented, young individuals to join their organizations or even those looking into connecting with BankWork$, Riley offered some words of advice from her experience in completing the interview process.

“My advice for banks would be to make sure the people you hire are dedicated,” she said. “This job is not for everyone, and we are changing people’s lives, make sure you have a team to execute the goals of the industry.”

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Career Launching and Job Landings, BankWork$ Creates Opportunities

By Alex Paniagua

A Graduate Profile of Anthony Lamar Smith, II, Associated Bank

An entrepreneurial spirit, Anthony Lamar Smith, II has been interested in how businesses operate since he was a kid. But as he explored a few different professional paths, he never expected this passion might lead him to a career in the financial services.

Smith graduated from the University of Dayton with a degree in management information systems. Although his education and aspirations felt like the perfect combination, something never felt quite right once he earned a business analyst position with a major health insurance provider. Still on the job hunt, Smith came across an eight-week career training program called BankWork$ designed to help young adults establish a career path in banking. He described the occurrence as something that almost ‘fell in his lap’ after exhausting the options he thought were sure to be the best fit.

“I received an advertisement through the [Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development] for BankWork$,” Smith said. “I read a bit about it, completed the inquiry, and received a call back to do the initial interview process.”

Smith immediately connected his business background with the similarities in banking. His knowledge of economics, background in retail, and his keen interpersonal skills were only a few things that played a role in bridging the gap between the two industries. Although certain elements such as compliance and regulation were new to him, Smith caught on quickly and enjoyed not only the information the program offered, but the experience overall.

After graduating from BankWork$ in June of 2021, Smith is now one of over 4,000 individuals who have had their career in financial services launched with the help of the program. He was offered a job at Associated Bank, Milwaukee, as an entry-level banker and is currently participating in 13 weeks of training where he receives hands-on experience and learns the ins and outs of the bank. He works as a teller but also trains his way toward being a certified banker. Each day he has ample opportunities to observe the tasks of his coworkers and has started on account openings and other services where he can interact with customers. This side of his role is Smith’s favorite part of the industry.

“Being able to build rapport with clients and offer solutions that they find tangible and advantageous to their situation is so important,” said Smith. “Learning more about the customers, understanding how their financials look and work, what their expectations are, and recommending the best options have all been great.”

Whether in or out of the office, Smith has proven himself to be a self-starter. When he’s not working at Associated, his time is spent designing graphics, building websites, or mixing and mastering music for a variety of clients. He has also volunteered teaching Junior Achievement courses and helped co-found multiple startup companies. Part of what Smith loves about using his many skills outside of the banking industry is getting to collaborate with others and make a difference in their success.

“Associated Bank is proud to work with Employ Milwaukee to provide adults with an opportunity to learn skills in the financial industry through the BankWork$ program,” said Sandra Meka, talent acquisition consultant manager, Associated Bank. “Associated is pleased to celebrate Anthony’s graduation from the program and will continue to help him grow in his position.”

As Smith continues his time with Associated Bank on his new journey, there’s a lot that intrigues him about the banking industry that he looks forward to learning more about — especially as it relates to technology. From the growing shift toward online banking to the ways that artificial intelligence helps banks with underwriting decisions, he’s grateful that there’s always been someone at the bank willing to offer their insight. He anticipates all the new information to be gained, skills to be learned, and ways he can use his many talents to help his fellow bankers and customers.

Finding the right career path can be complicated when there are so many to choose from. Although Smith was confident that his role as a business analyst would be the right fit, it wasn’t until the opportunity through BankWork$ came along that things began to really make sense. For others exploring professional possibilities of their own, Smith had some words of wisdom to offer from his own experience.

“Start early, and get involved in as much as you can,” he said. “Find a way to connect what you want to do with what you love, and then you can avoid being pulled in too many directions that don’t fit together.”

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COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates

On August 23, 2021, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) fully approved the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for prevention of the disease in individuals 16 years of age and older. This means that the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine meets high standards for safety and effectiveness. It also means that Wisconsin employers can implement a vaccine mandate with less legal risk, provided they consider reasonable accommodations for employees who cannot get the vaccine due to disability or sincerely held religious beliefs.

Wrongful Discharge Claim Risk Diminished

Wisconsin employers that now decide to mandate the COVID-19 vaccine will likely no longer face a risk of wrongful discharge claims if they terminate employees for failing to get the vaccine. The previous risk of liability for wrongful discharge derived from the vaccine being only approved for emergency use by the FDA, which may have given individuals a right to refuse the vaccine on the grounds that they were objecting to getting a vaccine that was not fully authorized by the FDA. Forcing employees to get the vaccine under these circumstances could violate public policy because FDA emergency use authorization allowed individuals to refuse the vaccine. Now, the FDA has fully approved the Pfizer vaccine. Any employee subject to an employer's COVID-19 vaccine mandate can no longer realistically object to receiving the vaccine on that basis. Therefore, terminating an employee for refusing to get a COVID-19 vaccine that has been fully authorized by the FDA is unlikely to result in a viable claim for wrongful discharge.

Disability and Religious Accommodations Still Required

Mandating the COVID-19 vaccine, however, still implicates legal issues related to disability and religious discrimination under the Wisconsin Fair Employment Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Despite full FDA approval, employees may still claim they cannot get vaccinated due to a disability or sincerely held religious belief. The law imposes constraints on the questions employers can ask employees and what documentation employers can request. Therefore, employers should consult with legal counsel if an employee asks for an exemption to the vaccine mandate based on a disability or sincerely held religious beliefs.

If an employee informs an employer that they are unable to receive the COVID-19 vaccine due to a disability or sincerely held religious belief, the employer generally cannot terminate the employee without first engaging in the interactive process with them as to whether a reasonable accommodation is available that does not pose an undue hardship on the employer. Because the legal standards for undue hardship are different depending on whether the employee is requesting an accommodation due to disability or religious belief, employers should consult with legal counsel when assessing the accommodation.

Conclusion

Full FDA approval of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine means that employers are now on stronger legal footing to require employees to be vaccinated. However, to avoid potentially viable discrimination claims, employers must still consider reasonable accommodations for employees who cannot be vaccinated due to a disability or sincerely held religious belief. If individual questions arise, please reach out to a member of the Boardman Clark Labor and Employment Practice Group for assistance identifying a reasonable accommodation request, conducting an individualized direct threat analysis when appropriate, assessing undue hardship under the appropriate legal standards, and deciding on the best way to proceed in a given situation.

Disclaimer: This information is not intended to be legal advice. Rather, it seeks to make recipients aware of certain legal developments that affect human resource issues. Recipients who want legal advice concerning a particular matter should consult with an attorney who is given a full understanding of the relevant facts pertaining to the particular matter.

By, Cassie Krause

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You Need a Vacation

Travel plans didn’t just take a back seat during the chaotic ride of 2020 – for many, they were left on the side of the road.  

Restrictions and limitations remain in place, but PTO hasn’t disappeared in the same way travel capability has. As a result, using vacation time has taken on a new meaning without taking a trip abroad or getting the whole family together for the holidays. With people having worked their way through the pandemic, a new concern is whether 2021 will continue this trend of people abandoning their vacation time in favor of more hours spent at their desks and home offices.  

The Year Vacations Stopped 

Taking time off was never banned by any means. The initial global shutdown combined with the unprecedented amount of people working remotely in the spring simply had many asking a very rational question: ‘Why would I take time off from working at home just to spend more time at home?’ Gwen Schnitzler, assistant vice president, human resources director at Forward Bank, Marshfield, saw a fair amount of this throughout the year. 

“Last year we definitely saw a decrease in PTO usage,” she said. “Some people may have planned trips they had to cancel because they couldn’t travel or didn’t feel comfortable doing so. Some questioned why they would take time off if there’s nowhere to go. There were a lot of factors contributing to this decrease.”  

A lack of places to go was only the starting point for this trend. For other employees, uncertainty in the future and health concerns played a larger role in their willingness to take time off than anything else. 

“With so many unknown factors related to COVID, we had a lot of employees holding on to their PTO,” said Ann Knutson, senior vice president, human resources director of Bank Five Nine, Oconomowoc. “People weren’t sure how this was all going to unfold. Even with FFCRA, people were reluctant to use all of their paid time off.” 

With so much uncertainty and a hold put on travel, it made sense that banks began reconsidering how to accommodate for this evolving scenario. Molly Bauer, Bank of Wisconsin Dells vice president, human resources officer, noted that properly responding to this created necessary reassurance for the individuals preparing for any unpredictable occurrence. They ultimately decided to do what they noticed other banks were doing. 

“We increased our carryover amounts for 2021,” said Bauer. “Then, time not used by the end of June goes into our ‘extended leave bank’ which can be used for illness-related events.”  

Each bank took its own approach to the situation based off the needs of its employees. Forward Bank realized early on that even if 2021 did provide a glimpse of hope, many of their employees might very well continue viewing the situation with caution. The fear was that the additional time off would simply go unused.  

“Under normal circumstances, employees can already carry over a week,” said Schnitzler. “We thought about extending that, but then understood how in a way we were almost prolonging the problem.” 

Instead, Forward Bank offered employees the option to cash out up to two weeks of PTO. The option was announced in the summertime, which allowed everyone to fully think about what they wanted to do and plan for it. For those who opted to use this choice, the payment was made on the Friday after Thanksgiving.  

“It gave the people who didn’t think they’d use that PTO a way to cash out instead,” Schnitzler added. “We timed it around the holidays so if employees wanted to put that toward holiday-related expenses they could.” 

She noted that the idea was well-received, even by those who decided not to take advantage of it. People were just happy to have that element of choice during a year that vacations allowed for anything but.  

A Good Time to Take Time Off 

Although these changes helped to make life easier, there hasn’t been much of an argument to carry this concept over into the new fiscal year. For some, this is a matter of life finally beginning to return to normal. For others, there is a concern that employees are not taking the time off they deserve. Many employees point to the recent growth in work spurred by essential tasks such as PPP as reason for sticking around. 

“Things got really busy, really quick,” said Schnitzler. “Of course, we still accommodated for when people wanted to take time off. But with mortgages, PPP loans, and the knowledge that even if time was to be taken off there weren’t a lot of options for recreation, the majority of people decided they would just keep working.” 

This became especially difficult for employees still working remotely. Now that their home had doubled as their office, taking time off simply meant spending more time in the place that they work. Schnitzler added that especially now with workloads leveling out a bit, it’s good to view spending time not working as an important part of the work itself, regardless of where or how you end up using that PTO.  Whether you’re simply recharging or looking to spend more quality time with your family, taking that time away from work is crucial for your health and well-being.  

“If you’re at a point where you feel like you have so much going on and can’t possibly take time away, that is exactly the time to use some vacation,” said Knutson. “This prevents burnout and encourages creativity. When people are away from work, they’re able to think about how they might take a new approach to their work style. They can think about developing new workflows. And it helps you keep in mind that life isn’t just about work.” 

Encouraging employees to take time off comes with several benefits. It can help them gain perspective, recalibrate, and have a positive effect on mental and physical health.  

“The past year speaks a lot about our workforce and the fact that so many people are willing to keep powering through, especially last year when things were so crazy,” Schnitzler said. “Seeing that dedication in this industry is amazing.” 

But at the end of the day, she noted that dedication doesn’t mean giving up the PTO you’ve earned. Allowing yourself some extended time to relax is part of the reward for hard work, not the antithesis of it. 

“It’s really as simple as this,” she added. “We don’t give people vacation time with the expectation that they’re not going to use it.”  

Returning to the Office 

Taking the opportunity to clear the mind outside of the day-to-day responsibilities of work is a necessary part of self-care, but prioritizing this time off doesn’t change the fact that the spread of COVID is still an issue. Making sure guidelines are set in place upon return to the office gives workers the time off they deserve while preventing any further spread. This might look different at each bank, and it doesn’t have to require any extraordinary planning. 

“We’ve just been following CDC and local health department guidelines,” Knutson said. “We are not scientists, we are not doctors, we are not medical professionals, and we don’t want to pretend like we are. I think that’s important because we don’t want to step outside of our expertise. We have to be able to rely on the experts.” 

Knutson noted that when you follow the professional advice that’s out there, you have the experts to lean on. And though planning is crucial, it’s equally as important to not overreach when it comes to people’s lives. Managing risk does not mean asking workers to quarantine after returning from seeing their in-laws in Illinois, and having a plan can be as simple as asking employees to be honest with where they’ve been and if they believe they’ve been exposed to the virus. 

“The banking industry is one that likes to make quick decisions once we have as many facts as we possibly can,” she continued. “This way we can make a more accurate decision upfront and won’t have to change our position at a later date.”  

Another concern is whether employers might discourage people from enjoying themselves by placing harsh restrictions on their ability to work once they come back. If allowing a few days of remote work isn’t an option, setting allotted time aside for employees to quarantine if necessary when returning from a trip is one way to incentivize vacation and stay safe in the process.  

“[Bank of Wisconsin Dells] has set up a bank of the equivalent of 10 days of paid time for anything that we require you to be out for, such as travel quarantine or extra days for illness,” said Bauer. “This is in addition to our PTO plan and the FFCRA time.”  

With all these factors considered, it is still uncertain whether people will end last year’s trend of skipping out on vacation time. While there are still plenty of things to remain cautious of, there is also reason to be optimistic that bankers are re-evaluating the importance of their time off.  

“We don’t know what the future is going to look like,” admitted Schnitzler, “but we’ve seen employees begin to feel more comfortable with traveling again. The virus is still out there, but there are a lot more precautions in place and I think people are really becoming more comfortable.” 

As Knutson sees it, employees are preparing for some much-needed time out of the office, whether it be for travel plans or to simply unwind.   

“I’m finding and hearing that more people are planning on taking PTO for vacation purposes,” she said. “It seems that so many people are beginning to look past the current situation and realizing that they just need some time to relax after such a long, difficult, and unexpected year.” 

By, Alex Paniagua

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Staying Flexible – Creative Ideas for Childcare Accommodations

For many communities across Wisconsin, there is still extreme uncertainty about what this school year will look like. The only thing we know for sure is that it will be a year unlike any other. With schools still constructing plans for opening virtually, in-person, or in some combination of the two, businesses are grappling with creating their own plans for how to accommodate working parents suddenly in need of childcare. 

Jim MorganTo get more actionable insights for member banks, WBA spoke with Jim Morgan, vice president of business development and workforce strategies at MRA-The Management Association, Inc (pictured right). His advice centers on one major theme: flexibility. 

The first step to being flexible is to create options, i.e. banks should create a set of plans for more than one scenario, including all-virtual. “Even if your school district is going back in person, create a plan for virtual,” Morgan advised. No one knows what the impact of the virus will be going into the fall and winter, so sudden school closures are a very real possibility. 

Next, banks need to find out what their employees need and want, though Morgan says how banks do that may vary depending on the size of the bank (number of employees and locations). Some may be small enough for leadership to simply host a meeting for all affected employees. Others may need to consider a survey or other mechanism to determine needs. Either way, the best first step is a pulse survey of employees, whether that’s done in a meeting or via a traditional digital survey. “Get the demographics of your employees so you know the scope of impact for each department or area of the bank,” said Morgan. Ask about the number and ages of children and whether the employee has non-school childcare available. 

The final plan—or set of plans for different circumstances—will be as individual as the company, says Morgan. “How you want to handle this is a strategic discussion,” he explained. The bank’s hours, customer preferences, and school district choices are all variables, as are the number of employees affected, which teams/departments they’re in, the ages of their children, and the availability of local childcare. 

Ideas to consider: 

Alternate shifts – Morgan says he’s seeing a lot of this in manufacturing, but it also applies for frontline bank staff. 

Align schedules – Give staff options to align the school and work schedules, which can be especially helpful for situations where the school is taking a hybrid approach. Ex: Week on, week off, or alternating days. 

Fill in gaps – Look at hiring more part time employees to cover shifts left open if some employees need to reduce hours or change schedules. 

Offer emergency childcare leave – This can be a valuable benefit, especially with many childcare centers in Wisconsin now closed. 

Supplement childcare costs – This benefit allows the bank to make direct payments on behalf of participating employees to their chosen childcare provider. The funds can cover all or part of the employees’ childcare expenses. 

Set up childcare onsite or nearby – While the initial costs and liability considerations are significant, this convenience could be a high-value employee benefit long after the pandemic is over. At least a few banks in Wisconsin are considering this. 

Be a facilitator – Banks can take on the role of connector, matching up employees with concierge services (nannies, sitters, etc.) or creating a daycare match program for employees (where employees take turns watching one another’s children). 

When deciding which combination of these ideas, or others, to implement, bank leaders should consider their institution’s culture along with cost constraints and logistical feasibility. Not all banks have a culture where employees would be comfortable watching one another’s children, for example. 

Again, the key to implementing the bank’s plan successfully will be to stay flexible. An employee’s circumstances may change from week to week or even day to day, and that uncertainty multiplies the more variables are affected. “If the bank has staff across 10 different school districts, know how you are going to keep track of everything,” said Morgan. “It may be a morning briefing so you know what’s happening.” Some banks may even need a pool of frontline employees to be “on call” to cover shifts on short notice if a peer is unable to come in. 

Throughout this entire process, Morgan says clear, authentic communication is essential. “If there was ever a time for transparency and communication, this is it,” he said. “Leadership needs to tell people the plan, why they’re doing it, and acknowledge it may change quickly.” Regarding communication—with employees, customers, and vendors—Morgan says more is always better. "You can’t over-communicate, even if it’s ‘we don’t know’ or a brief update,” he said. “Give people a chance to ask questions.” 

Read more from Morgan on this topic here. 

Seitz is WBA operations manager and senior writer. 

MRA-The Management Association is a WBA Associate Member.

By, Amber Seitz

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Employee Engagement: Tangible Benefits and Best Practices From Banks Who Are Doing It Best

undefinedAccording to 2017 research from Dale Carnegie, two-thirds of American employees are not fully engaged at work. In addition, after internal meta-analysis of their employee engagement surveys of hundreds of companies (both large and small), Gallup reported recently that "business or work units that score in the top quartile of their organization in employee engagement have nearly double the odds of success… when compared with those in the bottom quartile. Those at the 99th percentile have four times the success rate of those in the first percentile."

Setting an Example: The Best Banks to Work For
The WBA member banks interviewed for this article each were named to the most recent American Bankers Association list of Best Banks to Work for. Congratulations to these institutions for going above and beyond in demonstrating the power of employee engagement. 

What does that research mean for Wisconsin banks? Dedicating energy, time, and resources to improving employee engagement will yield dividends. Banks who make engagement a priority will enjoy a competitive advantage over not only other financial institutions but also other employers with whom they compete for top talent. In order to achieve that advantage, however, bank leadership need to understand what "engagement" truly means. "Engagement isn't about being happy and satisfied at work. You can be happy and satisfied and still coasting," explained Dave Furlan, senior HR business partner at The Payroll Company (TPC) HR. "It's about making sure employees are invested in the company's mission and success." 

Benefits of Engagement

The advantage companies with more engaged employees enjoy over their competitors surfaces in three main areas: customer service, productivity, and talent management. "Community banking is all about taking care of our customers and being responsive, and that starts with being engaged," said Mike Molepske, CEO at Bank First, Manitowoc. "We can't deliver good customer service unless we have an engaged workforce." Ann Knutson, HR director at First Bank Financial Centre, Oconomowoc stressed the importance of considering the employee experience just as much as the customer experience. "A positive employee experience will translate to a positive customer experience and higher levels of customer satisfaction," she explained. This concept also applies to internal customers. "When you have engaged employees, they're always thinking about the betterment of the customer and their peers," said Dennis Vogel, president and CEO at Citizens State Bank of La Crosse. Employees who are invested in the bank's success also tend to be advocates for the bank by serving the community. "We're being successful at engaging employees, customers, and communities," said Bill Sennholz, president/CEO at Forward Bank, Marshfield. "We've had multiple communities ask us to open locations in their area because they see what we're doing."

When it comes to productivity, numerous studies and countless hours of research have proven the positive impact of engaged employees. "The productivity of the organization improves and will be at a high level when you have people who believe in your company," said David Fritz, managing partner at Executive Benefits Network (EBN). "Engaged employees can more easily help push the organization's agenda forward." Understanding what the bank's goals are helps employees understand how their work affects the outcome, which leads to higher productivity. "Invested employees really care about what they do and have higher levels of productivity," said Knutson. "They become ambassadors for your organization, whether it's referring others to bank with you or work for you." 

Which leads to the final key advantage of employee engagement: "It's easier to recruit when you have an engaged and supportive workforce," said Fritz. "When you're trying to recruit younger employees to an organization, they're looking for culture and a sense of fulfillment as much as compensation. An engaged employee culture will be easier to recruit to." When engagement becomes ingrained at the cultural level, it shrinks some of the recruitment hurdles businesses face in tight labor markets. "When I started here 14 years ago, I told the employees I wanted to make this place the envy of all other places in town to work," said Sennholz. "When it comes time to go out into the market and find skilled employees, our reputation precedes us. In the end, it's paid dividends as we compete for employees in the marketplace."

Getting Started

With all the significant benefits of an engaged workforce, why do so few companies make it a priority? Simply, because it is a difficult challenge to create and sustain high levels of employee engagement. "It can be a painful process for management to go through because they'll find out where their warts are in some cases," Fritz explained. For bank leaders who are up for the challenge, the first step is to collect direct input from employees. One of the most popular tools for accomplishing this is employee surveys, which can take a lot of work, but are worth it for the insight they provide. "You need objective data to work with, rather than guessing," Furlan explained. "You can do it through large consulting firms or create your own, but you need a baseline."

Next, diagnose any issues raised by the employee input and then classifying them. "Identify which issues are fixable and which are non-negotiable," Fritz recommended. In a banking context, examples of non-negotiable pain-points could be compliance-driven processes or certain response time requirements. It is imperative to follow this step with clear communication about what can't be changed and why. "For issues that non-negotiable, leadership need to communicate passionately and honestly why that is the case," Fritz advised. 

Finally, implement what changes you can based on employee feedback, and ensure that those changes penetrate the entire organization. "It's not just the relationship managers and CSRs," said Molepske. "It's also the operations folks. We all have customers, whether they're internal or external, and we need to make their experience as positive as it can be." For example, Vogel says that everyone at the bank goes through sales training as part of their development. "It doesn't matter if you're in IT or operations, you're part of the customer experience," he explained.

Incentivizing Engagement
Consider one of the following rewards/incentives recommended or utilized by the experts interview for this article:

  • Enhanced onboarding process: make sure all new employees feel welcomed
  • Paid time for volunteering/flexibility to leave and volunteer during work hours 
  • Different options for on-the-spot awards with the same perceived value
  • Bank-wide award for engagement presented at the annual meeting
  • Bring in real baristas to make specialty coffees and beverages for staff
  • Hand employees physical "thank you" cards for jobs well done.

Best Practices

While employee engagement will look different at each bank—varying by factors including strategic goals, geographic market, and size—there are four common engagement practices that are effective for most organizations: regular feedback and recognition, education and development, diversity, and communication. 

Feedback and Recognition
"Recognition is a huge part of employee engagement," said Knutson. "It's become part of our culture at the bank to say, 'thank you.'" In fact, First Bank Financial Centre recently created and launched a peer-to-peer recognition program to complement their existing executive- or manager-to-employee programs. Regular performance feedback also helps foster employee interaction and confidence. "When people don't get that feedback, they start to get more insular and don't interact as well with others because they don't know if they're doing a good job," Furlan explained.

Education and Development
"If you can help people grow, they will provide excellent customer service," said Molepske. Building a culture that supports employee growth and development requires investment, but yields invested employees. "We have a culture surrounding learning and development," said Knutson. "We find that we've been able to increase engagement because of that." Furlan advises looking beyond training to overall education for employees. "We spend most of our waking hours during the week at work, so employers can teach their employees how to be healthier, for example," he said. Another example, and one that is growing in popularity, is financial wellness. "When workers are stressed about their finances and we can teach them strategies to deal with that, they're able to be less distracted at work," said Furlan.

Diversity
"Diversity plays a big role in engagement," said Molepske. "We pride ourselves on having age diversity, and it's also having people who think differently or have different geographic backgrounds. Whenever you can put differences together, they're more engaged and they perform better." A diverse group of employees will also respond differently to engagement incentives. "We've definitely tried to come up with engagement strategies that will impact employees at various stages in their career," said Gwen Schnitzler, HR director at Forward Bank. "The things that motivate new college graduates are very different from motivations for someone who is approaching retirement." Vogel says Citizens State Bank utilizes a combination of tailored and universal incentives, guided by a software program that helps managers identify what motivates each employee. 

Communication 
Sennholz says Forward Bank focuses on having strong internal communication practices. "Part of our marketing team's job is internal marketing, so employees know how important their position is and their impact on the community," he explained. As with most communication, these internal practices must be ongoing in order to be effective. "Engagement is part of our discussion from day one, and it's part of our monthly coaching sessions," said Vogel. "We define what 'engaged' means." They even print it on the bank's mousepads to keep it top-of-mind for all staff.

Ultimately, building employee engagement is about fostering a sense of ownership among employees. When bank employees understand how their actions and work impact the institution as a whole, it's more likely they will become invested in the bank's success. "Engaged employees go the extra mile for customers without being asked because they see engagement as ownership," explained Jennifer Sobotta, VP marketing director at Forward Bank. "The ownership and responsibility they provide our customers cannot be replicated by others."

Executive Benefits Network (EBN) is a WBA Bronze Associate Member.
The Payroll Company (TPC) is a WBA Bronze Associate Member.

 

By, Amber Seitz

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After #MeToo, Eyes Are Open

Banks should evaluate, update harassment policies and procedures to protect all employees, customers

While the #MeToo movement has thus far led to only "a slight increase" in harassment reports within the financial services industry, according to Jennifer Mirus, co-chairperson of the Labor and Employment Law Group at Boardman & Clark, LLP, it has heightened awareness of harassment in the workplace. "More people are aware of their rights and willing to come forward."

"Eyes are open, people are watching and waiting to see what management will do about bullying and harassing behavior," said Julia Johnson, senior manager at Wipfli LLP. "When management chooses to do nothing, that's when the bank becomes vulnerable to claims of discrimination."

Johnson has observed "an increase in sensitivity to bullying, disrespectful, and/or harassing behaviors." Behavior that "may have been overlooked or brushed aside in the past is being brought into the light of day."

The #MeToo movement is about societal workplace environments and not bringing "forth these issues out of fear of retaliation," Mirus noted. There's been "a long-term tide … that is turning to demonstrate that this behavior will not be tolerated."

While the laws specifically addressing harassment remain generally unchanged, new measures have nevertheless aimed at this unacceptable behavior. The new tax law, for instance, "states that any settlement, payout or lawyer's fees related to sexual harassment or sexual abuse cannot be deducted as a business expense if such payments were subject to a nondisclosure agreement," Mirus said. The law supports the idea, "that these settlements—and the harassers behind them—should no longer be protected by confidentiality."

Mirus added that the new generation of workers is less tolerant of harassing behavior, and this cultural change is being reflected in court decisions. "We are seeing a broadening of the groups of individuals legally protected from harassment, and a more aggressive stance on behaviors that will be deemed illegal harassment." Core protected classes now include disability, race, sexual orientation, gender, age, religious belief, national origin, and ancestry, among others. Still, laws vary by region; the City of Madison lists a total of 26 protected categories, including, for instance, credit history and political beliefs.

A financial institution's harassment policy "needs to prohibit discrimination and should mention the core classes of individuals protected from harassment, including 'any other classification protected by law'," Mirus said. "Policies also need to be clear that harassment is prohibited between employees, between management and employees, and between third parties and employees." If a customer harasses a teller, the bank has a legal obligation to address concerns and follow its policy on this issue.

The "policy should include an adequate recording mechanism," Mirus said. An individual who experiences-or witnesses-harassment should have more than one channel to report their concern. "A policy should not state that the individual experiencing the harassment must first report it to their boss, nor should it require the employee to confront the harasser," she said. Confronting the harasser is "a burden the law does not allow you to place on the person being harassed." A policy can state that if individuals feel comfortable about confronting the harasser, they may do so, but they may also go to HR or another resource.

A policy should prohibit retaliation. "This is where a significant amount of litigation is occurring," according to Mirus. Retaliation might come in the form of a denied promotion, hostile treatment, or something as simple as a lack of response to requests for work-related information. Whatever its form, the policy should provide a path forward to report retaliatory behavior.

Johnson outlined key components of harassment policies in addition to prohibiting retaliation:

  • The financial institution's commitment to provide an environment of respect free from all forms of discrimination and harassment on the basis of a protected class.
  • The definition of harassment and examples of behavior that may constitute harassment, including behaviors that occur on personal social media.
  • An emphasis on the responsibility of all employees to create an atmosphere free from discrimination and harassment.
  • A reporting process for individuals who have experienced or witnessed harassment, providing at least two people of different genders with whom individuals can share their experience.
  • A statement that reported incidents of harassment will be investigated with respect for the sensitivities of the situation, but without guaranteeing that a complaint will remain strictly confidential.

Training managers to address harassment is best done in person, Johnson advised. "Face-to-face training enables the trainer to engage managers in the discussion. Role-playing various scenarios can be a very effective way for people to gain confidence when faced with those uncomfortable conversations with employees." 

Mirus noted that managers have a legal duty to address harassment. "That is often where the ball gets dropped." An employee may mention to a manager that an individual is making comments on the employee's clothes or other inappropriate remarks. "The comment doesn't seem like a big deal and the manager doesn't do anything," she said, "but the manager has a legal obligation to report [the behavior]" and ensure that proper steps are taken to prohibit it. "If the manager knows about the harassing behavior, the bank knows."

Training for managers should emphasize that "they may not engage in harassing behavior and they must be role models," Mirus said. In addition, "there are heightened requirements that they report and follow through on complaints."

If a financial institution is sued, "one of the first questions an investigator will ask is 'what kind of training have you provided?'" Mirus said. "If you cannot provide documentation that you have provided meaningful training, you're really behind the eight ball in defending against harassment claims."

When there is a complaint of harassment, "it's very important that it gets handled appropriately and swiftly," she added. If a manager takes no immediate action, the employee may perceive that the organization will not effectively address the concern. 

"Training demonstrates that the organization is committed to addressing these issues and having a workplace that is comfortable for everyone," Mirus said. It can take place in briefings, monthly meetings, or other ways, but it "must come from the top," she said. "If key players or leadership are [permitted] to engage in inappropriate conduct, there will be no authentic sense among employees that these behaviors will be dealt with appropriately."

Johnson agreed: "If there is a history of tolerance of bad behavior by select individuals because they are one of 'the untouchables,' then that hill is a steep climb. In these cases, formal training can be key to laying the foundation for behavioral expectations moving forward," she said. "It is a significant risk to the bank to let harassing behavior go unchecked. The risks can be significant: reputational risk, reduced morale, reduced productivity, turnover, and of course, litigation."

Most harassment in unintended, Johnson said. "Unintentional harassers believe they are joking around and having fun—when in fact, others aren't enjoying that sense of humor." Sometimes just calling their attention to how their behavior is perceived will cause a behavioral shift. Individuals who are not receptive to changing their behavior pose the greatest risk to the bank. "If an individual continues to engage in unacceptable behaviors and is unwilling to change, termination is often the only solution."

On the plus side, "a financial institution that is living its values and advancing a culture that encourages others … has likely established trust, and the lines of communication are open," Johnson said. "In this situation, there is the opportunity to reaffirm those values and expectations for respectful behavior in the workplace." 

Ann Lueth, senior vice president and human resource director at First Bank Financial Centre, Oconomowoc, can attest to Johnson's words. All new FBFC employees attend an orientation that includes a discussion on harassment. Common sense is emphasized. "If it's not something you would do or say in front of the president and CEO, it's not something you should do with anyone." FBFC also provides online training and a combination of online and in-person leadership training for managers.

President and CEO Mark W. Mohr spends 30 minutes at every new employee orientation, Lueth reported. In 10 years he has never missed a monthly orientation.

"Starting with the modeling of behavior is critical, stemming through the president and CEO," Lueth said. "You get a feeling for what the culture is … Maybe you have an idea, or a suggestion, or a question. There's openness for information or answers." 

Lueth frequently visits branch offices and meets with branch managers. "I work hard to make myself available and approachable," she said. "In all employee trainings, I emphasize we have a zero tolerance for harassment, including harassment from a customer or a vendor."

It's no accident that FBFC has been recognized as a top midsize employer by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel for eight consecutive years, Lueth said. "Our employees feel the support."

Green is a freelance writer for the Wisconsin Bankers Association.

Boardman & Clark, LLP is a WBA Gold Associate Member.
Wipfli LLP is a WBA Silver Associate Member

 

By, Amber Seitz

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Events

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GSB – Onboarding Your New Hire — An Experience or an Afterthought?

What does onboarding look like in your organization? What do you want it to look like? Onboarding should not be an afterthought as it is the new hire’s first impression of the company they are going to work for.

How do you check all the required boxes while still maintaining the interest of your new hire? Wow them with a genuine interest and care in their success with your bank. Learn how to excel at new employee onboarding seeing everything through the lens of the new hire.

Raise the bar when it comes to engaging and training new hires. Aimed at management and anyone that hires, trains, and onboards new employees.

What we will cover:

  • How to set the tone for success
  • Creating an engaged environment from the start
  • Best practices for successful onboarding
  • Set the stage for employee engagement
  • Customizing the new hire experience
  • On-going coaching and support – what does this look like?
  • Review a template that works

Target Audience: All managers and supervisors who hire and onboard employees. Anyone responsible for the onboarding process.

This 90-minute program will be presented live on: April 5, 2023, 2:00–3:00 p.m. CT

Presenter: Vicki Kraai, InterAction Training

Registration Option: Live presentation $330

Recording available through July 5, 2023

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GSB – Employment Law Compliance for Banks

This interactive session will include a review and update of the most important areas of employment law, current issues, and proposed employment laws that employers need to be aware of, with particular emphasis and application to banks and their employees. Preventive measures to avoid litigation and practical advice for bank policies and procedures will be provided. Recent developments in federal law and federal agency regulations will be addressed. Participants are encouraged to ask questions in any area of employment law.

The following topics will addressed in this virtual workshop:

  • Recent developments in employment law
  • Greatest risks and how to prevent them
  • Policies and procedures
  • Hiring and termination procedures
  • Leaves of absence
  • Discrimination and harassment — proper procedures and policies to avoid liability

 Target Audience: Human resource officers, supervisors, CEOs, and general counsel or in-house legal counsel

This virtual workshop will be presented live on: May 3, 2023, 8:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m. CT

Presenter: Patty Wise, Spengler Nathanson, P.L.L

Registration Option: Live presentation $395

Recording available through August 3, 2023

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GSB – HSAs: Top 10 Wrap-Up

Our experts will outline the top 10 HSA topics we get questions about on Ascensus’ consulting lines. Join this webinar to see what makes this year’s Top 10 list!

This 60-minute program will be presented live on: April 26, 2023, 10:00-11:00 a.m. CT

Presenter: Ascensus

Registration Option: Live presentation $275

Recording available through July 26, 2023

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GSB – Human Resource Management School

Today’s successful human resource professional in the financial services industry needs a clear understanding of critical human resource issues as well as a working knowledge of the business of banking. From recruitment to selection, performance management to career development, the human resource function has a direct impact on a financial institution’s productivity and bottom-line results.

That’s why GSB offers the Human Resource Management School, a respected one-week school that provides the foundation for new or veteran human resource professionals to tie together important issues in human resource management with an understanding of the business of banking.

Application sessions are built into the curriculum to help students better understand and apply concepts learned. This applied learning is a key benefit of participating that will give you important tools to implement immediately at your bank.

More and more demands are being placed on human resource professionals as banks realize the important role they play in a bank’s profitability. This is your opportunity to learn from respected industry experts about today’s key issues in human resource management and how they relate to the bank’s bottom line profits.

What You’ll Gain

  • A clear understanding of the human resource contribution to bottom-line profitability
  • A hands-on approach to learning the business of banking
  • How to better select and retain top performers
  • An improved performance management process
  • Ways to enhance your compensation and benefits program
  • How to build career paths for key performers
  • Strategies to improve employee productivity, performance, and profitability
  • A network of peers to share ideas and resources now and in the future

Who Should Attend

Whether you’re a veteran HR professional or a newcomer to the HR management field, this information-packed school will provide you with an abundance of take-away material. CEOs and other senior managers are also encouraged to attend to gain a better understanding of how the bank’s HR function is a key element in bottom-line profitability.

When: March 27–31, 2023

Enrollment Deadline: February 27

Program Fee: $2,725

*Scholarship available through the WBA. Click here for details*

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BSA for Frontline Staff

The frontline confronts BSA issues multiple times a day. Therefore, it’s crucial that they understand the fundamentals, know the red flags for crimes, and keep your institution in the compliance zone. Don’t miss this opportunity to satisfy your 2023 training requirements.

After This Webinar You’ll Be Able To:
BSA overview
Money laundering techniques
Red flags for elder fraud, identity theft, human trafficking, and smuggling
Customer identification programs
Customer due diligence
Update on currency transaction reports
Detecting and reporting red flags
Update on beneficial ownership
OFAC fundamentals

Webinar Details
This comprehensive training program will fulfill the frontline’s BSA training requirements in 2023. You may have internal policies to cover, but this webinar will do the rest! It is an excellent foundational program to explain the core program for BSA and also cover certain crimes that are hot buttons for regulators. Don’t miss this chance to completely update your BSA program.

Who Should Attend?
This timely topic will benefit tellers, new accounts representatives, lending staff, branch management, trainers, human resources staff, operations personnel, safe deposit box staff, and BSA officers and staff.

Take-Away Toolkit
Employee training log
Interactive quiz
PDF of slides and speaker’s contact info for follow-up questions
Attendance certificate provided to self-report CE credits

NOTE: All materials are subject to copyright. Transmission, retransmission, or republishing of any webinar to other institutions or those not employed by your agency is prohibited. Print materials may be copied for eligible participants only.

Presenter
Deborah Crawford– Gettechnical Inc

Deborah Crawford is the President of Gettechnical Inc., a Florida-based firm, specializing in the education of financial institutions across the nation. Her 30+ years of experience began at Hibernia National Bank in New Orleans. She graduated from Louisiana State University with both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees.

Debbie specializes in the education of financial institution employees and officers in the areas of deposit account laws, new account documentation, insurance, complex compliance regulations, and IRAs.

Registration Options

  • $245 – Live Webinar Access
  • $245 – OnDemand Access + Digital Download
  • $350 – Both Live & On-Demand Access + Digital Download
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January Jumpstart for Supervisors

As we begin a new year, it’s safe to assume that last year’s goals won’t produce the results you want for this year. There is no better time to exercise your leadership muscles, grow a healthier team, and achieve your best year yet!

This workshop is designed to recharge your commitment to leading your team to greater results. The workout begins with clarity on your leadership ‘why’ through a values exercise that will challenge your thinking. Breakout “reflection groups” will be used to share ideas and gain new perspectives around selected topics. You will learn about leadership resources that will lift you out of complacency and awaken your team from hibernation. There is no better time to turn half-hearted resolutions into long-lasting success.

What You’ll Learn

  • Envision the year you want by exploring your values and priorities
  • Explore resources to keep you relevant and agile
  • Connect with peers in reflection groups for support, perspective-taking, and accountability
  • Discover your leadership superpower and use it to energize and support your team
  • Identify 3 ways to increase employee engagement
  • Formulate a plan of action that will take you where you want to go

Who Should Attend
This workshop is designed for supervisors at any level of leadership — from newly appointed to seasoned employees. If it’s time to kick complacency to the curb this workshop is for you.

Presenter
Karen Butcher is a former teacher, Mary Kay Sales Director, and trainer whose career journey led her to leave the corporate world to train and coach women and men who want to elevate their leadership skills, lead productive teams, and achieve their goals. Butcher is a Certified Bank Training Professional who earned her credential in 2016. She is a Senior Training Consultant for Interaction Training and travels the country facilitating bank supervisor training. Attendees appreciate her hands-on approach to offering tools to coach and lead teams.

In addition, Butcher works with Leadership Kentucky as the program coordinator for BRIGHT Kentucky, a new program for young professionals in the 54 counties of the Appalachian Regional Commission.

Butcher’s passion for people is evident and she knows what is required to become a leader who people want to follow. She believes it’s time for a new leadership philosophy where leaders hold themselves and their teams accountable and let go of outdated practices.

Registration Options

Live Access, 30 Days OnDemand Playback, Presenter Materials and Handouts $279

  • Available Upgrades:
    • 12 Months OnDemand Playback + $110
    • 12 Months OnDemand Playback + Digital Download +$140
    • 12 Months OnDemand Playback + CD + $140
    • Additional Live Access + $75 per person
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The Triple Play of Supervisor Communication: O3s, Feedback, Coaching

Every supervisor can get a hit when they commit to practicing three communication techniques: one-on-ones, feedback, and coaching. Ask any employee what they want more of from their supervisor and you will hear, “more one-on-one time, more feedback, and more coaching.” Likewise, ask any supervisor what they want more of and you will hear, “more time to get my work done.” How can a supervisor find the time to give employees what they want?

This workshop is designed to instill the importance of O3s, providing feedback, and coaching while working it into an already busy schedule. Planning for this time on the front end will yield better results and higher productivity. Getting started can be challenging and consistency is crucial.

What You’ll Learn

  • Recognize the “silver bullet” value of one-on-one meetings
  • Share best practices for scheduling
  • Differentiate between “affirming” and “for improvement” feedback
  • Discover the top two coaching skills
  • Gain confidence with suggested frameworks and dialogue starters
  • Participate in practice conversations with peers

Who Should Attend
This workshop is for any supervisor who wants to get a big return on their investment of time. From the executive suite to the frontline, anyone with management responsibilities can win the world series of employee development through O3s, feedback, and coaching.

Presenter
Karen Butcher is a former teacher, Mary Kay Sales Director, and trainer whose career journey led her to leave the corporate world to train and coach women and men who want to elevate their leadership skills, lead productive teams, and achieve their goals. Butcher is a Certified Bank Training Professional who earned her credential in 2016. She is a Senior Training Consultant for Interaction Training and travels the country facilitating bank supervisor training. Attendees appreciate her hands-on approach to offering tools to coach and lead teams.

In addition, Butcher works with Leadership Kentucky as the program coordinator for BRIGHT Kentucky, a new program for young professionals in the 54 counties of the Appalachian Regional Commission.

Butcher’s passion for people is evident and she knows what is required to become a leader who people want to follow. She believes it’s time for a new leadership philosophy where leaders hold themselves and their teams accountable and let go of outdated practices.

Registration Options
Live Access, 30 Days OnDemand Playback, Presenter Materials and Handouts $279

  • Available Upgrades:
    • 12 Months OnDemand Playback + $110
    • 12 Months OnDemand Playback + Digital Download +$140
    • 12 Months OnDemand Playback + CD + $140
    • Additional Live Access + $75 per person
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Beginning Security Officer: Dos, Don’ts, & Compliance

Snap up this expert training for new security officers. Everyone has to start somewhere — even security officers. They are foundational to the safety of each financial institution and training is essential to their success. This practical program will address the security officer’s role, best practices, regulatory compliance, physical security issues, and more.

After This Webinar You’ll Be Able To:

  • Comprehend exactly what the security officer is responsible for under the Bank Protection Act and implementing regulations
  • Understand lighting, landscaping, locations, and locks – the four Ls of security
  • Determine the proper steps to take with cash recyclers and ITMs
  • Explain to management the need for an annual risk assessment
  • Identify the records the bank security officer should keep

Webinar Details
The Bank Protection Act (BPA) and implementing regulations specify security officer requirements. This program will focus on these regulations, especially on Regulation H, to demonstrate what your security program should contain. Although the regulations are very specific, they allow leeway for risk-management decision-making. This program will include industry standard practices and demonstrate (with pictures) how to comply. Security officer dos, don’ts, and best practices will be covered. Other topics will include:

  • How often your staff should be trained on security
  • How new equipment will change your training strategies
  • How often the security officer should receive specialized training, like active shooter
  • What the security officer should consider when evaluating equipment or training issues

Who Should Attend?
This informative session is designed for security officers, risk management professionals, internal auditors, and compliance officers.

Take-Away Toolkit

  • Regulation H checklist to determine if your security program is current
  • Night inspection form to help implement your physical security inspections
  • Proper Employee Conduct During and After a Robbery form for training
  • Risk Management Basics: Before, During, and After the Robbery
  • Risk Management Basics: Robbery Styles
  • Risk Management Basics: Physical Risk Assessments, Thinking Like the Robber
  • Sample incident report
  • Employee training log
  • Interactive quiz
  • PDF of slides and speaker’s contact info for follow-up questions
  • Attendance certificate provided to self-report CE credits

NOTE: All materials are subject to copyright. Transmission, retransmission, or republishing of any webinar to other institutions or those not employed by your agency is prohibited. Print materials may be copied for eligible participants only.

Presenter
Barry Thompson, CRCM – Thompson Consulting Group, LLC
Barry Thompson is an international speaker, trainer, consultant, and writer. He is a security and compliance “guru” for a leading national training organization and regularly presents security conferences for trade groups – he has trained over 54,000 financial professionals.

Thompson is recognized worldwide, presenting in Brussels, Belgium to European bankers on internal fraud; at the United Nations on identity theft; and to Japanese bankers on bank security. Thompson has worked in the financial services industry for over four decades, and has held the positions of security officer, compliance officer, treasurer, senior vice president, and executive vice president. He has handled over 900 security cases and has been involved with investigations and prosecutions at the federal, state, and local levels. Thompson is the author of 101 Security Tips for the Beginning Security Officer and Inside the Vault and has been interviewed by Newsweek, Computer World, USA Today, and other national publications.

Registration Options

  • $245 – Live Webinar Access
  • $245 – OnDemand Access + Digital Download
  • $350 – Both Live & On-Demand Access + Digital Download
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Preparing for FedNow: Participants, Connection Options, Liquidity Management & More

Have you joined the FedNow train? It’s barreling down the tracks and will be rolled out in mid-2023. This will be a huge change for the U.S. electronic payments system. Get on board and start preparing sooner rather than later. Discover more with Kevin Olsen, the payments professor.

After This Webinar You’ll Be Able To:

  • Understand the credit transfer and liquidity management participation types
  • Differentiate participation types and how they will apply to your financial institution
  • Comprehend the reconciliation process
  • Identify the different report options that will be available to participants to balance accounts
  • Understand the different use cases available with the FedNow service
  • Define a FedNow cycle date

Webinar Details
FedNow instant payments are coming in 2023 and will forever change the electronic payments landscape in the U.S. What are you doing to prepare for the biggest change in payments in decades? Join the Payments Professor to learn more about the FedNow service, participation types, liquidity management, settlement, reconciliation, and more!

Who Should Attend?
This session is best suited for directors, managers, operations personnel, and anyone who will be impacted by the FedNow service.

Take-Away Toolkit

  • Employee training log
  • Interactive quiz
  • PDF of slides and speaker’s contact info for follow-up questions
  • Attendance certificate provided to self-report CE credits

NOTE: All materials are subject to copyright. Transmission, retransmission, or republishing of any webinar to other institutions or those not employed by your agency is prohibited. Print materials may be copied for eligible participants only.

Presenter

Kevin Olsen, AAP, NCP, APRP, CHPC – VSoft Corporation
For most of the past two decades Kevin Olsen has been managing the development and delivery of education services, including in-person, web conferences, and webcasts. Olsen creates programs, presentations, and articles designed to orient and educate financial professionals on electronic payment topics. As the “Payments Professor,” he brings enthusiasm and motivation to presentations. He views the world as a classroom, which is exemplified in the “edutainment” ed-u-tain-mint (noun: when education is motivating, informative, and fun) style of training he uses to educate and inform all on the latest developments and trends in the fascinating world of electronic payments

Registration Options

  • $245 – Live Webinar Access
  • $245 – OnDemand Access + Digital Download
  • $350 – Both Live & On-Demand Access + Digital Download
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Social Media: Paid, Owned, Earned

Do you know the differences between owned, earned, and paid social media content? With this program, you’ll learn how to ascertain which social media platforms are optimal for your situation. Don’t miss this opportunity to discover more about maximizing the use of social media for your financial institution.

After This Webinar You’ll Be Able To:

  • Distinguish between paid, earned, and owned assets
  • Identify which social media platforms will work best for your organization
  • Understand how paid and owned assets help generate earned media
  • Better define how social media can contribute to your overall marketing and PR goals

Webinar Details
Social media is increasingly being used for developing connections and advocacy efforts. Utilizing a mix of owned, earned, and paid social media increases engagement, raises awareness of your brand, and ultimately improves your bottom line. It’s a balance of what you are saying, what others are saying about you, and what paid messages are purchased. This session will provide insights for establishing a social media plan incorporating owned, earned, and paid media.

Who Should Attend?
This timely program will benefit marketing and public relations managers, social media specialists, CEOs, COOs, and anyone who has creative authority over or contributes to your social media presence.

Take-Away Toolkit

  • Employee training log
  • Interactive quiz
  • PDF of slides and speaker’s contact info for follow-up questions
  • Attendance certificate provided to self-report CE credits

NOTE: All materials are subject to copyright. Transmission, retransmission, or republishing of any webinar to other institutions or those not employed by your agency is prohibited. Print materials may be copied for eligible participants only.

Presenter

Patrick Dix – SHAZAM, Inc.

Patrick Dix is Vice President of Strategic Alliances at SHAZAM. He leads SHAZAM’s relationships and partnerships with more than 70 industry organizations and trade associations. The focus of SHAZAM’s strategic alliances is to support the advocacy work of association partners and ensure community financial institutions have a strong voice in the payments industry. Before joining SHAZAM, Dix spent 25 years as a broadcast journalist, including 16 years as the senior morning news anchor at the NBC affiliate in Des Moines, Iowa.

Registration Options

  • $245 – Live Webinar Access
  • $245 – OnDemand Access + Digital Download
  • $350 – Both Live & On-Demand Access + Digital Download
/by
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608-441-1200

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Madison, WI 53718

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