Vegetables land bank managers in the soup

The 18th of August 2005

London: In the spectrum of corporate incentives, the cabbage and the cauliflower don't figure too prominently. Except in Scotland, where managers at two branches of the Bank of Scotland made staff sit the vegetables on their desks to try to prompt improved performance. They prompted outrage instead.
Two tellers at branches in Glasgow and Paisley had the vegetables placed on their desks in full public view.
An 18-year-old male teller was said to be deeply upset by the cabbage put on his desk. A 24-year-old had a cauliflower placed on her desk and was told she could pass it on only when someone opened an account. The use of vegetables was devised by two branch managers who knew each other.
A bank official said the two incidents, which took place within 24 hours of each other last week, were deeply regrettable, and the staff involved had received a full apology.
John Nolan, national leader of the banking union Amicus, said after meeting bank officials that this was a totally unacceptable way of getting staff to perform.

"It is demeaning to staff and it is demoralising to staff and it does not send a good message to customers when [they] go in and see this sort of method being employed by such a well known bank," he said. "We are very concerned about it. It is humiliating.
"We are calling for an inquiry and for a clear explicit statement as to how to ensure that this sort of crude motivational tactic never happens again."
A bank spokesman said the managers had made a serious error of judgement and efforts would be made to ensure such tactics were not repeated.
"We focus on positive measures such as good bonuses for strong performance," the spokesman said. "But we very much regret we got it wrong on this occasion … We have taken steps to remind all of our managers of the responsibilities they have to their colleagues."
The Guardian

SMH 18-8-5

http://www.smh.com.au/news/unusual-tales/vegetables-land-bank-managers-in-the-soup/2005/08/17/1123958125917.html



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