Bankers urged to maintain work-life balance for productivity enhancement

Poor work-life balance has been seen as a factor that inhibits value creation and productivity among bankers in an organization.

This is against the backdrop of some bankers who work round the clock with little attention to themselves and their families.

Consequently, bankers in the country have been advised to maintain a work-balance in order to create value and enhance productivity in their
organizations.

Franca Ovadje, director, centre for research in leadership and ethics, Lagos Business school, (Pan-Atlantic University), gave this advice while speaking on the theme, “Human Capital: Value creation and Capacity Building for financial Services Sector in a Frontier Economy”, at the 2014 Bankers’ Nite organized by Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) Lagos Branch.

Other inhibitors to productivity as she outlined include Line managers mindset, right Leaders who can unleash talent, culture, Lack of openness, ‘oga’ mentality, Work-life balance (Family friendly),

Restlessness due to lack of opportunity, Bureaucratic process, and in global organizations.

According to her, the Corporate milieu exacerbates the challenges posed by the societal environment

Customers are served by tired and demoralized employees, tired employees are not innovative or creative, productivity is low, value to employees, shareholders, and the community is low.

She said the way forward is for bankers to Build Capacity, Build Institutions, and treat People as Persons.

Speaking at the occasion, Ajibola Afonja, chairman of First Bank of Nigeria limited described bankers as most discipline of all professionals in the country.

He challenged bankers think of career aside that of banking profession and get involve in political affairs to bring sanity into the country.

In his welcome address, Bolade Agbola, chaiman, CIBN, Lagos State Branch, said the Institute strives towards boosting the tenets of professionalism and ethical standards in the financial industry, bridge the skill gap and restore the trust and nobility for which the Banker is traditionally noted for.

“Fortunately, the CIBN act which states that any bank staff who did not qualify as ACIB cannot hold certain sensitive positions in a bank” would further support the drive in the direction of total professionalism”.

To achieve this, he said the Institute has designed different routes to Chartered Banker Professional Certification (ACIB) including Regular, Linkage, Practitioners, Chartered Banker/MBA and Certification.

According to him, the Branch in its usual stride is at the fore front of propagating the mandate of the Institute through lectures, seminars and publications for all of these categories.

 

HOPE MOSES-ASHIKE