Don’t Shed Crocodile Tears: Officers Union Criticises Bank of Baroda for Wellness Sessions Without Addressing Core Issues

Recently, Bank of Baroda issued a letter to all of its employees to use the employee wellness program to improve their mental health and well-being. This letter has been issued in wake of suicide case that happened in Pune.

But the Bank of Baroda Officers are not happy with this letter and Wellness Program. The Officers say that the circular on “Employee Assistance Program” appears to wash the hands of HR by projecting a superficial concern toward employees, without even attempting to understand the real reasons for stress, mental il health, and depression that employees are facing in Bank of Baroda.

Officers say that instead of instituting an in-depth, impartial inquiry into the tragic suicide of Shri Shiva Shankar Mitra, the Bank has chosen to showcase welfare concern by referring employees to counselling or psychiatric clinics, without addressing the root causes created by management’s own actions.

The Officers say that the HR Department itself is the root cause of much of this distress. At the most basic level, employees are unable to reach HR at regional levels; calls are not returned, and meeting appointments with RMs are denied, even in genuine distress due to transfers, humiliation, or workplace harassment. HR is meant to act as a liaison between management and employees and be available for resolving issues promptly. Instead, employees face stonewalling, intimidation, threats of unauthorised absence, loss of pay, and explanation letters.

It is critical that the department introspect its own role in creating the very environment causing mental health crises. Instead of correcting the callous and arrogant attitude of HR officials, the Bank wants to “counsel” stressed officers as if the officers themselves are the problem.

The fear of arbitrary transfers is the single biggest source of anxiety, depression, and distress among officers. Despite DFS guidelines, Bank’s internal guidelines, and well-defined tenure norms, officers are transferred without justification at the whims of RMs and ZMs, under vague claims of “administrative exigencies.” DFS has clearly defined administrative exigencies as retirement, resignation, suspension, death, and promotion – not personal vendettas. Officers who assert their dignity are transferred abruptly, breaking families and mental stability. In many cases, officers are transferred 10 times in 10 years. This is not an exaggeration but the stark reality.

The Officers are so upset that they said that assistance letter reminds us of government liquor policies: governments encourage alcohol sales for more and more revenue, and then set up de- addiction centres to display their concern. Here too, HR and management create the distress, then set up “assistance programs” to pretend as if they have lot of concern for officers! Employees can see what’s really going on.

Officers have suggested Bank of Baroda Management to implement following policies to improve mental health of officers instead of organising wellness sessions:

Eliminate fear of arbitrary transfers:

• Guarantee officers a full, defined tenure at transferred locations.
• Ensure no authority interferes mid-tenure.
• For mid-academic year transfers, mandate prior approval from the Board, or at minimum, from ED-HR, as per DFS guidelines.
• Stop pick-and-choose, whimsical, arbitrary transfers.

Transparency in Promotions:

• Adopt the PNB Model of disclosing all marks and cut-offs in the promotion process including the cut-off.
• Disclose 3-year average performance appraisal marks to employees.

Dignity and Respect:

• No RM, ZM, or lower-level RO official should be allowed to humiliate or shout at officers.
• The aggression shown on officers in offending tones by the executives is nothing but their own incompetence; this toxic culture must end.
• Stop late sittings.

Implement DFS Guidelines

• Implement DFS-recommended grievance redressal systems to replace the current mechanical system that played a havoc during this year’s transfers.

The Officers believe that these methods will surely improve the mental health and well-being of officers instead of wellness sessions. The Officers have requested bank management to look into this and implement the measures at the earliest.