SBI introduces Cut-Off Time to improve Work Life Balance of Employees

The State Bank of India (SBI) has introduced cut-off time to improve the work life balance of employees. SBI has asked all of its employees to manage their tasks efficiently within the designated work hours. Cut-off time ensures employees have personal time to rest and recharge, contributing to better mental health, morale, and long-term productivity. Meetings, calls, and non-urgent emails can be scheduled during working hours.

Any communication after the cut-off time will be only for urgent matters and with prior mutual consent. Leaders and managers are expected to lead by example by adhering to cut-off times and supporting a balanced workload for all team members.

SBI has said that the assessment of workplace culture is being taken up by Top management with priority.

The competent authority has approved to introduce cut-off time at branches as 9.00 pm on all days, initially for a period of 6 months, and to be reviewed after 6 months. As there is a provision in CBS for setting the time limit for individual users by the respective units admin users, cutoff time for all users has to be setup manually. For the offices/units, which are required to function 24 x 7 like Centralised Query cell at Patna and for CCPCs, which operates from 06.00 am to 08.00 pm, the time limit can be set as per their requirement. IT development for setting up of time limit globally for all branches is being taken up, meanwhile manual setup of cutoff time has to be monitored by the respective controllers.

In the event of any requirement of extended work hours due to deadlines or critical issues, prior approval, from the reporting authority may be obtained.

By setting a clear boundary between work and personal time, the initiative promotes better mental health, reduced burnout, and improved morale. This aligns with global best practices that recognize the importance of work-life balance.

Traditionally, PSBs have had a reputation for long working hours, often extending late into the night, especially for officers. Introducing a cut-off is a significant cultural shift that acknowledges the need for structured working hours in the digital age.

While SBI’s move to introduce a cut-off time of 9:00 PM is a step in the right direction, many employees believe that this change doesn’t go far enough to protect their well-being and restore true work-life balance. The standard workday ends around 6 or 7 PM so employees say that the cut-off time should be reduced.