Human Resource
Inspiring Work Environment to Achieve More
Our people have always been a critical pillar in achieving our purpose. FY 2022-23 demonstrated the effectiveness of our ‘Employee First’ approach as we surpassed our goals quarter after quarter, resulting in the most profitable year in our history. This accomplishment was further validated when our employees ranked us as the ‘Best SFB’ in a survey conducted by the Great Place to Work Institute for FY 2022-23. We were also featured in the Top 50 ‘Great Place to Work’ in the general category and BFSI industry.
During FY 2022-23, we focussed on comprehensive people development and enhancing organisational capabilities to provide a 360-degree growth journey for employees. To facilitate career growth, we implemented a new grade structure that offers advancement opportunities based on consistent performance. We also introduced succession planning programme at the senior management level.
Learning and Development
Skill enhancement was a key area of focus, with 17,870 employees participating in various
training and skill enhancement programmes (average of 29 hours of training). We also
successfully conducted flagship programmes for branch managers in Branch Banking and Rural
Banking and re-skilling programmes for employees in Affordable Housing, MSME, and Credit
function. To improve the customer experience, a programme on customer centricity was initiated
for branch-level .employees. Furthermore, efforts were made to enhance supervisory capabilities
within the organisation, including reintroducing first-time supervisory skills training with
pre- and post-training impact assessment programmes. Programmes on risk ownership and ‘First
Line of Defence’ were also carried out to empower branch supervisors. Additionally, we organised
annual programmes aimed at enhancing skills and obtaining certifications for teams involved in
credit underwriting, vigilance, and auditing.
Special emphasis was placed on providing technical training for IT, Digital Banking, and Human
Resources teams, with the introduction of online training platforms such as Tech-Academy and
SHRM. A blended training approach was also adopted, making extensive use of the e-learning
platform, where we successfully launched several courses, including essential subjects like Code
of Conduct, POSH, KYC and AML, and Information Security.
Employee Well-being
We prioritised the well-being of our employees and their families through a comprehensive wellness programme. We introduced Emotional Wellness programmes for employees and their families and reinstated free annual health check-ups for all employees, with a discounted option for staff families. Over 300 branches participated in these health initiatives. We also enhanced employee insurance benefits, increased maternity benefits by 50%, introduced robotic and advanced benefits for cancer treatment, and raised the accidental medical expense limit by 67% for all employees. Online health awareness programmes on topics such as road safety, cardiovascular disease, yoga, and cervical cancer were organised. A year-long campaign on road safety awareness was conducted to address the high number of accidents among employees.
Rewards and Recognition
We value and reward diligence and industriousness. As a testament to this, our Board and Management rewarded employees who contributed to our Bank's turnaround in FY 2021-22. We announced a special annual payout (RLSP), generating great employee excitement. In line with the focus on wealth creation, we also released a round of performance-based ESOP in the third quarter of FY 2022-23.
Employee Engagement
Acknowledging the crucial significance of attentive and open communication in successful personnel administration, our Bank implemented an AI-Chatbot named Amber to facilitate this. Amber collects employee feedback and suggestions in real-time, and this invaluable input is diligently monitored by the Head of HR to enable swift corrective actions when necessary.
To further promote open communication, we organised various forums and events like ‘Chai pe
Charcha’ which allowed employees to meet and engage with the leadership team at the
corporate office. We also had ‘Lunch with the Captain’, allowing employees to engage in
meaningful discussions, with the MD & CEO, over a meal. Town hall meetings were conducted
throughout the year to facilitate dialogue and address concerns. The flagship Branch
Representative Meetings were also held at ground level, enabling us to listen to our
employees and take necessary corrective actions actively.
Furthermore, the year under review witnessed the revival of a vibrant culture of
celebrations at Ujjivan SFB. Numerous milestones were achieved, and various occasions were
celebrated, reflecting the organisation's and our country's diversity. This uplifting
atmosphere fostered a sense of unity and pride among Ujjivanites.
Overall, our unwavering commitment to listening, transparent communication and a renewed
spirit of celebration contributed to our success during FY 2022-23.
