Why CUs Must Invest in Tools to Better Support Tellers Through the Pandemic

Many credit union lobbies remain closed or are operating with shortened hours amid the COVID-19 pandemic, pushing members to turn to contactless options like the drive-thru. However, with limited service options come long lines and member frustrations. While online banking has filled some of the gaps, many credit union members are looking to cash checks or deposit funds – activities that can’t be done from their homes. These seemingly simple transactions are taking longer than ever to complete, therefore putting new pressure on tellers.

Credit union employees can only handle so many member needs at one time from behind the drive-up glass or pneumatic tube machines. Service representatives typically face the brunt of member frustration, and this is currently heightened by the fact that consumer financial concerns are reaching an all-time high. It’s easy to see how new member demands could impact the mental health of tellers and their ability to stay engaged, and, in turn, impact the reputation of credit unions as a whole.

To respond to new surges in demand, S&P Global Market Intelligence research showed that many credit unions are investing in technology to keep members safely banking from home. This was made evident by the statistic this year that 66% of U.S. credit unions offer mobile banking services, a big jump from the 49% that did so in 2014.

However, providing online services for members alone isn’t enough. Credit unions also must invest in technologies that can create a more supportive environment for tellers during this difficult time. These tools can improve the teller experience by providing an employee listening channel, promoting internal recognition and creating a culture hub.

Provide an ‘Always On’ Employee Listening Channel

As tellers face new hurdles during the pandemic, it’s important to create opportunities for employees to voice concerns and management to listen in real time. While many organizations typically conduct annual large-scale surveys to collect employee feedback, Gartner research showed that this outdated practice is becoming less useful to managers because they don’t provide insight into the current issues employees face in their day-to-day routines. Therefore, deploying an anonymous, electronic sentiment tracker is one way many progressive credit unions are keeping a pulse on the engagement of their frontline workers during periods of transition. “Always on” mood trackers can act like the modern-day suggestion box, giving branch managers and leadership visibility into issues before they become problems. This also ensures employees feel comfortable and empowered to be candid about their experiences and observations.

When implementing a tool like this, it’s critical to find an application that is mobile enabled. This ensures that employees and management can access this virtual suggestion box at any time and in any place. Additionally, finding a solution that offers comprehensive, yet simple reporting is key because it ensures leaders and managers can easily spot trends or issues in real-time.

Promote Peer-to-Peer Recognition

It’s also important that credit unions create a culture of positive recognition that helps employees feel more engaged in their position. This is even more crucial as tellers are forced to support members from a distance and may not feel regularly seen and appreciated.

It’s proven that catching frontline employees in the act of exhibiting positive behavior and recognizing them not only results in employees doubling down on that behavior, it also de-stresses and engages workers. However, recognition shouldn’t just be given from the top down. In 2020, it’s critical that credit unions democratize recognition, making it a peer-to-peer priority. The truth is that managers don’t always have the greatest visibility into what employees are doing on a daily basis, so encouraging and empowering frontline tellers to call out good work is necessary to ensure organizations are setting themselves up to cultivate a culture of appreciation. In fact, organizations that have a peer-to-peer component to their recognition strategy are twice as likely to rate their program as being effective ,according to this year’s “State of Recognition report” from the Achievers Workforce Institute.

Create a Centralized Culture Hub

In addition to deploying channels that enable real-time employee communication, it’s important for credit unions to create a unified space where they can stay in-the-know about benefits, employee programs and culture initiatives on an ongoing basis. This centralized hub is a simple access spot that ensures tellers and other employees can take advantage of everything offered to them, which will help further drive a supportive company culture.

Since digital natives will comprise three quarters of the entire workforce by 2025, clunky technology made for HR administrators isn’t going to cut it for these employees. To keep employees engaged with valuable resources, it’s important for credit unions to make sure these culture hubs are dynamic, sticky, social and collaborative.

As credit unions navigate the new normal, it’s important to prioritize balancing the health and safety of employees while finding new ways to keep them engaged in their evolving roles. By investing in technology that drives a more inclusive and supportive culture, tellers will be better equipped to help members and improve overall business.

Vanessa Brangwyn is Chief Customer Officer for Achievers, a provider of employee recognition program software based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.