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Dr V.A. Joseph

L.N. Revathy

Coimbatore, Oct. 6 Employee recognition and rewards schemes are not new. Whether it is awards given for 10, 15 or 25 years of service in the same organisation or a performance incentive such as sending their best performing team on a cruise or arranging a rock (music) show followed by dinner in the best restaurants in the city, companies have not been short of ideas.

Each company wants to beat its peer by doing things differently — to try and retain its human resource. The idea is to boost morale by recognising the efforts of the performer and providing an incentive for others to emulate the desired behaviour.

But have you heard of an award that seeks to honour not only the top performer but also the spouse of the star employee? This is being done by the Kerala-based South Indian Bank. SIB started this initiative five years ago and this is, even today, considered a ‘successful’ endeavour.

The bank’s Managing Director and Chief Executive, Dr V.A. Joseph, says, “it pays to honour not only our staff, but his spouse as well, for, the individual’s achievement would not have been possible but for the cooperation from one’s better half and other family members.” Since the introduction of this award for best performance, each employee, according to Dr Joseph “has started to put in his best”.

“This motivational exercise is a must today, not only from an employee point of view, but the entire organisation,” he said.

According to Dr Joseph, SIB’s effort has gone a long way in the breadwinner earning respect from his kith and kin, many of who are today employed in IT companies and draw more salary than their bank-employed parents!

Take the case of Mr Muralidharan. He has put in 34 years of service, has two sons — both working abroad — and his better-half Ms Ushadevi is an officer in another private bank in Kerala. He was among the 25 managers who were adjudged top performers this year.

“I was working in the Industrial Finance Branch in Chennai as an AGM, when my branch overtook others achieving targets. I was simply elated when I came to know that I was among the recipients for the top performer award. My wife and I attended the function in Puducherry. We received a gold coin as a token of appreciation. My sons could not join us, but they were delighted to hear the news,” Mr Murlaidharan recounted.

Mr Muralidharan is now working in the bank’s Credit Department in Thrissur.

Asked if such initiatives taxed employees, he said “No one compels us to do. Sheer motivation and the drive to be recognised makes us perform. In fact, such recognition enables us to get full cash incentive, which is paid based on one’s achievement.”

Ms Jolly Joseph, spouse of Mr T.P. Joseph, Manager of the bank’s branch in Chennai, recounted how her day started like any other day until she got the call from her husband to say he was selected for the ‘Best Performer’ award.

“The recognition, I feel, would motivate and strengthen his will to move forward. The style in which the management organised this party to honour awardees, my husband receiving the award from the former Deputy Governor of RBI, Mr V. Leeladhar, (and) the Managing Director, Dr Joseph, acknowledged each one of us was more like the coming together of a family. Even as I recount (this), I relive those moments,” she said.

More Stories on : Human Resources | Private Banks

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