matt's boring

autumn's here

Thursday, March 23, 2006

The title is from one of my favourite Hawksley Workman songs.

I apologise firstly, because this post will be completely about work.
As some of my very long-time blog readers know, a little over a year I finally got my transfer out of the Royal Bank call centre, and into a branch as a personal banker. Well, I had about 6 months of training at one rather boring branch, and then I was moved to what I thought would be a permantent (so long as I wanted it) position at another branch.
This branch is located in one of the less desireable areas of Winnipeg, and I think this factor contributes to the absolute cameraderie, and affection for each other that the staff at it has. There are three of us personal bankers there, we're all rather new to the role, so we have been learning things together, and have formed a really great 'team'. We feed off of each other, and help each other out with things. I like it for that reason, there isn't any real 'seasoned' person working with us, so we grow together.
Well, one of the Bank's issues with Sargent & Sherbrook (my branch) is profitability per client. See, it's located in an area of the city that primarily has new immigrants, and people on social assistance. There are quite a few subsidized housing buildings and such in the area. There is potential there to be sure, we're close to a hospital and have many of the medicine and dental students. In the Bank's wise attempts to raise this average profitability per client, they've decided to eliminate one of the personal banker roles and bring in an account manager (like a personal banker, but with a dedicated list of clients, instead of whoever walks in, even though that's pretty much how us three have been running it). At the beginning of November last year (the end of fiscal 2005), our average profitability was $83/client. At the end of last quarter (the end of Jan.), it was $105. But, that's not fast enough apparently. Out of branches across Canada in similar regions, we are 117 out of 118. Still, it's an improvement over last quarter.
Anyways.
Like I said, there is a large immigrant population in the area. One of the other bankers speaks Portugese, and has a fairly commited client base. The other one speaks Tagalog, and has an even more commited client base.
That leaves me.
I speak English.
That's it.
So, when this new account manager position was being moved in, and one of ours was being eliminated, who do you think should 'volunteer' to move?
Today was filled with meetings and managers talking their 'manager speak'. It made me sick, sitting there knowing that while the Area Manager was talking about the fact that someone would have to leave, she and my boss were just avoiding that fact.
At one point, she was talking about the language issues, and she said
"It's a very important issue at this branch, wouldn't you agree Matt."
I wanted to call her on it right then and there, but I kept my mouth shut.
I want to let them stew for a bit with the prospect that they're going to have to CHOOSE someone to leave.
I really don't want to, since I love it there and HATE having to meet new people and get used to a new work environment.
Anyways.
This could be a positive thing... something to prod me in the ass and enact some sort of change. I could do something like look at taking a position in an entirely different city, or even look at a career change. Or, I could quit and go back to school full time. Which I know I say I'd like to do now, but if I did that I'd be wishing I didn't :P
Anyways.
Enough about that, I'm going to go brood.

posted on Thursday, March 23, 2006 at 10:57 p.m.. There are . If you want, you can leave your own response by clicking here. You may also send this post to a friend of yours via email, or bookmark it for yourself by using icons below;