Independent Banker - January 2025 - 57

And then, there was the introduction
of new tech-related titles. " Ten years
ago, there were no data scientists in
any bank, " Buck points out. " Now lots
of banks have a data scientist. "
Origin Bank has even added a
robotics and intelligence process
automation analyst. " We want to
improve the customer experience and
create effi ciencies, " says Kilpatrick.
These new titles are just the tip
of the iceberg. Increasingly, more
decisions are becoming data-driven
decisions. " Technology changes
everyone's role as they look at data to
support decision-making, " says Valerie
Utsey, ICBA's EVP and chief people
offi cer. " Risk management roles are
expanding to address technological
vulnerabilities resulting in increased
fraud. Similarly, marketing roles are
evolving to encompass the entire
digital landscape. "
According to Utsey, implementing
new technology must go hand-inhand
with clearly defi ned roles and
responsibilities. " AI could span
multiple departments, " she says. " Make
roles clear and overcommunicate
what the new role's objective is and its
impact to the broader organization,
and, most of all, benefi ts to
the customer. "
Speak up about changes
As they restructure, community
bankers recognize the importance
of employee engagement and
communication throughout
the organization.
" At the end of the day, we want our
people to want to come to work, " says
OakStar's Stilley. " For the past several
years, we've focused on culture. We
want to create an environment where
we serve one another and have a
good time. "
Stilley has found that it's crucial for
employees to understand the bank's
larger goals and strategies. OakStar
holds regular meetings at a variety of
''We want community banks to survive and
thrive. It's imperative to design companies
and organizations the right way so that
community banks can keep running.''
Γ5?3LGBA ?7973E @7E5;3AGF @3E
levels, both in-person and through a
virtual event platform.
" We have begun going through a
fi ve-year strategic plan. We're telling
the team why we're trying to achieve
these goals, " he says. " We fi nd that
the team is better prepared and more
engaged when we do a better job of
providing the why behind what we are
doing and where we're going. "
Judith Sears is a writer in Colorado.
:
CROSS-POLLINATING TALENT
Tompkins Community Bank in Ithaca, N.Y., has created
a 24-month program for a small cohort of employees to
explore diff erent areas of the bank. The group rotates
through departments for 18 months and then spends six
months on a capstone project.
" It helps them identify what career opportunities are
of interest to them, " says Stacie Mastin, senior VP and
director of HR. " We're making plans to intentionally move
people along. "
Tompkins is also creating a career services center. This
center will off er hands-on consultation for employees
and self-guided solutions. It's still in development, but
the center will likely include predictive index behavior
style assessments and job target comparisons, individual
development action plans, curricula to develop skills and
competencies, and access to internal career coaches,
Mastin says.
independentbanker.org // 57
http://www.independentbanker.org
Independent Banker - January 2025

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Independent Banker - January 2025
