Independent Banker - November 2024 - 18

PORTFOLIO
" We do believe in work-life
balance, and we understand
that people have families. We're
very willing to work with people,
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and word has gotten out. "
-MELISSA CASEY, CS BANK
and CEO. " I could pay $25,000 more
for a person and have them stick
around, or I could scrimp and save and
have turnover every two years. We've
made the decision to have continuity. "
Of course, salary is only half the
battle. You also need to find the right
fit. Tom Sankovitz, CFO of Keen Bank
in Waseca, Minn., recommends that
community banks take their time,
whenever possible, when adding
new IT staff. When the $182 millionasset
bank needed to replace a senior
IT executive, Sankovitz and a few
others divvied up the executive's
responsibilities while looking for
a replacement.
" For two months, I was working 60
hours a week but had the ability to do
that and the patience to hire the right
person. Wait, be patient, hire the right
person, " he advises.
Continuous learning and growth
Bankers and industry observers agree
that ongoing professional development
is key to retention. " We have three
team members who live next to the
Apple campus, but they are willing to
work for us because of technology and
also because we are keen on training, "
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Manriquez reveals.
" We find that the younger folks that
we recruit are eager to learn more, "
agrees Easterlin. " We make sure we
provide that opportunity for education,
making sure they have new things to
do and learn. We find that certifications
and seminars are a critical component
of retention. "
Training and attending conferences
can be a " perk " for many employees,
and Sankovitz believes that's the way it
should be. " We send tech staff to annual
conventions, " he says. " You get contacts,
phone numbers and things like that you
might use later. And it's a break. It's
kind of fun. We make that easy and try
to encourage it. "
Observers stress, though, that what's
needed is not just an accumulation of
certifications. IT staff want a career path,
and that's an area where banks need to
level up. " Banks don't have a growth
plan for IT professionals, " Giddens
observes. " There's a growth plan for
bankers but not for IT professionals. "
ICBA Education recently introduced
a new resource, the Professional
Development Planner, that can
help (see sidebar, page 17). Jenny
Forschen, ICBA Education content and
compliance specialist, emphasizes the
importance of professional development
for job satisfaction and retention.
" All bank employees want to learn
more and want to be confident and
perform well, " she says. " Investing
in your community bank employees'
knowledge and experience will help
them gain confidence, see their future
and keep them driving forward. "
Judith Sears is a writer in Colorado.
http://www.Independentbanker.org
Independent Banker - November 2024

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