Thread: Message to Lloyds and HBOS employees

Indeed and they (Lloyds) cut the pension pot which will effect the average worker more while they carry on paying fat bonuses to the higher paid which will not be effected by any pension cut.

Given that HBOS lost £11 billion last year, it's amazing that any of them are still in work.

Would you employ them?

In case it hasn't filtered through - HBOS have finally dumped a shed load of their admin staff right in it by announcing 850 job losses in one town where they are one of the key employers locally.

Needless to say, some of the admin jobs will be going overseas.

Whilst I have nothing decent to say about the bankers, it is as usual the people on the lower end of the pecking order who are being given the boot, rather than the tossers at the top who stuffed an entire nation.

Ex HBOS Financial Adviser here.....aaagh I here you all say but that's were life took me. The last 2-3 years were a nightmare working under a collection of various levels of staff members all under severe pressure due to the increasing bonus culture. If you failed to do your bit towards branch targets then 'Performance Management' quickly arrives.

I have many experiences of behaviours and indeed falsifications by lots of different individuals basically trying to de-fraud banks at the expense of customers to achieve bonuses...pure greed!

I was frustrated by the lack of supervision/risk control and for the honest group of advisers that I associated with, the pressure was brought about by being ranked against dishonest employees. Line managers/Regional managers and I suspect higher levels turning a blind eye to the shennanigans happening at branch level and beyond. I heard of several more significant shennanigans at corporate level too but basically not dealt with due to inadequate risk control/ineffective management.

I left the bank and all in all enjoyed working for Bank of Scotland. The merger with the Haliban was the downfall in my opinion because as time went on they integrated the sales culture throughout the Bank. Ultimately, they 'overtraded' and became bankrupt until the Government bailed them out.

Glad to be out.

Hi Tonymacaroni
I realize it's been a while since your post but I was surfing around the site and I wondered whether you had any knowledge of the pressure put on sales people at Halifax to sell loans. I'm keen to know what triggered Sales to call someone to offer a loan. What tactics they would use to sell a loan and whether you think appropriate checks were made on the ability to repay? What kind of incentives or rewards did sales or branch staff get for selling inappropriate products? I'm sure this still goes on despite the recent financial crisis. They continue to induldge in irresponsible and unfair behaviour. It may now be more with regard to investments than loans. Ridiculous "fee" deduction for selling an inappropriate product from a different area of the group etc. I have so many horror stories from friends and relatives particularly from Halifax but Barclays and others. I don't believe the banks have been punished adequately. I don't trust banks at all. I tell as many people as I can to be very very wary when dealing with them. They are not your friends, they are not there to help or advise but merely to make money from you. Do not rely on their "advice" - it is for their advantage only. Many people are suffering severe financial detriment because of poor sales practices.
Look forward to hearing your thoughts. SJ