OREANDA-NEWS. May 07, 2013. PJSC "MEGABANK" has been operating in the banking market of Ukraine since 1990.  All 23 years the bank has been developing rapidly, focusing on international standards. Today "MEGABANK" has an effective management structure, which is constantly improving, and clearly delineates the functions of front-and back-office operations, which allows us to serve all the customers with quality and timely. About "Megabank"’s team, principles of personnel management, the secrets of inner workings to encourage employees to a more quality labor told the HR head Inna Vasischeva.

- How many employees are now working in "Megabank"? How many of them are involved in the Kharkov region, how many - in others?
- Today in "Megabank" there are 1642 employees, out of which 1490 persons are actually working. 850 employees are involved in head office, in Kharkov oblast and city branches are working 254 persons, in regional branches - 538.

- Is the number of employees increasing each year?
- The number of employees does not practically change: in the past three years the increase of the number of employees has varied in the range of 10-30 people. Most of all the expansion is due to business requirements; increase the number of services of the bank and introduction of new banking products. The last time we recruited people for the provision of such services as express loans.

- What are the qualities of a person to fill up the banking team? On what exactly do you look for when hiring?
- The bank developed the qualification requirements for personnel, under which the selection of candidates for the offices is carried out. But, in addition to the basic requirements for education and experience, recruiters pay attention to qualities of applicants, as the activity, communication skills, ability to handle stress, ability to think logically, to negotiate, etc. These qualities are studied while testing the candidates for the position, and in the process of interviewing. HR collaborates with universities in the matter of selection of young professionals for an internship with the following employment of the best students. In addition, we participate in the planned activities taking place on the basis of higher educational institutions (competition for the best scientific work, the defense of theses, etc.). Among the students is announced the competitive selection for bank based practice, which allows you to decide on the level of compliance of young professionals with bank requirements.

- Do employees of "Megabank" attend refresher courses, trainings? Is there any recertification of employees?
- Bank employees participate in the training activities carried out by "internal" coaches of the training center of the bank and external companies. In particular, in 2012 the training center held 6 seminars, which involved 212 experts, as well as 23 training (there were 402 specialists), 16 remote tests, which covered 721 employees and 9 distance learning modules, involving 740 experts.

The bank implemented a procedure for assessing the knowledge and skills of employees in the following areas: the results of a trial period, the decision to raise the category or position, to make decisions about appropriate office.
We use various forms of assessment: the estimated interview, questionnaire in accordance with the criteria, remote testing. In 2012, 747 specialists of the bank passed the evaluation of the knowledge and skills, in the first quarter of 2013 the assessment of knowledge in all the above areas is planned, already are assessed 68 employees.

- Tell me more about the work of the training center. On what topics trainings are held, who defines them?
- At the training center our "internal" coaches provide training and seminars, today there are fifteen of them. In addition, counselors of Frankfurt School of Management and Finance come to us with the trainings. In the first quarter of this year, the training center held 12 training sessions (they were attended by 213 specialists), 10 remote tests (631 specialists covered), 6 distance learning modules (269 specialists). In addition, 17 experts of the bank participated in trainings and seminars of external organizations, regional director of the 22 units took part in the training, which was held by the Frankfurt School of Management and Finance.

Subjects of training activities are defined by business units of the bank. At the joint meeting the "internal" coaches form the plan of training activities for each half-year, then monthly there is a clarification of the dates, preparing of the training materials, workbooks, questionnaires.

- Are the best employees of the bank somehow encouraged? If so, how?
- Of course. The Bank operates a system of material and moral incentives for employees, therefore, other than wages, we provide additional bonuses and allowances to the basic salary for the outstanding achievements, professional level and special conditions. In addition, we have bonuses, premiums, and incentive and compensation payments.

Bonuses are paid to employees in addition to the basic salary for an individual result. By them we encourage employees to increase the volume of sales of banking products, improve the quality of the sales process and the personal interest of employees in achieving the strategic objectives of the Bank.

The premium is paid for the main results of the bank in the period. Incentives and compensations are provided to employees for the implementation in the working time of the state or public duties, transfer to a job in another region, etc. Also, to our employees we pay refresher courses, training sessions, and more.

Considerable attention is paid in the bank to social support, in particular, organized meals for employees during the lunch break, the system of individual life insurance of certain categories of workers, employees are being immunized against influenza. Bank employees receive financial assistance for marriage, birth of a child, the death of a close relative. In addition, employees are provided for individual loan conditions.

We also have a system of social insurance, which provides for full or partial payment in sanatoriums for bank employees and their children. According to the law, the bank deducts the premiums on obligatory state pension insurance and provides employees with the opportunity to participate in a program of private pension provision.
The factors of non-financial incentives provided by the bank are encouraging results of the year (award of a diploma, pennant "Best Specialist", a special icon, a medal and gifts).

- Are there in "MEGABANK" examples of successful career development? Name them, please.
- Of course there are a lot of such examples in "Megabank". Some of our managers have been promoted from a career of cashier/economist/legal adviser to the Deputy Chairman of the Management Board. This is the First Deputy of the Chairman of the Board Alexander Lashchenko, Deputy Chairmen Alexander Shipilov, Alexey Yatsenko, Petr Lashin. Twelve of today’s managers of divisions and five their deputies came to our bank as common economists and cashiers. The same way, beginning from the economists, have passed the twelve managers of our branches.