The testimony below outlines the systemic toxic sales culture that is standard at this company which I spent 20 years working for. It also outlines the normal treatment of employees; lack of support, and threats of termination rather than assistance and support when associates reach out for help when they do not have enough staffing to run the Financial Center.
Heather-
I started my career at BOA, December 2018 after working for another bank for 3 years believing in the structure of big banks and thinking this was my way to management…even though several people I knew and respected warned me, I accepted the Relationship Banker position…that was the hugest mistake of my life.
After being in training for 8 weeks, I emerged ready to take over the boa industry, .....boy was my day one a ride awaking. I arrived at my branch to find out that my branch manager was on leave of absence which...being there did not feel right.
The next day, my manager showed up...but something was off.
After being there for about 30 minutes my district manager called and they talked on the phone for almost a hour. Then, we had a brief huddle...where my manager announced that it was his last day and because of the sales pressure he was quitting. I was shocked...he had been on leave for 3 months while I was in training, and this was my first time meeting him.
All I could say is wow. I don't have a good feeling about this, and I was right. The next day.....the auditor showed up and the branch failed the audit, and because I was there they later tried to write me up because of this....I refused and called hr.
This was the beginning....a year and a half later I was promoted to relationship manager....and others warned me again about the pressure and how they were stressed out and never happy. I should have listened!!!!!!
I became (a Relationship Manager) and all hell broke loose....Here I am new to my relationship manager role...fresh out of training....and now I am at a branch that has the assistant manager hating the branch manager because he feels he should be the manager and the assistant manager being completely disrespectful to the manager; Calling HR on her ...then she calling HR on him , and there are 4 new employees that I have to train while EVERYDAY being harassed about my sales numbers...when I was the highest performing RM in my district.
The point when I had enough was...we had a RM meeting when it was supposed to be a open forum to talk about ways to make it better...but really it was a way to finally get a mental break from the turmoil at my branch.
I was asked if there was anything that they as managers could do better.... when they finally got to me it was like a volcano. I said “do you really want to know what is wrong....or are you just saying it”...when he knew what my problems were.... He said “yeah tell me”, so I did in front of everyone; “I am sick and tired of all the turmoil between my manager and assistant calling HR on each other and me having to train 4 new people at my branch that know nothing about banking.... I am tired of getting harassing emails and phone calls about why I did not sell a credit card to a 75 year old retiree that did not want it because he has cancer and is about to die. Every time I look up I am getting calls about not selling a credit card or home loan when the customer may already have 2 credit cards...their reply is “well sell them one more.”
I am tired of being the top performer that on one hand gets recognized and in the same breath…”you need to improve in the credit card applications.”
If you want to tear me apart about the credit cards do it another damn day....don’t give me my recognition today and tell me I suck tomorrow.
I stood up in front of all these strangers shouting and with tears in my eyes cause I was tired of all the bullshit and stress…and even after that my manager still pressured me for sales. To the point when I started having anxiety attacks, was in the hospital and had to take a leave of absence.
In 15 years in banking I have never been this stressed...but I was and my body was letting me know... So I quit turned in my keys and left and this is my horrible experience and you could not pay me to go back.”
(Identity withheld for protection)