In the spectrum of corporate incentives, the cabbage and the cauliflower don’t figure too prominently. Except in Scotland, where managers at two branches of the Bank of Scotland made staff sit the vegetables on their desks to try to prompt improved performance. The move prompted outrage instead.
Two tellers at branches of the bank in Glasgow and Paisley had the vegetables placed on their desks within full public view. In the first case, an 18-year-old male teller was said to be deeply upset by the cabbage put on his desk. In the second case, which only emerged this week, a 24-year-old had a cauliflower placed on her desk. She was apparently told she could only pass it on when someone opened an account.
The use of vegetables was devised by the branch managers, who knew each other.
A bank official said the two incidents, which took place within 24 hours of each other last week, were deeply regrettable. The staff involved have received a full apology.
The banking union Amicus met bank officials this week to demand an inquiry and a promise that such tactics would never be used again.
John Nolan, national leader of Amicus, said the use of the vegetables was a totally unacceptable way of getting staff to perform. ”It is demeaning to staff and it is demoralising to staff and it does not send a good message to customers when [they] go in and see this sort of method being employed by such a well-known bank,” he said.
”We are very concerned about it. It is humiliating. We are calling for an inquiry and for a clear, explicit statement as to how to ensure that this sort of crude motivational tactic never happens again.”
A bank spokesperson said the managers had made a serious error of judgement and efforts would be made to ensure such tactics were not repeated.
”We focus on positive measures such as good bonuses for strong performance,” said the spokesperson. ”But we very much regret we got it wrong on this occasion … We have taken steps to remind all of our managers of the responsibilities they have to their colleagues.”– Â