Page 77 - A Banker Down the Rabbit Hole
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22. An officer who refused to work
W e had a very cordial team of entire staff at this medium
sized branch. My assistant Branch Manager complained
to me one day that our Head Cashier had used derogatory
language in presence of other staff every time he started
doing the supervisory checking work allotted to him. Head Cashier also
stated that it was not his duty but that of Assistant Branch Manager
(ABM) and he was obliging him. The ABM felt very much aggrieved and
requested me to put an end to what was happening. I kept a watch for
a couple of days and observed that the Head cashier who had been
allocated some lighter checking work had been unnecessarily and
persistently nagging the AMB, who was very senior to him.
I called the Head Cashier and confronted him on his conduct with ABM.
He agreed that he had been saying so because he being in cash
department could not be allocated other than cash related work. I wanted
to understand the origin of the practice. I asked him as to how he started
doing this work in the first place. He told that he was requested at
personal level by my earlier predecessor and he had been doing it since
then. I told him. "You should respect the old practice. I also personally
request you to continue as you were having sufficient spare time after
finishing the limited cash transactions at this branch and when other
officers are overloaded. You should not be claiming that you are obliging
the ABM. You should show a mature conduct." He told me that officially
I could not allocate him any work. If I could give him in writing as an Office
Order, he could be doing it and in that case I would be responsible for
any consequences of that written order.
74 | A Banker down the Rabbit Hole