WORK A Journal of Prevention,
Assessment & Rehabilitation
ELSEVIER
Work 8 (1997) 197-200
The redeployment of blind and partially sighted staff in the banking industry 1 Philippa A. Simkiss RNIB Employment Research. RCEVH. School of Education. University of Binningham. Edgbaston. Birmingham. B15 2IT. UK
Received 20 May 1996; accepted 28 November 1996
Abstract
UK banks have traditionally employed blind and partially sighted people as telephonists. The introduction of new technology and organisational restructuring has lead to a decrease in the need for clerical staff. Banks are faced with the dilemma of what to do with blind and partially sighted telephonists. Many are considering the options and preferring to deal with individual cases at a local level as they become pressing rather than take a co-ordinated approach. This paper describes how one Bank decided to tackle this challenge at a corporate level through a company wide redeployment project, assisted by the Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB). Data collection, assessments, job analysis and technical investigations are described. The central role of training both for project participants and personnel staff is discussed and the responsibilities of project Case Managers are reported. So far over 100 members of staff have been relocated, supplied with new equipment, had their current job expanded or been placed in a new job. Some other wide ranging results such as changes to Bank policy are discussed. The conclusion highlights some of the challenges encountered and suggests how the lessons learned through the project might be applied to other situations. © 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved
Keywords: Redeployment; Blind and partially sighted; Bank
1. Introduction In the UK, banks have traditionally been organisations sympathetic to the employment of blind and partially sighted people in certain cleri-
lUK wide study conducted by the Royal National Institute for the Blind in conjunction with City University. • Corresponding author. Tel.: +44121 4146734: Fax: +44 121 4144865; email: [email protected].
cal positions such as branch telephonist, or 'Blind Telephonist', as was the job title. In recent years most banks have embarked upon a restructuring programme, part of which involves introducing new technology and removing back office functions from local branches to regional centres. One such centre will provide administration services for several branches so the requirement for administration staff, including telephonists, is decreasing.
1051-9815/97 /$17.00 ~ 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved PIIS1051-9815(96)00236-7
198
P.A. Simkiss / Work 8 (1997) 197-200
Several blind telephonists employed by various banks expressed their concern to the Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB) Employment Network, which offers support to blind and partially sighted people of working age. RNIB sought meetings with bank personnel staff to discuss the problem. It transpired that one Board of Directors had decided to tackle the issue at a corporate level and commissioned some research into the range of options for their blind and partially sighted staff. Senior executives rejected redundancy but endorsed redeployment within the Bank. Thus RNIB joined the Bank in a project to redeploy 138 blind and partially sighted telephone switchboard operators. 2. Data collection and assessment Annual appraisal records did not provide the human resources department with information about the skills, experience or aspirations of blind and partially sighted telephonists so individual assessments were necessary. Vocational assessments were carried out to give an indication of individuals' achievements and potential together with technical assessments to consider what special equipment an individual could use to access the new technology being introduced. 3. Job analysis Structured job analyses were carried out. Data was gathered from relevant job descriptions, through observation and interviews with incumbents and supervisors. We considered the visual aspects of the job and possible job accommodations such as technical aids and flexible work patterns. We were able to identify a range of jobs which could offer redeployment opportunities immediately and others which would require prolonged technical investigation to ensure adaptive equipment could be incorporated. Initially job analyses offered a basis for individual assessments and an overview of the range of jobs available to those facing redeployment. Later as we understood the skills and aspirations of those involved job analyses of actual vacancies in each region became important.
4. Technical investigations Through a series of technical trails we were able to establish a range of access equipment that was compatible with Bank systems and could offer solutions to both blind and partially sighted staff in a variety of work situations. 5. Training Many blind and partially sighted telephonists had been in the same job for years but through lack of training were unfamiliar with Bank systems, products and equipment. Training in the use of new technology, access technology and vocational training were required. In the new banking environment selling of products and services is a core skill for most staff so the availability of product knowledge in accessible media was of key importance. Other Bank staff also required training so a course called 'Developing Visually Impaired Employees' was designed and delivered to over 100 Bank staff ranging from regional personnel to branch managers. It gives an introduction to the barriers faced by disabled people in employment and encourages participants to consider possible solutions. Case studies depicting the current issues were used to promote discussion through which we were able to refute a number of assumptions such as 'people who are registered blind cannot see anything' and challenge some common practices such as excluding visually disabled staff from training courses and staff meetings. 6. Project management Each project participant was allocated a Case Manager who co-ordinated training, negotiation to secure Government funding for access equipment and liaison with new managers and colleagues. Part of the Case Manager role was to encourage regional personnel to take increasing responsibility for the redeployment of staff within their area to ensure ongoing support for staff after project completion.
P.A. Simkiss / Work 8 (1997) 197-200
7. Results Since the project began in 1993 over 100 members of staff have been relocated, supplied with new equipment, undergone training, had their current job expanded or been placed in a new job. In a few cases no change has been necessary and some people have not yet been affected by the restructuring programme which will continue until 1997. A Case Manager continues to work with those who have not yet been redeployed. As a result of the project the Bank's human resource staff have developed policies and systems to ensure that development of blind and partially sighted staff and their own awareness of barriers to that development is ongoing. The salary scale of 'Blind Telephonists' has disappeared, along with the job title as individuals have been redeployed into other jobs such as Customer Liaison Officer and Mortgage Adviser on the standard salary scale. 8. Discussion and conclusions This paper presents the project as a logical, even simple process. Of course progress was not like this and it is useful to reflect upon some of the challenges we had to deal with in order that lessons learned might be applied to other situations. Other banks are in a similar situation and are considering 'the range of options for their blind and partially sighted staff' but this was the first Bank to address the issue at a corporate level. Our previous experience had been a piecemeal, case by case approach. In this project resources were stretched by sheer size both in terms of national geographical spread and the number of people involved. Time scales were equally tight, particularly in the initial set up phase. Although the Bank had for some time recognised that redeployment of blind and partially sighted staff would need special consideration the decision to take action had come too late for some visually disabled individuals whose branches had already been affected. Three members of staff had already been sent home on paid leave because the need for a telephonist in that location had disap-
199
peared and there were no contingency plans. The project team was initially faced with a crisis management situation. We had to seek a solution for these three individuals and ensure that others whose switchboard would disappear tomorrow or next week had some useful work to do while we addressed their permanent redeployment. More resources and more time were luxuries we simply did not have but an important lesson is not to underestimate the complexity of the issues and the time it takes to establish redeployment. The members of the project team each had a steep learning curve to follow as we established the work. RNIB staff had to learn about banking; the types of jobs involved, products and services, reporting structures and technology used. Bank staff had to learn about the variety of services available to disabled people through voluntary and statutory agencies and how best to support their own visually disabled staff. A structured induction programme for the project team would have aided this learning process and no doubt eased some of the other challenges listed below. Communication within and between the Bank and RNIB occasionally became confused. Regional staff at the Bank felt left out because central human resource staff were co-ordinating the project. Many RNIB staff have contacts within the Bank from previous case work and information transferred between both parties was not always up to date. Telephonists have a very effective grapevine which added further confusion as rumours and misinformation were spread by a small minority. A co-ordinated approach to publicising the project internally within our organisations would have been helpful. The vocational assessments were usually perceived as helpful by the visually disabled staff and useful by their managers. However we did need to tackle some suspicion related to the use of occupational psychologists to carry these out. The telephonists grapevine had effectively announced that the Bank was 'using a psychiatrist to show that blind people cannot do the new jobs in order to get rid of them'. 'I am not mad, I don't need a psychiatrist' argued one blind telephonist. To counter this bad publicity we asked a telephonist who found the assessment particularly helpful to
200
P.A. Simkiss / Work 8 (J997) 197-200
promote his views on the grapevine. As word got round we found that those who had initially chosen not to attend a vocational assessment changed their mind and asked for an appointment. Technology was probably the major challenge of this project. The Bank was introducing a completely new way of operating based on new structures and new technology. Access technology tends to lag behind standard technology but we wanted state of the art and compatibility of access technology with the variety of new Bank systems had to be tested. Transatlantic communication between RNIB Technical Consultants, suppliers and manufacturers of both standard and access equipment and detailed testing procedures did produce results but this pioneering work took time. Trials were also hampered by the lack of standardisation in Bank equipment from branch to branch and a concern for security and confidentiality. The work would have been made easier if the Bank had identified a technologist from within their organisation to work with RNIB to supply internal information, specifications, security clearance and assist with testing. Fortunately funding for access equipment was not a barrier. Once appropriate access equipment had been identified in that it offered an alternative, reliable interface with Bank systems and was appropriate for a particular individual a Government grant covered the purchase cost. Corporate support for the project within the Bank was strong but management in some regions was less supportive. Although members of the board circulated papers to regional staff and appeared in internal magazines to publicise success stories, in practice an individual was dependant upon local support to achieve satisfactory redeployment. For example one telephonist who received equipment and training to allow her to carry out word processing to produce letters and reports was prevented from using these skills. Her manager claimed that she was fully employed in basic telephone duties and could not offer her any opportunity to develop in new tasks. The training course for regional staff did have a positive impact on this attitude and those who attended commented on how their misconceptions had changed. Intensive work by Case Managers
who visited branches to discuss the options for expanding duties with individuals and managers also had a positive impact. However there remained a core of supervisors who were reluctant to get involved. The role of regional personnel is key in such instances since they have an ongoing responsibility to support the visually disabled staff in their area. Regional personnel teams needed a lot of encouragement to get involved with individuals since many considered they had 'no experience of the issues' and they were confused by the range of statutory and voluntary provision for disabled workers. Case Managers played a key role in introducing them to services available and showing them how to access facilities to ensure that documents such as product updates and the internal vacancy list are provided in the appropriate medium. It was not possible to redeploy all of the individuals concerned. The assessment process highlighted problems which the Bank should have tackled some time ago and some individuals simply did not want to develop. A variety of strategies were employed to deal with this minority such as long term secondment to outside organisations and, where necessary, disciplinary action. However the Bank has implemented policies to ensure a standard approach to redeployment which includes assessment, job analysis and technical investigation. As a result many of their blind and partially sighted staff are now more effective and integrated into teams rather than isolated. Some members of the project team would have appreciated a greater degree of involvement of visually disabled staff in planning the work, attending case conferences and the ongoing coordination of the project. The Bank was reluctant to accept this degree of participation preferring to give some individuals specific responsibilities such as production and circulation of the product manual to blind and partially sighted colleagues in their preferred medium. However access to information and training to develop both skill and confidence has increased awareness of opportunity. This will be important as the Bank continues to develop to meet customer demands and implements further change in the future.
Assessment & Rehabilitation
ELSEVIER
Work 8 (1997) 197-200
The redeployment of blind and partially sighted staff in the banking industry 1 Philippa A. Simkiss RNIB Employment Research. RCEVH. School of Education. University of Binningham. Edgbaston. Birmingham. B15 2IT. UK
Received 20 May 1996; accepted 28 November 1996
Abstract
UK banks have traditionally employed blind and partially sighted people as telephonists. The introduction of new technology and organisational restructuring has lead to a decrease in the need for clerical staff. Banks are faced with the dilemma of what to do with blind and partially sighted telephonists. Many are considering the options and preferring to deal with individual cases at a local level as they become pressing rather than take a co-ordinated approach. This paper describes how one Bank decided to tackle this challenge at a corporate level through a company wide redeployment project, assisted by the Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB). Data collection, assessments, job analysis and technical investigations are described. The central role of training both for project participants and personnel staff is discussed and the responsibilities of project Case Managers are reported. So far over 100 members of staff have been relocated, supplied with new equipment, had their current job expanded or been placed in a new job. Some other wide ranging results such as changes to Bank policy are discussed. The conclusion highlights some of the challenges encountered and suggests how the lessons learned through the project might be applied to other situations. © 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved
Keywords: Redeployment; Blind and partially sighted; Bank
1. Introduction In the UK, banks have traditionally been organisations sympathetic to the employment of blind and partially sighted people in certain cleri-
lUK wide study conducted by the Royal National Institute for the Blind in conjunction with City University. • Corresponding author. Tel.: +44121 4146734: Fax: +44 121 4144865; email: [email protected].
cal positions such as branch telephonist, or 'Blind Telephonist', as was the job title. In recent years most banks have embarked upon a restructuring programme, part of which involves introducing new technology and removing back office functions from local branches to regional centres. One such centre will provide administration services for several branches so the requirement for administration staff, including telephonists, is decreasing.
1051-9815/97 /$17.00 ~ 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved PIIS1051-9815(96)00236-7
198
P.A. Simkiss / Work 8 (1997) 197-200
Several blind telephonists employed by various banks expressed their concern to the Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB) Employment Network, which offers support to blind and partially sighted people of working age. RNIB sought meetings with bank personnel staff to discuss the problem. It transpired that one Board of Directors had decided to tackle the issue at a corporate level and commissioned some research into the range of options for their blind and partially sighted staff. Senior executives rejected redundancy but endorsed redeployment within the Bank. Thus RNIB joined the Bank in a project to redeploy 138 blind and partially sighted telephone switchboard operators. 2. Data collection and assessment Annual appraisal records did not provide the human resources department with information about the skills, experience or aspirations of blind and partially sighted telephonists so individual assessments were necessary. Vocational assessments were carried out to give an indication of individuals' achievements and potential together with technical assessments to consider what special equipment an individual could use to access the new technology being introduced. 3. Job analysis Structured job analyses were carried out. Data was gathered from relevant job descriptions, through observation and interviews with incumbents and supervisors. We considered the visual aspects of the job and possible job accommodations such as technical aids and flexible work patterns. We were able to identify a range of jobs which could offer redeployment opportunities immediately and others which would require prolonged technical investigation to ensure adaptive equipment could be incorporated. Initially job analyses offered a basis for individual assessments and an overview of the range of jobs available to those facing redeployment. Later as we understood the skills and aspirations of those involved job analyses of actual vacancies in each region became important.
4. Technical investigations Through a series of technical trails we were able to establish a range of access equipment that was compatible with Bank systems and could offer solutions to both blind and partially sighted staff in a variety of work situations. 5. Training Many blind and partially sighted telephonists had been in the same job for years but through lack of training were unfamiliar with Bank systems, products and equipment. Training in the use of new technology, access technology and vocational training were required. In the new banking environment selling of products and services is a core skill for most staff so the availability of product knowledge in accessible media was of key importance. Other Bank staff also required training so a course called 'Developing Visually Impaired Employees' was designed and delivered to over 100 Bank staff ranging from regional personnel to branch managers. It gives an introduction to the barriers faced by disabled people in employment and encourages participants to consider possible solutions. Case studies depicting the current issues were used to promote discussion through which we were able to refute a number of assumptions such as 'people who are registered blind cannot see anything' and challenge some common practices such as excluding visually disabled staff from training courses and staff meetings. 6. Project management Each project participant was allocated a Case Manager who co-ordinated training, negotiation to secure Government funding for access equipment and liaison with new managers and colleagues. Part of the Case Manager role was to encourage regional personnel to take increasing responsibility for the redeployment of staff within their area to ensure ongoing support for staff after project completion.
P.A. Simkiss / Work 8 (1997) 197-200
7. Results Since the project began in 1993 over 100 members of staff have been relocated, supplied with new equipment, undergone training, had their current job expanded or been placed in a new job. In a few cases no change has been necessary and some people have not yet been affected by the restructuring programme which will continue until 1997. A Case Manager continues to work with those who have not yet been redeployed. As a result of the project the Bank's human resource staff have developed policies and systems to ensure that development of blind and partially sighted staff and their own awareness of barriers to that development is ongoing. The salary scale of 'Blind Telephonists' has disappeared, along with the job title as individuals have been redeployed into other jobs such as Customer Liaison Officer and Mortgage Adviser on the standard salary scale. 8. Discussion and conclusions This paper presents the project as a logical, even simple process. Of course progress was not like this and it is useful to reflect upon some of the challenges we had to deal with in order that lessons learned might be applied to other situations. Other banks are in a similar situation and are considering 'the range of options for their blind and partially sighted staff' but this was the first Bank to address the issue at a corporate level. Our previous experience had been a piecemeal, case by case approach. In this project resources were stretched by sheer size both in terms of national geographical spread and the number of people involved. Time scales were equally tight, particularly in the initial set up phase. Although the Bank had for some time recognised that redeployment of blind and partially sighted staff would need special consideration the decision to take action had come too late for some visually disabled individuals whose branches had already been affected. Three members of staff had already been sent home on paid leave because the need for a telephonist in that location had disap-
199
peared and there were no contingency plans. The project team was initially faced with a crisis management situation. We had to seek a solution for these three individuals and ensure that others whose switchboard would disappear tomorrow or next week had some useful work to do while we addressed their permanent redeployment. More resources and more time were luxuries we simply did not have but an important lesson is not to underestimate the complexity of the issues and the time it takes to establish redeployment. The members of the project team each had a steep learning curve to follow as we established the work. RNIB staff had to learn about banking; the types of jobs involved, products and services, reporting structures and technology used. Bank staff had to learn about the variety of services available to disabled people through voluntary and statutory agencies and how best to support their own visually disabled staff. A structured induction programme for the project team would have aided this learning process and no doubt eased some of the other challenges listed below. Communication within and between the Bank and RNIB occasionally became confused. Regional staff at the Bank felt left out because central human resource staff were co-ordinating the project. Many RNIB staff have contacts within the Bank from previous case work and information transferred between both parties was not always up to date. Telephonists have a very effective grapevine which added further confusion as rumours and misinformation were spread by a small minority. A co-ordinated approach to publicising the project internally within our organisations would have been helpful. The vocational assessments were usually perceived as helpful by the visually disabled staff and useful by their managers. However we did need to tackle some suspicion related to the use of occupational psychologists to carry these out. The telephonists grapevine had effectively announced that the Bank was 'using a psychiatrist to show that blind people cannot do the new jobs in order to get rid of them'. 'I am not mad, I don't need a psychiatrist' argued one blind telephonist. To counter this bad publicity we asked a telephonist who found the assessment particularly helpful to
200
P.A. Simkiss / Work 8 (J997) 197-200
promote his views on the grapevine. As word got round we found that those who had initially chosen not to attend a vocational assessment changed their mind and asked for an appointment. Technology was probably the major challenge of this project. The Bank was introducing a completely new way of operating based on new structures and new technology. Access technology tends to lag behind standard technology but we wanted state of the art and compatibility of access technology with the variety of new Bank systems had to be tested. Transatlantic communication between RNIB Technical Consultants, suppliers and manufacturers of both standard and access equipment and detailed testing procedures did produce results but this pioneering work took time. Trials were also hampered by the lack of standardisation in Bank equipment from branch to branch and a concern for security and confidentiality. The work would have been made easier if the Bank had identified a technologist from within their organisation to work with RNIB to supply internal information, specifications, security clearance and assist with testing. Fortunately funding for access equipment was not a barrier. Once appropriate access equipment had been identified in that it offered an alternative, reliable interface with Bank systems and was appropriate for a particular individual a Government grant covered the purchase cost. Corporate support for the project within the Bank was strong but management in some regions was less supportive. Although members of the board circulated papers to regional staff and appeared in internal magazines to publicise success stories, in practice an individual was dependant upon local support to achieve satisfactory redeployment. For example one telephonist who received equipment and training to allow her to carry out word processing to produce letters and reports was prevented from using these skills. Her manager claimed that she was fully employed in basic telephone duties and could not offer her any opportunity to develop in new tasks. The training course for regional staff did have a positive impact on this attitude and those who attended commented on how their misconceptions had changed. Intensive work by Case Managers
who visited branches to discuss the options for expanding duties with individuals and managers also had a positive impact. However there remained a core of supervisors who were reluctant to get involved. The role of regional personnel is key in such instances since they have an ongoing responsibility to support the visually disabled staff in their area. Regional personnel teams needed a lot of encouragement to get involved with individuals since many considered they had 'no experience of the issues' and they were confused by the range of statutory and voluntary provision for disabled workers. Case Managers played a key role in introducing them to services available and showing them how to access facilities to ensure that documents such as product updates and the internal vacancy list are provided in the appropriate medium. It was not possible to redeploy all of the individuals concerned. The assessment process highlighted problems which the Bank should have tackled some time ago and some individuals simply did not want to develop. A variety of strategies were employed to deal with this minority such as long term secondment to outside organisations and, where necessary, disciplinary action. However the Bank has implemented policies to ensure a standard approach to redeployment which includes assessment, job analysis and technical investigation. As a result many of their blind and partially sighted staff are now more effective and integrated into teams rather than isolated. Some members of the project team would have appreciated a greater degree of involvement of visually disabled staff in planning the work, attending case conferences and the ongoing coordination of the project. The Bank was reluctant to accept this degree of participation preferring to give some individuals specific responsibilities such as production and circulation of the product manual to blind and partially sighted colleagues in their preferred medium. However access to information and training to develop both skill and confidence has increased awareness of opportunity. This will be important as the Bank continues to develop to meet customer demands and implements further change in the future.
