MCB Group’s holistic approach to training and talent development is geared towards leveraging its talent & skills diversity as it represents a local productivity reservoir. The Group believes that adaptation is a key word and strives to encourage internal mobility as well as training to enable the development of a portfolio of vast skill sets. Our philosophy is to favour internal talent as much as possible while remaining on the lookout for external skills. Our priority is thus to invest in the development of internal talent at all hierarchical levels.

 Policies and processes in place to achieve such an objective include:

• 80% of training courses are on-demand and business-oriented.
• Talent is generally sourced 80% internally and 20% externally.
• Continuous training is managed by each business line with a dedicated training budget for the year.
• A process for defining customised development plans for promotions and/or job changes is in place.
• A Study Assistance Scheme (SAS) is available to employees to promote further learning and the attainment of professional qualifications for continuous progress.

A digitalised world does not just mean new technology, it also means that it will in time, completely change the way our employees work, by improving efficiency of processes and ensuring seamless communication flows. The way our customers bank is also bound to evolve. As such, MCB has initiated the path for the digital transformation of its operations through the Digital Factory, a place where new ideas and new ways of banking are being incubated.

The Digital Factory functions differently from the Bank’s other departments. It has adopted the agile way of working by forming squads (teams) that are made up of different competencies and skill sets. Those squads function autonomously and test their products in real time with customers and adapt the product according to feedback. This flexibility enables them to function in an agile configuration.

As these new ways of working are not yet considered conventional, induction courses for new recruits include a module on digitalisation and agile work practices while a communication campaign aimed at existing employees has been initiated by HR, addressing all concerns they may have on how digitalisation will affect them.

In March 2019, MCB Group launched the MCB Institute of Finance (MCB IF) in collaboration with Uniciti Education Hub. The institute aims to provide specialised and continuous learning to students and professionals from the banking and financial sectors. In the long run, MCB IF aims to become a regional reference in terms of executive education. MCB Group employees can also follow the courses provided by the training institute.

MCB Group takes the feedback of its staff very seriously. We use internal surveys to evaluate staff engagement and satisfaction in view of providing them with the best working conditions required to fulfill their responsibilities. The latest engagement survey was held in 2016 and the results were shared among the staff. Focus groups were then organised and action plans devised per BU to address relevant issues.

When it comes to discussing work issues, the Group has operated a shift from a top-down approach to encouraging employees more and more to share their views during weekly/monthly meetings, or even on a day-to-day basis through informal interactions. Leaders and managers now favour informal relationships with their team and are opting for an open door policy whereby employees are encouraged to discuss workplace issues openly.

As mentioned earlier in this section, the Group recently organised an Open Mic tour, as part of the HR Transformation programme during which key HR operatives, including the Head of Human Resources, went to all business units to listen to employees and collect their feedback on the Group’s HR strategies and approach to staff well-being. These sessions were particularly fruitful as various ideas and suggestions were discussed and gathered. A restitution meeting is currently being planned to communicate on the priorities being addressed and related action plans.

Each employee goes through a formal performance discussion exercise twice a year. This is an opportunity for the employee not only to discuss his/her performance throughout the year, but also talk about his/her working environment and whether or not it is conducive to the fulfillment of professional duties.

The Group believes that professional and personal life balance is key to its staff’s wellbeing and has therefore implemented some measures to ensure that its employees have a well-balanced life and have access to the necessary help in case they face any life hardships.

Our organisation’s culture focuses on excellence and the measurement and achievement of set targets at organisational, departmental and individual level. MCB Group strives to give a better work-life balance for its employees, drive change, and maintain a healthy working environment while ensuring that employees have access to all necessary facilities to achieve those targets.

A flexi-time policy is currently in place where employees can apply and work based on their preferred work schedule arrangement. Employees under flexi-time need to be present at their desks during core working hours and need to complete the minimum work week hours. The flexi-time facility is however only applicable to some departments where employees are flexible in terms of deliverables and interaction with clients. It does not currently apply to employees in the retail banking network and branches for example. The Group is also presently testing the work from home facility in a number of departments such as the IT and HR BUs.

Regarding paid leaves, the number of days off offered is based on the prevailing regulation in the country. A certain amount of flexibility is however given to employees with regards to paid leave where business conditions allow. Employees are also able to carry forward part of their leaves not taken during any given year to the following calendar year, and should an employee require additional paid leaves (to be approved by the manager and HR) for particular reasons, leaves can be deducted from the following year’s balance. This flexibility allows the employee to better plan their holidays or events requiring them to take long leaves such as studies and weddings.

To cater for staff’s mental well-being, an organisational in-house Psychologist is available on a part time basis at the MCB Head Office and St Jean premises to provide adequate support and counselling to employees in need. Employees may wish to consult with the in-house psychologist for both professional and personal issues.

A recent audit by ‘Great Place to Work’ has highlighted the fact that there is still room for improvement on the work-life balance facilities offered by the Group in order to measure up to best-in-class practices. In particular, lack of policies to accommodate parenthood with professional practice have been pointed out. We are therefore currently investigating further measures to support employees in caring for their families.

Rupys is an MCB financial product for children aged under 18. A new version of the product now bears interest bonuses instead of gifts, accompanied by initiatives to encourage savings from an early age.

Our goal: To increase financial literacy in children.