Reflexis Systems’ Second Annual Banking Survey Finds Scheduling Agility Critical Amidst Pandemic

Number of employees who believe the branch scheduling process is unfair nearly doubled since last year

DEDHAM, Mass. – March 18, 2021 – Reflexis Systems (now part of Zebra Technologies), a leading provider of intelligent workforce management and execution solutions for multi-site businesses in retail, food service, hospitality and banking, today announced the results of its second annual International Branch Banking Employee Survey. The results indicate the rise of digital banking is causing challenges with branch scheduling, activity management and communication – all of which  were exacerbated in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The survey data revealed concerns related to scheduling agility during a period of branch closures and lean staffing at open branches, with 40% of those surveyed believing that scheduling was inequitable, nearly double from 2020.  Those with dependents at home were more apt to believe scheduling was unfair versus those without.

Other key stats on this topic include:

• 32% of employees surveyed either quit, considered quitting or called in sick over a scheduling issue during the pandemic.
• More than three-quarters of respondents (86%) would prefer to use an app on their personal mobile devices to manage their schedules and preferences – a 24% increase over 2020.
• Nearly two thirds (64%) of surveyed managers estimated that they spent more than seven hours per week managing schedules.

“It’s clear that the pandemic has accelerated the impact of chronic operational inefficiencies on the banking industry, adding undue stress on both branch employees and managers,” said Brian Wallace, General Manager of Banking, Zebra Technologies. “Modern, mobile-first tools are available to help banks make the scheduling process more agile and equitable. As banks have learned from the retail industry, employees feel more engaged when there is increased transparency and control over their schedules.”

The limited number of bankers in branches meant they spent more time on tasks such as email, team meetings and branch inspections/audits, with managers losing visibility into how that time was being allocated. More than half (57%) of bankers reported spending a full work day or more per week on non-customer facing activities, versus 52% last year. The top methods for managing daily work included cumbersome methods such as using email (39%), CRM tools (28%) and spreadsheets (14%).

“Banks without a holistic view of how non-customer tasks are impacting workflow will find it challenging to prioritize those tasks, potentially impinging on new branch sales and customer service,” said Wallace.

The survey also highlighted communication issues when bank employees needed to connect with colleagues outside of the branch, with more than two thirds not having access to work email or other bank-sanctioned communication tools. The survey showed 89% of bank employees reported using non-sanctioned communications tools to collaborate with colleagues, including WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and texting, and 52% shared personal data outside of bank-approved communication channels. This poses considerable compliance and information security risks potentially leading to data leakage.

“The best approach to alleviate the security risk is for banks to implement a bring your own device (BYOD) policy, coupled with a cost-effective, secure and monitored communication solution that employees can access via their personal devices,” said Wallace.

SURVEY BACKGROUND AND METHODOLOGY

Reflexis Systems polled 1,228 bank branch employees across 10 countries, including the U.S., Canada, Mexico, UK, France, Germany, Spain, Poland, Italy and the Netherlands, to gain insight into the challenges facing branches concerning workforce scheduling, execution efficiency and communication. The survey was conducted in January 2021. To view the executive summary, click here.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Reflexis Systems’ Second Annual International Branch Banking Employee Survey shows modern, mobile-first solutions can eliminate operational inefficiencies at banks.
• By streamlining scheduling and task execution, banks can increase employee satisfaction and free time for customer facing activities.
• The recent acquisition of Reflexis Systems by Zebra Technologies empowers banking teams to drive value by simplifying communications, enhancing execution and aligning labor with demand via AI-powered forecasting.

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ABOUT ZEBRA TECHNOLOGIES

Zebra (NASDAQ: ZBRA) empowers the front line in retail/ecommerce, manufacturing, transportation and logistics, healthcare, public sector and other industries to achieve a performance edge. With more than 10,000 partners across 100 countries, Zebra delivers industry-tailored, end-to-end solutions to enable every asset and worker to be visible, connected and fully optimized. The company’s market-leading solutions elevate the shopping experience, track and manage inventory as well as improve supply chain efficiency and patient care. In 2020, Zebra made Forbes Global 2000 list for the second consecutive year and was listed among Fast Company’s Best Companies for Innovators. For more information, visit www.zebra.com or sign up for news alerts. Participate in Zebra’s Your Edge blog, follow the company on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook, and check out our Story Hub: Zebra Perspectives.

ABOUT REFLEXIS SYSTEMS

Reflexis Systems (now part of Zebra Technologies), is the leading provider of intelligent workforce management, execution and communication solutions for multi-site organizations in retail, food service, hospitality and banking. The Reflexis ONE™ intelligent work platform is used by our customers across the globe to simplify execution, improve communication and optimize labor decisions. Today, over 275 leaders in retail, food service, hospitality and banking are leveraging Reflexis ONE™ to achieve measurable improvements in customer engagement & employee productivity and retention. Reflexis Systems is headquartered in Dedham, Massachusetts and has offices in Atlanta, Columbus, London, Düsseldorf, and Pune (India), with additional sales presence across Europe and Latin America. For further information, please visit www.Reflexisinc.com.

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Media Contacts:

Peter Czyryca
Zebra Technologies
+1 (781) 493-3400 x351 
peter.czyryca@zebra.com

Industry Analyst Contacts:

Kasia Fahmy
Zebra Technologies 
+1-224-306-8654
k.fahmy@zebra.com

Peter Czyryca
Zebra Technologies
+1 (781) 493-3400 x351
peter.czyryca@zebra.com

ZEBRA and the stylized Zebra head are trademarks of Zebra Technologies Corp., registered in many jurisdictions worldwide. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. ©2021 Zebra Technologies Corp. and/or its affiliates.