Best Banks to Work For

The Pennsylvania community bank lacked the resources to go all-in on developing a diversity, equity and inclusion policy, so it turned to grad students at Georgetown University for help.

The smallest of the Best Banks to Work For have figured out how to thrive in an environment where many employees are working fully or partly from home. Some are using flexibility as a tool to stave off burnout.

Executives at the 90 institutions that made the ninth annual ranking are boosting benefits to attract new employees, amid intense competition for talent. They're also rethinking how they approach recruiting and increasing their diversity efforts.

The Hawaii bank has paid employees who carpool, bike or walk to work. About a third of the workforce bought into the program before the pandemic, and it's expected to continue once life returns to normal.

The Florida company has created a series of programs to coach leaders on motivating employees and avoiding conflict.

The community bank has developed trivia and other Zoom-based games to keep workers engaged during the pandemic.

Many in the industry were adding counseling services to benefits packages even before the coronavirus outbreak spurred demand for assistance with mental well-being.

The Best Banks to Work For package is a collaboration between American Banker and the Best Companies Group, which conducts extensive employee surveys and reviews employer reports on benefits and policies.

Leaders at the 85 institutions that made the eighth annual ranking have found ways to navigate crises (there have been plenty this year) while also bolstering employee morale.

They're making some headway in building workforces that better reflect the communities they serve, but progress has been slow. Here's why.