Managment case

Human Resource Management (MAGT 602)

Spring 2018

Case Study Marks-15

BLOM BANK

BLOM Bank was founded in 1951 as a joint stock company. It grew slowly in its first 20 years, although it survived several Lebanese banking and political crisis during that period. From 1970 onwards its growth was more rapid, and by 1981, it had become the largest bank in the Lebanese Republic in deposits as well as total assets. In response to the Lebanese crises and the onset of the civil war in 1975, the bank expanded internationally and established a network of branches in the Middle East and Europe to become the Lebanese bank with the greatest international presence, currently operating in 12 countries, including many Arab and European countries.

BLOM HR managers identify potential talent through CVs received via the corporate website, external job postings on job boards, career/job fairs, recommendations from internal employees, and walk-in applicants. Selection is based primarily on educational background and work experience. The recruitment process consists of a written entrance exam, a technical interview with the department concerned, and an interview with the HR department.

The HR department uses Oracle-based HRM software, which allows selection according to specific criteria, depending on the search needs, in order to filter suitable candidates for each job opening. This software provides a detailed report on the applicant’s history, personal information, qualifications, and acquired skills; hence allowing a more accurate search.

Once a pool of applicants has been selected, the HR department uses BLOM-owned testing and assessment tools rather than relying on assessment centers, which are very common in Lebanon. These assessment tools include:

· A test to assess logical thinking.

· A test to assess language and writing skills.

· A psychometric test to assess personality traits and attributes relevant to the job.

A key message BLOM tries to send to students across the Arab labor market is that in today’s changing job market, companies are no longer looking to hire employees or people with limited qualifications acquired by through their educational degrees to occupy generalist positions; but are rather seeking to recruit talent and potential that can be developed to occupy specialized key positions. This approach comes from BLOM management’s belief that today’s employees will become tomorrow’s executives; however, the path has to be travelled at an appropriate pace.

The training and development department at BLOM assesses employee’s needs and then provides training, develops skills and competences, evaluate performance, and finally monitors progress. Training and development are divided into internal and external categories. Internal training includes professional and field expertise from BLOM bank, which offers all employees technical training in various banking operations as well as on the various aspects of the bank’s culture. By hosting internal training, the HR department provides actual examples, problems, and challenges that employees encounter daily in their work. External training includes in-house and external workshops, both local and abroad, focused on both soft and hard skills. Employees also attend foreign language courses and specialized seminars for banking qualifications required by the monetary authorities.

In an effort to shape and manage the careers of employees, the HR department runs two programs to help employees climb the professional ladder faster. The management training program (MTP) targets high performers in branches and offers a position as an Assistant or Branch Manager at the end of the five-year training program. The fast-track program (FTP) targets high performers across all departments and offers them a senior position in their departments at the end of the five-year training program. In order to better manage the senior roles the employees will undertake, they are encouraged to pursue higher education with full sponsorship from the bank. Employees not on the program are also offered financial assistance to pursue master’s and doctorate degrees.

The HR department at BLOM considers human resource development a new topic in the Arab countries. The main challenge faced by HR managers is to build cultural acceptance and greater openness towards new concepts and practices. Therefore, the bank is trying to smooth new way for training and development process by gradually introducing topics that senior-level employees can accept, and by providing management support for this introduction.

In today’s challenging work environment, BLOM Bank has taken different initiatives to compete in the changing job market in Lebanon and the Arab countries. These include, among others:

· Career development plans and career paths

· Tailored succession plans

· Continuously updated compensation and benefits schemes

· Continuously updated performance-based incentive schemes

· Tailored fast-track programs to prepare key elements and talent for internal promotion and for key positions.

Finally, it is important to note that BLOM, in Lebanon and the MENA region, has a tailor-made set of measures to ensure that safety and health procedures are being applied. Such measures include:

· Emergency first aid kits are distributed throughout each department or branch within BLOM Bank.

· First aid teams present on the premises are found of staff members who have undergone specialized training and been practicing for some time.

· HR and administration divisions work closely to audit and monitor each employee’s working environment and conditions to ensure that safety procedures are well implemented.

· Safety procedure training is provided to increase employee awareness of how to avoid accidents as far as possible.

· Accidents at work are covered by the bank and all employees are granted medical insurance.