Business Reporter
LEADING Pan-African financier,Ecobank Zimbabwe has been ranked as the best employer in the local banking sector for the just ended year of 2023 .
The ratings conferred by the Zimbabwe Banks and Allied Workers Union (ZIBAWU) categorises banking sector players in line with their performance in handling industrial relations issues.
“The best Banking Sector Employer for 2023 was @EcobankZW. The bank outperformed other banks in industrial relations.We recommend it to anyone who want to work in a good and safe environment If it is good to workers it must be good to clients too. Try it !!,” said the workers group in a brief statement.
On the second best employer category for the period was Stanbic Bank Zimbabwe which was honoured for consistently maintaining sound industrial relations based on mutual respect.
The bank was also honoured for maintaining an open door policy with the union as well as engaging stakeholders and creating a decent and safe workplace.
The third best employer in the sector was CBZ Holdings which was honoured for efficient management systems.
The biggest employer in the sector has fared better than many employers in the sector.
“Although there is room for improvement in some areas we appreciate how the bank has continued to protect jobs while improving remuneration to an extent.We recommend it to potential employees,” said ZIBAWU.
Commenting on the awards, the ZIBAWU secretary general ,Peter Mutasa said all employers in the banking sector are rated annually on the basis of interactions as well as members’ experiences at the workplace.
“We look at different factors such as collective bargaining, grievance handling effectiveness,employee participation in workplace decisions, communication channels, employee engagement or satisfaction as well as compliance with labour laws.
“We agree on which employers are number one, two and three on all factors. We also agree on which two employers are the worst each year,” he said.
Mutasa said for the year 2023 , Ecobank was established as a leader in remuneration , employee engagement and satisfaction as well as in communication channels .
The union officials and workers committee members can easily access the Managing Director of the bank and it also ameliorated the hardships of workers through a number of measures during the year.
“Off course as a trade union we need more for workers but we appreciate the good efforts of management and workers committee at Ecobank in developing sound industrial relations.
“Stanbic Bank and CBZ are second and third respectively. They both promote job security and base their industrial relations on mutual respect,” he added.
