Bendigo Bank Staff Asked to 'Volunteer' for Roles That Could Be Outsourced
Employees participating in a 'blueprinting' process document their tasks for an external firm, sparking concerns about job security and morale.
Bendigo Bank employees have reportedly been asked to volunteer for a process that maps out their daily tasks, only for the information to be used by an external firm to design an outsourcing roadmap. The initiative, part of the bank's five-year strategic plan to 2030, has led to concerns among staff about job security and a significant drop in morale.
The program involves staff demonstrating and documenting their work to an employee of US advisory firm Genpact via Microsoft Teams. Genpact, a global leader in offshoring, then uses this information to identify which roles could be performed more efficiently by overseas contractors. Following this "blueprinting" or process mapping phase, there is a six-to-12-week consultation period where the bank informs staff about the status of their roles.
Sources indicate that employees were asked to volunteer for the blueprinting process weeks before the bank publicly announced its partnership with Genpact. This timing has raised concerns that some staff may have unknowingly assisted in mapping out their own jobs for outsourcing. The Finance Sector Union (FSU) has claimed that the bank's strategic partnership with Genpact is intended to "enrich an overseas company like Genpact to the detriment of bank staff and customers."
The bank also entered into a seven-year technology partnership with Indian outsourcing giant Infosys in April, which involved transferring staff from Bendigo's IT division to Infosys contracts. Employees who have been moved to Infosys contracts have reported feeling devalued and more replaceable, with one anonymous worker noting a perceived drop in quality since the transition.
Bendigo Bank has described the initiative as an "operational excellence blitz" aimed at driving greater productivity and making processes simpler and more efficient through Genpact's expertise. A spokesperson confirmed a "design review of business operations and process teams" is underway, but stated that the "detailed design for all impacted areas is yet to be finalised." The spokesperson added that the bank is committed to supporting impacted employees with "compassion, care and respect."
The FSU estimates that up to 450 Bendigo Bank jobs could eventually be moved overseas, with less complex roles being outsourced first to contractors in India and Southeast Asia. The outcomes from the latest blueprinting phase are expected in the coming weeks, with consultations scheduled to continue until November. The union claims that the bank's "phased approach" will see less complex roles outsourced first.