Bank Employees Say Streamlining Tasks Boosts Job Satisfaction: Zebra

Zebra Technologies announced the results of its sixth annual International Branch Banking Employee Survey. The findings highlight the critical need for banks to invest in modern technology solutions that enhance employee satisfaction and operational efficiency. The report also reveals a troubling trend: many aspects of the workplace experience have worsened over time.

Nearly eight in 10 (79%) employees say their job satisfaction would increase if they could reduce time spent on non-customer-facing tasks. In addition, 39% of branch employees indicated they prefer to eliminate all paper forms from their workflows with the average employee spending two hours weekly on logging and administrative forms.

• Customer Engagement: There is a notable desire among employees for more meaningful interactions with customers. However, 41% of employees report dedicating less than half their time to these critical activities. Consequently, 70% of bank customers surveyed wait more than six minutes for service, with 25% waiting over 11 minutes.

These delays are compounded by systems inefficiencies, and 42% of employees cite fragmented apps as a primary barrier to prioritizing tasks and adhering to compliance guidelines. Limited customer engagement poses a threat to customer satisfaction and loyalty, emphasizing the need for more efficient operational processes.

• Branch Management Burden: Managers face increasing challenges with scheduling and repetitive administrative tasks and are now spending an average of 11.6 hours weekly on these activities, up 45% from eight hours reported in the 2018 survey. This represents a considerable waste of management’s valuable time and labor resources, which could be dedicated to higher-value tasks.

Moreover, 52% of managers felt their scheduling solution gave them less visibility into how staffing impacted branch effectiveness, up from 38% in 2024. This increase underscores the need for enhanced visibility and streamlined processes to boost branch productivity.

• Mobile Tools and Systems: The survey identifies a significant gap in the availability of mobile tools, with only 11% of employees able to request shift swaps via mobile devices. The fragmentation of systems is a growing frustration, hindering employees’ ability to manage schedules effectively and efficiently.

“Our 2025 Banking Survey clearly shows that banks are under increased pressure both internally and externally,” said Suresh Menon, SVP and GM, Software and Solutions, Zebra Technologies. “By modernizing and integrating various branch management and scheduling systems, banks can turn challenges into opportunities, meet the needs of employees and customers, and drive innovation and excellence in service delivery.”

By simplifying branch execution through a unified software platform, banks can improve visibility for management, offering real-time line-of-sight into completion rates and exceptions. This integration increases operational efficiency and reduces costs, ultimately allowing employees to focus on high-value interactions.

Zebra offers a comprehensive software suite that simplifies operational tasks for branch staff and features the flexibility needed for efficient schedule management. Zebra will demonstrate its Workcloud Workforce Optimization Suite and AI-powered banking solutions at CBA Live on March 17-19, 2025.