Wellbeing at Work

in the Banking Sector

Health, wealth and happiness is the often-touted
mantra for life. But with bankers focused on
managing and creating wealth 24x7x365, where
do they stand on holistic growth? This researched
feature explores the ground reality of employee
wellbeing in the banking sector and the best
practices to ensure sustained productivity.
02
Doing well vs being well

India’s banking sector is seeing meteoric growth on the back of

robust demand. According to IBEF estimates, by 2025,
India’s fintech market is expected to reach INR 6.2 trillion. Yet,
according to the latest survey across 250 bankers by Godrej
Interio’s Workplace and Ergonomic Research Cell, both public
and private sector banks need to focus on creating
environments conducive to employee wellbeing.

03
 Processes have
changed, environments
need to be next
From using pen and paper, to introducing technology like
biometrics and blockchain for safety, or chatbots for customer
support, banking has come a long way in elevating customer
experience. This transition has upskilled employees but also
increased their duress. Bankers now spend long and often
stressful hours multitasking between digital screens on one side
of their desks and sitting across the table with customers who
visit the branch physically for assistance.

04
Banks that care attract
and retain top talent

“ Banks recognize that their future success

hinges on having a healthy and resilient
workforce.
Studies show that job seekers are drawn to employers who
prioritise their wellbeing. Reflecting the same sentiment,
businesses are also actively adopting holistic initiatives for
employees that extend to physical, mental, physiological, and
social wellbeing.

05
Among the handful of banks that our survey found to
have introduced wellness initiatives, these are some
prevalent measures:
Employee assistance programmes
Preventive medical examinations
Meditation and mindfulness sessions
Insurance and pension plans
Daycare facilities
For bankers, wellness initiatives can mitigate the
physical stress of sitting for long hours, and the mental
stress of customer expectations, process changes and
technological transitions. Yet, even among the few
banks that do invest in wellness initiatives, the following
essential aspects are often missed:
Ergonomic infrastructure supporting the nature of
the banking job
Rejuvenating spaces to unwind between
multitasking
Correct furniture layout enabling free movement
Awareness programs to encourage employees to
take charge of their own physical health and
wellbeing
06
Tallying the current score

Our survey explored how bank employees work and handle

pressure, the infrastructure and the 360-degree environment
they work in, as well as the occupational hazards they face.
We also attempted to understand the extent of awareness
among employees about right working postures, work desk
ergonomics, and overall wellbeing.

The results revealed that not all banks are measuring up to

the importance of wellbeing, and do not yet have the
necessary resources to foster a healthy work environment.

07
Suboptimal ergonomics

“
and work environments
impede productivity The bank space is limited, and the layout
is incorrect, because of which we get
While employers aim to facilitate disturbed while working on something
their workforce with the best, factors important
like acoustics, humidity, dim lighting,

“
- Satish, Senior Executive at a private bank
and a poorly designed work area
contribute to workplace stress.
The chairs provided are uncomfortable
Moreover, what severely affects
employee health is a sedentary
to sit in for long periods of time, because
lifestyle. of which I get neck and leg pain at the
end of the day
- Shubhangi, employee at a nationalised bank
08
 Wellbeing challenges
at banks

1. Improper posture Some crucial banking functions that impact physical wellbeing
2. Long hours of gadget usage as a result of prolonged sitting periods:

3. Sitting for long hours Relationship managers attending to various customer needs

4. Inadequate infrastructure
Bank tellers making transactions for long queues of customers
5. MSDs (Musculoskeletal disorders)
6. Absence of rejuvenating spaces Data processing officers logging extensive data entries

09
 41%

28%

26%

Our study reveals that 41% of bank employees work

9 hours a day and 28% work for 10 hours or more.

People adopt sitting postures over stand-

5% ing and moving around for the dominant
part of the day, resulting in a sedentary
lifestyle
7 hours 8 hours 9 hours 10 hours
or more
10
 Screens enable
solutions, but are a part
of the problem as well Prolonged hours of gadget usage observed in bank employees

4-5 hours

Between monitoring real-time data, Multiple screens 2-3 hours

1-2 hours

facilitating online customer queries and 4-5 hours

Tablet
keeping systems running, banking employees
2-3 hours
1-2 hours
10 hours

face prolonged screen time, leading to Smartphone

8-9 hours
6-7 hours
4-5 hours
2-3 hours
physical and mental strain. For employees, 10 hours
1-2 hours

this strain finds expression as eye strain or Desktop 4-5 hours

8-9 hours
6-7 hours

headaches. Further, a lack of awareness of

2-3 hours

10 hours

correct postures to adopt at work and a lack

8-9 hours
laptop 6-7 hours
4-5 hours
2-3 hours

of laptop accessoriesadd to the stress on the 1-2 hours

body and aggravate MSDs. 1-2 hours 2-3 hours 4-5 hours 6-7 hours 8-9 hours 10 hours and more
11
Accessories of gadgets
and postural errors

Lack of supporting accessories observed in bank employees

Use head - phones while working Laptop is accessorized with laptop stand, keyboard and a mouse

23
16

No Yes No Yes

In the BFSI sector, managing clients’ accounts and processing

payments mean long hours spent sitting in a certain posture.
This is a gateway to chronic neck and back pain. In such a
situation, it is imperative that employees are equipped with
certain computer accessories to minimise MSDs.
12
Earphones:
When attending continuous customer calls without using
earphones, employees often strain foward towards the
speakers of their machines, causing pain in the neck and
upper back.
Keyboard and mouse:
Some employees do not use keyboards and a mouse,
thereby restricting body movment while sitting close to
the laptop.

13
 Sitting for long hours
has adverse health
effects
Research shows that sitting for too While taking breaks is a must for employees, many scenarios
long can have undesirable health including the following are impediments:
implications.
Tellers handling cash register operations for an endless stream of customers

Customer service executives whose clients take up long hours, preventing

them from completing other to dos on their list

Certain time-sensitive tasks that must be completed on high priority like

clearing checks of VIP clients, and business accounts

14
Moreover, unaware of the health implications of sitting for prolonged periods, force of habit results in
employees being stationed at a spot, without any breaks, which contributes to strain, stress, and MSDs:

Sit at a stretch to work Takes break after how many hours

5 hours and more 14 % 5 hours and more 4%

4 hours 5%
4 hours 6%
30 mins 5%
3 hours 6% 9%
3 hours
2 hours 11 % 2 hours 11 %
1 hour 5%
1 hour 2%

15
Habitual postures that
have serious health
implications
Behavioural and postural inaccuracies observed during
gadget usage is one of the primal causes of the development
of MSD complaints. Depending on the task at hand, employees
tend to make certain postural errors.

Through our study, we identified the 4 most common incorrect

postures adopted by bank employees along with several
postures which can cause health related issues:

16
1. Focus Mode: Neck Bent Forward
Looking down on the computer or mobile screen with the neck in flexion and
upper back bent. This can lead to neck and upper back pain.

2. Ready Mode: Seated on the Edge

Sitting on the edge of the chair without any back support, sometimes even
bending forward. Such a posture can lead to back pain.

17
3. Float Mode: Feet on Castor Wheels
Feet tucked beneath the chair, foot resting on the leg of castor wheels. This can
lead to knee pain.

4. Shrug Mode: Hunched or leaning Forward

Leaning forward with shoulders raised or bent forward with the back and
shoulders in a rounded C shape. This posture, also called the Kyphotic posture of
the back, can lead to upper back pain.

18
Key to avoiding these incorrect postures is providing furniture
like desk-and-chair arrangements that enable adjustment and
therefore promote good posture. The best time to build this in
and think ergonomics is at the very beginning, or at the design
stage of the workspace. However, just a handful of banks have
actually built ergonomic considerations into their plans at the
initial design stage.
19
 Most banks
lack ergonomic
infrastructure

With bank employees seated for long hours, chairs are crucial
to cultivating healthy ergonomic postures.

Our study predominantly suggests that even though most

chairs have seat height adjustments, they lack other
crucial ergonomic features.

20
 Chairs without seat height adjustment options, no armrest,
13%
of employees use fixed chairs that do
not support their bodies adequately
inadequate lumbar support or absence back-recline features,
breed awkward postures

Chairs with fixed armrests mean unsupported elbows and

49%
lack armrest
adjustments
forearms. Such chairs restrain users from customising the
armrest settings to suit their arm length

Non-reclining backrests, when used over extended periods,

41%
still lack back
recline
often result in misaligned spines

21
Chair features observed in the banking industry
87%
82%

59%
51%
49%
41%

18%
13%

Yes
No
Seat height Adjustable armrest Adjustable back Fixed chair
recline
22
 Most banks
lacks ergonomic
infrastructure
When it comes to desks, a majority
of banks don’t fare any better.
Cluttered desks with inadequate
legroom below, and the absence of
height adjustments are detrimental
to employee wellbeing.
Height-adjustment capabilities go a long way in aiding good
posture, but our studies found that only a few banks have
them. Standing desks also contribute to deterring MSDs. By
minimising chronic back pain, ergonomic desks can increase
productivity and reduce levels of stress and fatigue.
Several desks also lack space for stocking recurrently used
items, and don’t have enough legroom either. Cluttered desks
impede work efficiency in several ways including hindering the
distribution of important forms to customers.
23
 Desk features observed in the banking industry

85%
77%
69%
The pedestal storage placed below the 62%
desks in banks results in restricted leg
movements and awkward postures of
38%
lower limbs, straining the lower limb 31%
joint. This strain can lead to hip, knee, 23%
15%
and foot pain. Generally, storage units at
banks are placed near the walls in the
corridor space, which restricts free Desk height Some desk are Enough space Enough leg
movement for the users. adjustment height on desk space below the
adjustable desk

Yes No

24
 Decoding MSDs
in India’s
banking sector

MSDs are injuries that affect the Some common symptoms of musculoskeletal disorders are:
muscles, nerves, tendons, joints,
cartilage, and spinal discs. Pain Inflammation

Work-related musculoskeletal
Fatigue Muscle atrophy
disorders (WMSD) are caused by
an incompatible working
Swelling Stiffness in joints
environment and non-ergonomic
infrastructure at the workplace.
Weakness Decreased range of movement

25
 The nature of banking work necessitates employees being stationed in one location:

Prolonged Improper
working hours sitting postures

Upsurge in
digitalisation
MSDs

Inappropriate Lack of
infrastructure postural breaks

26
Surging MSDs

The Workplace and Ergonomic Research Cell at Godrej Interio

analysed the prevalence of MSDs, and certain contributing
factors to the surge of the issue.

We observed that currently, 64% of bank employees suffer from

MSD issues, with women being more affected than men. Key
predispositions include body physiology, dual responsibilities
handled by women, and age. The percentage of people in pain is
comparatively high in the segment of the workforce over the age
of 26, and the numbers continue to rise as they get older,
indicating that age can be a key factor for MSD.

27
 Pain areas observed in males and females Age brackets affected by MSDs

76%
69%
80%
57%
69% 66%
62%
36% 50%50%
38%
23% 31% 34%
17% 20%

Pain Single pain area Multiple pain area 21-25 years 26-30 years 31-35 years 36-40 years 50 and above
years
Males Females Yes No

28
 The relationship
between postural
inefficiency and MSDs

The good news is that modifying Back pain often results from adopting awkward postures while:
postures at work can keep MSDs at
Addressing customer complaints
bay; what makes it difficult is the
lack of awareness about the issue.
Routine banking tasks can Managing client relationships and accounts

inadvertently give rise to physical

problems in the long run. Overseeing transactions

29
Neck pain has become a predominant concern Eye strain and headaches often occur because of:
in banking employees who:

Manage clients at the branch while operating Over 9 hours of screen time a day without necessary
computer screens placed at an awkward angle at breaks
the side

Constantly pivot between the screen and the client

Maintaining eye contact with the customers
at their desk

Adopting incorrect body postures

30
3 primary areas of body pain among bank employees: Areas %
Lower back 69%

Neck 62%

Eye Strain 59%

Headache 59%

Shoulder 49%

Upperback 49%
Back Neck Eyes
Itchy eyes 41%

Legs 31%

Knees 26%

Wrist and fingers 23%

Elbow 18%

Heels 18%

31
A lack of rejuvenation
areas in workplaces
may result in mental
burnout and fatigue in
employees
An area earmarked for breaks and rejuvenation, helps prevent
fatigue and mental burnout in the long term. However, there is
a dearth of such spaces in many banks.

Employees in customer interfacing roles, including complaint

resolution on financial matters are in particular need of such
spaces. When clients, themselves under stress, reach out for
resolution, employees must be deferential to them. This can be
very taxing, inducing the need for rejuvenating spaces.
32
Lack of rejuvenating spaces and appropriate infrastructure

49%
43%
41%
31%
Environment observed in banks

15%
felt the light is
too bright to work

21%
Yes No employees reported
of being fully stuffy
Have staff lounge Have comfortable furniture in staff lounge

33
Stressful environments
may trigger errors and
lower productivity

Bankers deal with sensitive financial data and numbers every

day, where the tiniest error can have dire implications. This
necessitates a working environment that enables them to carry
out their work with the concentration it demands.

Specialised zones for focused work, the right illumination,

optimum acoustics and right temperature regulation all
contribute to work efficiency and high cognitive function. An
internal environment that does not support wellbeing proves to
be a hurdle for smooth working.
34
 15%
of bank employees said that Four elements of indoor infrastructure with banks
the light is too bright to work should be mindful of:
Inappropriate lighting for bank employees adds
1. Air quality:
to the stress of viewing sensitive data and
The ventilation should be regulated so as to keep the air
documents
quality and flow in control

21%
of employees reported
feeling stuffy
The feeling of stuffiness often arises due to poor
air quality and a lack of ventilation. The
resultant poor indoor air quality gives rise to
indoor pollutants that can cause irritation of the
eyes, nose and throat, headaches, dizziness,
and fatigue
*Lux levels are a standardised unit of light intensity measurement.
2. Illumination:
The illumination within banks should maintained between
200-500 lux levels* for computer work
3. Temperature:
When the temperature in office is too hot or too cold, it
affects the productivity of the employees
4. Acoustics:
Installing acoustic panels in walls and ceilings improve
wellbeing as prolonged noise exposure trigger physiologic
stress responses in our bodies
35
Wellbeing trends across
the banking sector

Awareness and behavioural

modification must be preceded by
enabling infrastructure. These
factors together underlie the
wellbeing trends in the banking
sector.

36
Having an effective employee wellbeing program in place A healthy economy needs
ensures: a healthy banking system,
powered by productive
Better health
teams. To help banks get
Increased productivity started on a planned
wellness journey, we have
Better retention identified key trends that
will emerge in the banking
Reduced stress industry as we advance.
The pages that follow
Decreased employee absenteeism rates highlight our key findings

37
 Reinforcement of
corrective measures
Maintaining a healthy working
environment is the need of the hour.
Certain banks are implementing
wellness-related initiatives to
increase employee engagement,
satisfaction, and productivity.
However, majority of them do not
have wellness initiatives in place,
and the ones that do are not holistic.
Organisations must raise awareness about various aspects of
wellbeing by engaging with employees regularly through
training, emailers, camps, and group activities.
Banks need to reinforce preventive measures like taking
postural breaks, using gadgets with accessories, and being
aware of the right sitting posture while working, to begin with.
A powerful wellness culture that engages employees in
positive ways is the stepping stone to ensuring wellbeing.
38
 Physical well-being to
be a shared priority

Physical wellbeing among banking

employees is paramount to the
economy as a whole. Securing their
wellbeing is crucial. Sustained
physical wellbeing at work needs to
be a shared priority between both
employers and employees.

39
Proactive prevention of MSDs: Reactive prevention of MSDs:

Identifying risk factors through ergonomic assessments Adequate rest and systematic approach to addressing pain

Implementing a dedicated pre-shift stretching program Eliminating hazards identified during the ergonomic
assessment

Providing training on body mechanics and sitting postures Implementing strategies suggested post ergonomic
assessment

Encouraging early reporting of fatigue and discomfort

Training for correct sitting postures
to prevent an injury

Assessment Correction Prevention

Audit of ergonomics in
workspace
1 Workspace
improvements
2 Employee behaviour
training
3

40
Driving a wellness
culture

“ “Every bank, from small to large, has a

culture. A healthy corporate culture
values each employee in the bank
regardless of his job duties.

Integrating ergonomics into company culture makes it much

easier to look after employees.

41
Making ergonomics a part of organisation culture:

Company leadership should be the first to adopt and propagate wellbeing best practices

Short stretch breaks for everyone

The best learners should be identified after ergonomic posture training sessions and recognised aambassadors
of wellbeing

Regular monitoring should be done by the wellness champion

Appreciation and rewards to foster healthy participation

42
Ergonomic infrastructure
for a healthy and
productive workforce
Employees need a workplace with
well-planned and ergonomic
infrastructure to keep MSDs at bay.
Assessing aspects like work, physical,
and physiological environments help
banks review the work systems and the
current design of the workplace.
As bankers precariously balance their many roles, ergonomic
furniture can deliver much more than just the primary benefit of
physical comfort:
Enables adopting correct posture, provided the right training on usage
and features is imparted
Allows customisation through adjustments to suit individual body
anthropometry
Curbs physical strain
Improves employee satisfaction and productivity
Having ergonomic features in a chair makes it intuitive for
employees to adopt a good posture.
43
Features of an ergonomic chair best suited for banking employees:

Seat height adjustability

Back recline adjustability

Lumbar support

Armrest adjustability

44
 The science behind
selecting the right chair
The chairs to be used by the employees must be determined
after conducting a study of various factors to ensure they are
suitable for the user persona.

Factor that should be considered while selecting a workplace

chair:
1. Anthropometric (user’s body) dimensions
After conducting an evaluation of the user persona through
the ergometer*, the chairs must be designed by the metrics
of 5th percentile female to 95th percentile male.

*The Ergometer is a device used to scientifically measure body dimensions.

45
2. The nature of their job 4. Users’ training
The number of hours spent seated as well as the type of work Training should be conducted to educate
being carried out by the users are important considerations. users about the right adjustments and how
The nature of work done while seated - from rigid data entry these features can help optimise benefit.
positions to managerial or executive functions, are all
Touch points Comfort
important in determining the ideal type of furniture required determined by
1 Upper back Back height
for each function. Depending on the profile, chairs must be of chair
classified into General purpose chairs, Lounge seating, 2 Lower back Lumbar curve
Sitting Hardness & 1
Multipurpose chair, among others. 3

bones contour of
(Ischial tuberosity) foam
3. The scope of chair’s integration with the overall workspace 4 Thighs Seat depth 2 6

design 5 Area behind Seat edge 3 4

knees (Popliteal
The office chair must be considered as part of the overall area) 5
6 Elbows Armrests
7
workstation environment. If an ergonomic chair cannot match
7 Feet Seat height
the workstation height and computer configuration, it may
result in user discomfort.
46
Selecting the right chair
is the solution

47
Factors that should be
considered while
selecting a desk 1. Desk with standard measurements (*OSHA., Height
(range)- 500-720mm, Depth- 447-609mm, Width-
508-528mm) should be considered

2. Clutter-free leg space to enable movement

3. Some height-adjustable desks for active working. This

reduces inactivity and increases postural changes while
working from the same location for the entire day

48
 Accessorising gadgets
will help decrease MSDs
and improve wellbeing
Placing the screen right
The placement of desktop and laptop
screens with respect to the user's
sitting position is critical. They should
be placed at a distance of 16-20 inches
from the user
Easy to move screens
The screen should be kept in front of
the user. It can be attached to a mobile
monitor mount while handling profiles involving customer
interaction and usage of digital screens simultaneously. This
monitor can be pulled in front of the laptop when it's in use and
pushed away otherwise
Using the right accessories
A laptop stand, external keyboard, and mouse should be used
to accessorise the laptop. Doing so can facilitate
appropriate working postures
Mindfulness about when to use the accessories
During long calls, headphones should be used. This will prevent
awkward upper back and neck posturing while multitasking on a
laptop and mobile phone
49
 Healthy minds thrive in
a healthy environment
The nature of the tasks undertaken by
various departments in a bank is
multi-faceted. Managers and
customer service representatives
require dedicated spaces with
infrastructure that supports noise
cancellation so they communicate
without disrupting the analysts and
auditors who require silent spaces to
focus.
Banks must cater to the needs of various departments right from
the design stage. A few parameters to keep in mind while
designing healthy banking spaces are:
Introduce sound-absorbing elements in the workplace like partitions to
prevent the noise overflow
Introducing biophilia in the workspace improves cognitive performance
and physical employee wellbeing
Adapting aqua into the workplace in the forms of interactive fountains,
water walls, reflective pools provide a calming effect through visual
stimulation and soothing sounds
Provide regulated ventilation to keep the air quality and flow in check
50
 Healthy minds thrive in
a healthy environment
Additional parameters that banks must consider are:

Follow hygiene norms

Optimise light at the workplace as per lux levels*. Bright lights should be
regulated to normal lux levels (for a place with computer usage, 200-500
is the normal range)

Allow mild natural light or ensure additional lighting

Provide a comfortable lounging area including varied seating options like

sofas and pouffes for breaks from a hectic schedule

Add greens and other vibrant colours into the lounge area, other than the
bank's brand colours. Doing so will help the workforce disconnect from
*Lux levels are a standardised unit of light intensity measurement.
work for a while
51
Banks, the epicentre of a nation's financial framework, must ensure good health and
wellbeing of their employees while at work. Prolonged working hours, extended use
of gadgets, inadequate breaks, lack of awareness of right postures while working,
inappropriate infrastructure, and inefficient space design can have a severe effect
on employee health, thereby affecting their overall wellbeing.

Organisations must help teams brace against the potentially limiting repercussions
of bad ergonomics. They must lead by example and foster a healthy working
environment while focusing on supporting employee wellbeing, productivity, and
growth.
52
About Godrej interio
Godrej Interio (GI) is India’s premium furniture brand
in both home and institutional segments with a
strong commitment to sustainability and centers of
excellence in design, manufacturing and retail.
Led by the largest in-house design team in the
country in the furniture category and awarded with
42 India Design Mark Awards till date, GI aims to
transform spaces with its thoughtfully designed
furniture to create brighter homes and offices with
products that have the highest design quotient in
aesthetics, functionality and technology. With
consistent pursuit of excellence and a special focus
on health and ergonomics, GI’s product portfolio
comprises a massive range.
Today, we design and manufacture furniture for
office spaces, homes, educational institutes,
healthcare facilities, laboratories and more. Along
with furniture we offer Audio Visual and 360 Degree
Turnkey solutions. Each of our product range
frevolves around comfort and aesthetics while
delivering well-designed, fun and functional urniture
solutions. Briefly, Godrej Interio transforms dream
spaces to life!
GI commitment to the environment has resulted in
manufacturing products with lesser environment
footprint. Our pioneering efforts include designing
less environment burdening products, usage of
eco-friendly materials and setting up less polluting
and consuming processes, ensuring eco-friendly
packaging and transportation and finally the
extended responsibility of recycling/reuse of used
furniture and scrap, thus ensuring a lifecycle
approach to green.
Currently present in over 650 cities with 250
exclusive showrooms and 800 dealers, GI is one of
the largest divisions of Godrej and Boyce Mfg. Co.
Ltd., part of the Godrej Group, one of India's largest
engineering and customer product groups.
Disclaimer
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53
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