Expertise and restructuring

Expertise and restructuring should contribute to good corporate governance, high quality advice, and the bank meeting changes in customer behaviour, regulatory changes, and changes in the competition situation in a good, effective manner.

Measures implemented in 2020 

Employees who advise customers are authorised within various technical areas defined by FinAut. The bank has 243 employees authorised within savings and investments, 179 authorised within non-life insurance, 191 authorised within credit and 141 authorised within personal insurance. Knowledge is maintained through annual update tests and 900 tests were taken in 2020.

18 new employees started the authorisation process in 2020. Good mentor schemes have been established with experienced advisers, which provide employees with a good start in their role of adviser. 

In 2020, 46 training measures were implemented, with 17 morning meetings via Skype to reach out to all employees in our decentralised office structure. Relevant topics included unstructured data, CRM, digital customer surfaces, personal insurance policies and sustainability. Short e-learning courses were conducted each month within information security, AML and HSE. Advisers in the Retail Banking Division have completed a training course within pensions and all employees have taken a learning module on sustainability. A communication course has been conducted involving theory and practical training with a case tailored to the employee’s specific work situation.

The bank has its own development programme for managers and employees involving a practical approach to everyone’s workday and what they need and want to develop in relation to. The programme includes topics within management and communication. Three management values have been implemented in the organisation. To achieve our objectives, we depend on managers who inspire employees to achieve their goals, develop effective teams, as well as the employees’ skills and confidence, and who perform through their employees with the help of follow-up and clear feedback.

In 2020, employee appraisal and development interviews were carried out with an in-person meeting, followed by a digital meeting. As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, the bank’s managers received specific information on managing people working from home and managing at a distance. Webinars on mental health were also conducted as provision for the entire organisation, which garnered a good response.
 
Skills enhancement in specialist and technical roles are systematically directed to learning arenas such as conferences, workshops and studies/further education. During a 5-year period, 24 employees have participated in higher education courses with support from the bank, including a PhD candidate in industrial economics and technology management, as well as a study contract for the programme ‘Sustainability as a competitive advantage’. The gender distribution among those who have taken further education is 70 per cent women and 30 per cent men.

Planned measures

The skills plan for 2021 is based on the new skills requirements based on important future competencies. Management development, training programmes, sustainability, learning environment and teamwork will be important. Key basic competencies will be digital skills and defined personal characteristics. There will still be a need for greater skills within advice on inheritance, tax and pensions. Legislation and regulations are matters we assume we will have to take account of. 

Authorisation in your own role is a requirement for new recruits, and many new employees have to complete a programme of courses in up to four authorisation schemes. Those who are already authorised have to undergo annual skills refreshers. Authorisations will be an ongoing, priority task in 2021 as well.

Measurement and evaluation

The skills work is steered by the Møre Academy’s steering group through decisions on the annual skills plan and follow-up in steering group meetings. The Compliance Department conducts a review and reports to FinAut annually. The CEO’s executive management group and the bank’s Board of Directors evaluate and approve the skills budget and strategy within organisational development.

The skills work is highlighted and measured using the Møre Academy’s annual wheel. This is a practical monitoring tool for initiating and completing skills measures. The skills work is also measured through authorisations achieved and completed skills updates, e-learning courses and other skills measures. Reports are produced on the completion of key skills measures.

Responsible unit(s) 

Skills development is carried out under the auspices of the bank’s own Møre Academy. It has a steering group that consists of senior managers who assist in the skills work and prioritise targeted skills measures.

Governing documents

The bank’s organisational development strategy provides a framework for the focus on skills. The skills work is managed via an annual skills plan based on development needs within priority skills areas. The skills updates in the four schemes are managed by FinAut and updated subject plans every year. This is followed up by the internal company coordinator. Further education is regulated by separate study contracts.

GRI indicators:

103-1, 103-2, 103-3, 402-1, 404-1, 404-2, 404-3