CNN reported that HSBC has announced that 3,000 people – roughly 10% of its
workforce – will be out of a job by 2013 and are part of the bank’s plans to eliminate 30,000 positions worldwide.

Other banks making huge numbers redundant include Bank of
America, the largest bank in the U.S., plans to shed between 25,000 and 30,000 jobs as reported in the Charlotte Observer . In Stockholm, Nordea, the largest bank in the Nordic region is to cut 2,000 workers. The Dutch bank ABN Amro has announced that it will cut 2,350 jobs. The Daily Telegraph has reported that Lloyds TSB will be cutting 15,000 jobs, Barclays 3000 and Goldman Sachs 1000.

A payroll cut is instant money
Banks are looking for ways to boost their
bottom lines – and as employees
represent around 60% of a bank’s expenses a payroll cut is instant
money.

Another reason is that as banks increase salaries and reduce bonuses they find that whilst bonuses could be easily adjusted to reflect the bank’s financial performance, salaries are a fixed cost. So rather than axe bonuses, banks are axing bankers.

A future problem
In my experience when team personnel are restructured there is the need to restructure work processes and determine new targets and work outcomes. In effect there is a NEW TEAM and new teams are likely to achieve their anticipated results only 60% of the time.

This failure rate (40%) can cause huge losses on the bottom line and delay mission critical outcomes unless clear management of the transition situation is carefully implemented. In my experience the more team change that’s implemented at the same time the more likely there is to be a failure. 

The continuing discussion on banks and bonuses seem to shift between the need to attract and retain people and not upsetting taxpayers who have bailed the banks out.The discussion must have been made more complicated by Barack Obama deciding to restrict bonuses.

In the UK the banks in question are RBS and Lloyds TSB but one must presume that others such as Barclays and even HSBC will be looking at the result with interest.

Could this be the start of moderate salaries and reduced bonuses accross all sectors?

With the financial downturn, loss of bank confidence and recall of loans it’s inevitable that well known brands will disappear from the high street.

Marks & Spencer, Curry’s and other brands are recording falling income. More concerning is the amount of investment owned by the banks in Iceland.

However, there is one glimmer of hope, and that it if the shopper should decide that an “enjoyable Christmas” to put all these miseries behind us is necessary and, as in the past, spends in the high street to blow away the blues.

If not then it won’t be just banks such as HSBOS, lloyds TSB and HSBC won’t be the only businesses shedding staff this year. Unemployment in the UK will increase sharply and perhaps we will be talking “depression” instead of downturn.