10 Nov 2021
Anonymous employee
FHLBank Chicago Response
4yEveryone has a role in helping ensure we have a strong culture and that begins with the way we speak to each other and treat our coworkers. While we are always open to feedback and encourage employees to reach out to HR Business Partners when concerns arise, toxic language is not a constructive means of contributing to solutions.
Our return to office plan is flexible and in line with other firms in our industry. The Bank strongly believes that its mission, vision and culture is best served by having some level of in-person collaboration and teamwork, and has strived to provide balance and flexibility to its employee with the blended operating model. While some employees enjoy working remotely, others prefer being in our office. Our model was created with this in mind and we have done our best to take various working styles into account. We have been consistently communicating our eventual move to a hybrid model throughout the pandemic, shifted our target date as needed, and worked to give employees enough notice to make a transition to this new model.
Turnover has affected every organization this year and while we have vacancies, we have also added new employees and roles that will help us continue to grow our organization. We’ve also made improvements to our performance management process which allows us to better assess and recognize strong performers. We have a strong dedication and mission to ensure our workplace is diverse, equitable, and inclusive. From a recruiting and hiring standpoint, we have a bankwide goal of considering a diverse slate of candidates for open positions. DEI is woven through our organization, whether it’s through trainings and employee-led sessions or in our practices when deciding on vendors or supporting organizations in our communities. The pandemic has proven difficult for all organizations as they assess new ways of working and we will continue to support our employees on our path forward.