Cabbage lands bank in the soup

Cabbage lands bank in the soup

In the spectrum of corporate incentives, the cabbage and the cauliflower don't figure too prominently. Except in Scotland, where managers at two branches of the Bank of Scotland made staff sit the vegetables on their desks to try to prompt improved performance. The move prompted outrage instead.

Two tellers at branches of the bank in Glasgow and Paisley had the vegetables placed on their desks within full public view. In the first case, an 18-year-old male teller was said to be deeply upset by the cabbage put on his desk. In the second case, which only emerged yesterday, a 24-year-old had a cauliflower placed on her desk. She was apparently told she could only pass it on when someone opened an account.

The use of vegetables was devised by the branch managers, who knew each other.

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A bank official said the two incidents, which took place within 24 hours of each other last week, were deeply regrettable. The staff involved have received a full apology.

The banking union Amicus met bank officials yesterday to demand an inquiry and a promise that such tactics would never be used again.

John Nolan, national leader of Amicus, said the use of the vegetables was a totally unacceptable way of getting staff to perform. "It is demeaning to staff and it is demoralising to staff and it does not send a good message to customers when [they] go in and see this sort of method being employed by such a well-known bank," he said.

"We are very concerned about it. It is humiliating. We are calling for an inquiry and for a clear explicit statement as to how to ensure that this sort of crude motivational tactic never happens again."

The mother of the woman teller told the Herald newspaper yesterday that her daughter had been humiliated, and that customers were embarrassed.

A bank spokesman said the managers had made a serious error of judgment and efforts would be made to ensure such tactics were not repeated.

"We focus on positive measures such as good bonuses for strong performance," said the spokesman. "But we very much regret we got it wrong on this occasion ... We have taken steps to remind all of our managers of the responsibilities they have to their colleagues."

The spokesman said the positive measures included a free shares for staff scheme - worth £16m to Scottish staff and £54m across the UK.

Guardian Unlimited © Guardian Newspapers Limited 2005