MY WORLD IN BOB

Once a teacher of mine gave a lecture on how banks function and that was the spark for my life which changed my ambition. I dreamed of becoming a banker right from that moment and so I am. My love for my bank is unconditional, though there are times when I feel I might have gone wrong. My thoughts are pure like the water that flow every time but when it rain, color of the stream do change to that of mud or lime. But that is not for long. So here I begin……………

I joined Bank of Bhutan in the year 2005, with lots of hope and self-esteem. We all know that best thing in life is when you are new or when you get new things and so the best time I had was in Damphu Branch, the works were very simple as it was manual banking. I learned all the basic of banking and was happy with the progress.

I was then transfer to Phuentsholing Main Branch in the same year, life was good but not as simple as in Damphu branch as it was a small branch when compared. I worked there as TT in charged, head casher and so on in two year times. I remember the bygone days in TT section where I was busy like a bee that I did not get time to pee or had to seek help from office peer incase I had attend personal works. As a Head casher, I used to be busy especially in the morning and evening counting cash, that sometime I could not see other person standing across the table because of the stack of cash. Money was just like a bundle of waste paper after sometime as I was used to seeing and handling a lot of cash every day.  Then I was transfer to Head Office in Research and Development Division.

Working environment changed, it was like I was taken out from hell and brought to heaven. I had time to surf internet, read books and attend my personal works but that does not mean I was not doing anything. Only two of us were in the Division and I was not the boss.  I had wonderful boss, who was very understanding and willing to help in every way. The few of the best quality in my boss was he was very approachable, very innovative, very initiative, ambitious and encouraging. Together we carried out so many research works. We brought lot of change in the banking and monitoring.

Then both of us were pulled to CBS project, the new technology in Bank of Bhutan. I must admit that more than my contribution, I have gained lot working in the Project. It was the biggest Project BOB undertook and I was blessed with opportunity to work as Asstt. Project Manager.

My best opportunity till date are being part of writing Credit Manual, Flex Cube Manual (3 volume) and now I will soon be transferred to Procurement unit and my first task expected of me is to come out with the Procurement Manual.

Remember what I wrote at the beginning, let me remind you here “My thoughts are pure like the water that flow every time but when it rain, color of the stream do change to that of mud or lime”

Something that I don’t understand when there is change in our Management team or should I say things I don’t like when change take place. Whenever there is change in Management, everything changes. When I first joined in head office, I used to know whom to report and in absent of Mr. X Mr. Y is the in charge but now I m not sure, for example, if Mr. X is on tour then, do I report to Mr. Y or will Mr. X charge me of bypassing him.

That is not important but what I feel the most important is all employees must be provided with basic things like Chair to sit, table to write and Computer or Laptop to work on. Many of the staff in Head Office use their own laptops but I m lucky that I got second hand laptop from office. This is how we work in BOB

Every employee dreams of going on training in third country but I was not lucky and so are many other. It’s not that BOB do not provide training, trainings are provided in house mostly and only few lucky ones are sent outside but there are lots we learn when we visit foreign places. People open up, new innovation ideas are brought, and way we look into things changes and lot more. More than that employee will be happy mentally if such opportunities are given to all, which will indeed improve customer services but this is just my ideology.

We lost many good employees because of change in Management, this does not mean we have bad management team but some people could not accept the change and others got better offer they dreamed off.

With the coming of new management many good things have come with it too. One of this is that now our Branch Managers at least get an opportunity to go to third country once every year and we are in hope that same opportunity will follow for us before our hopes dies.