Great Place to work - Assistant Branch Manager (ABM) ORNL FCU Employee Review

After doing a bit of research and learning about how this organization is primed to grow and improve under some great leadership, I applied at and landed a job at ORNL FCU. Going through orientation, I had doubts that I’d made the right choice due to the vast range of knowledge required to successfully navigate day to day operations. Wasn’t sure if taking 50+ calls a day would make or break me. But I was assured that it would be second nature given time. What brought me into the job with a bit more ease was a quality training environment, and a hearty mentorship program that was introduced to me once I reached my work center in week two. I learned what “Thrive” meant and had two weeks of solid, supportive, structured, and thorough training. Did it cover everything? No. And that terrified me as I’m not a fan of being faced with having to say, “I don’t know.” But those moments… quickly turned to me saying fancy things like, “Let me consult with my team so as to get you the best resolution.” And y’know what? Everyone, has been there for me as I continue to ask questions. The environment is positive, supportive, fast-paced, and definitely requires a certain level of being able to flip that customer service switch to “On” and making that interpersonal connection with the unknown. Executive level leadership is reachable and communicative. The coworkers come from very diverse backgrounds. The environment is professional, yet playful. Nothing so archaic that would make HR bat an eye, but having fun is encouraged. The benefits are solid. The time off policy is one of the best I’ve encountered, including flexible time off and some community outreach hours included, not to mention your vacation time which you are encouraged to use. You get two paid 15-minute breaks, and either a half hour or hour lunch (your choice). There seems to be an understanding that employees are not cogs in the machine, but an actual living, breathing human being. Life is encouraged to be lived. Feedback is welcomed. And work is expected to be done. I’ve got admiration for the whole crew.

My biggest challenges have come from not being able to expediently and efficiently assist members with unique problems that need a bit extra attention to address. Maybe it’s a regulatory thing, or its trying to protect the assets of our members… but the degree to which every last thing has to be quadruple verified, encrypted, 2FA’d and signed off on by a higher up… seems almost counter intuitive to just helping someone get what they need, quickly and efficiently. Though I get it. I’ve had a lot of complaints from members talking of how they’ve had to sit on hold for close to an hour, be transferred a handful of times and still have no resolution to their issue. It could be a card locked while they were trying to pump gas one state over, or having a pdf sent to someone that doesn’t have an email on file, or maybe it was an incorrect email after having been sent over by the dealer for the members new auto loan.. and it feels 9 times out of 10, the info the dealer inputs has errors. So an info update sheet has to go out, is encrypted, and needs a digital signature from someone born in the 1940’s who doesn’t even have a computer… and it’s like… I want to help. I wish I could help. It’s mildly disheartening, but also understandable from a liability point of view. And a lot of the “steps to take” I’m finding involve identifying the correct person or department to get the member in contact with. Then opening a case or task. The customer asking, “So they’ll call me back today?” To me saying, “Ideally and hopefully, yes… but it could take a few days…” A few days with a locked card. A few days to hear about getting an auto loan. A few days to get a call back about a POA situation, or help in getting some statements printed off, or checking on when a title was mailed out, or… or… and it keeps going. You’ll also have to know when to let things roll off your back. I’ve been cussed out, told I’m basically the devil, and that ORNL FCU has lost sight of what it once was… all by upset customers. I find that listening usually helps alleviate that initial barrage of anger, and a bit of empathy goes a long way. It makes me want to advocate for them, and so I do. It’s a challenge. I hope to be with a different part of the organization a year from now, but will say… with everything I’ve witnessed to date, they are actively trying to improve the culture and work flow around there, and I admire that. I legit feel anybody could make a future there if you bring the right attitude.

Pay…well depends on who you are and if you are part of the ‘mean girls’ club Remote work-oh again, depends on who you work for

Leadership constantly promotes a “people first” and community-focused culture, but internally the experience feels very different. The environment has become extremely toxic and cliquish, with advancement often appearing tied more to fitting into the inner circle (or hiring from their previous company, which was a national joke only a few years ago) than actual talent or experience. Many leaders either came from the same previous company or have spent their entire careers here, and it shows in their delusional perspective on the current workforce. Executive positions continue to multiply while the employees actually carrying the workload are underpaid, overworked, and burned out. Everything is treated as a top priority, creating a constant high-pressure environment that is unsustainable. The company also heavily pushes employees to leave positive reviews and engagement online, which feels more focused on protecting the brand image than addressing the real concerns employees experience internally. The disconnect between public image and day-to-day culture is hard to ignore. Trust in upper management continues to decline. This company was a great place to work, but now leadership doesn’t value employees as much as the public optics, flashy new (exorbitant and costly)branches, and protecting themselves from each other.