Clueless Corporates — State Bank of India — Part one
“It’s a madhouse,” this was my first thought on my first day as an employee in State Bank of India. The more I look back at my time with State Bank of India (SBI), the more I am at a loss for words to explain what exactly went on there or even what I did there. So instead, I’ll tell you the craziest things I heard or saw there, might as well, right?
Casual Sexism
One of my first roles was in a large branch, I was to be trained on the job and learn the ropes as such. This branch had a Manager who had just come back from her maternity leave and she seemed very nice and was very helpful. One day, I was called to the office of the Branch Manager, who was seated in his “majestic” chair lording above us minions. Across him sat another person of probably the same grade, and to my surprise, he casually blurted out, “ Be careful with that “maternity” case, she isn’t a good worker and just like all women delayed coming back from her maternity leave.” To the Branch Manager’s credit, he didn’t react to the statement that much and just said, “Sure.”
Imagine this, my first role in the branch and I heard these experienced bankers casually dismissing maternity leaves and indulging in casual sexism.
Casual Islamophobia
As a young man, I thought I looked amazing with a french beard. I also spoke only in English, nothing against the regional language of the place I was in (I know it way better than many who purport to be “protectors” of the language), I just spoke in English and didn’t give it much thought. So, I’m out for lunch with some colleagues from a rural branch of SBI where I had been posted (because SBI likes to kick its employees around) and switched from English to the regional language. One of my colleagues who had avoided speaking to me the entire time looked me straight in my eye and went, “Oh! You speak x language? Seeing your beard I thought you were a Muslim and I didn’t talk to you!” I was a bit taken aback by this statement of his, I even thought he was kidding, but no! He was deadly serious. Forget the casual Islamophobia for a moment, Why are all bearded people Muslims? Why can’t Muslims speak a particular regional language? Also, what the hell man? You won’t talk to someone because of their religion? really? What a shit show!
Also, guys, this was not an isolated incident, this was just one of the many casual Islamophobia that I saw in the Bank.
Extreme Bootlicking
Ten years in Corporate and I keep wondering why is it that people bear all the insults and still work at a company? The only conclusion I can come to is that secretly everyone likes these power dynamics, there is pleasure derived from humiliating others and from getting humiliated like a weird S&M game. SBI wasn’t any different, for all the casual sexism, I saw a General Manager in SBI being treated like a goddess, and it was weird as fuck! The other managers would hang their heads and stand around her like her servants as she berated them for their shortcomings, there was even a manager who would get her new slippers every day! Mind you, this was from the Bank’s money. Such a weird thing to do.
This was not an isolated incident, I have seen this with a lot of so-called “Senior” managers, who expected nothing but total obsequiousness from their underlings.
Punishment Transfers
After hearing all of the above, you will tell me so what Clueless, it still the great State Bank of India, it is a job for life, for those people I say, 2 words — Punishment Transfers. Suppose you are a logical guy and you see dumb things in an organization that claims to be the “Banker to Every Indian”, or maybe you are just a person who wants some basic respect, and you speak up, Guess what? You will be sent to the far reaches of the state or the country where potable water is a luxury and a working fan or internet is just a sweet dream. Trust me, a lot of people were “kept in line” with the Damocles sword of transfers hanging over their head, threatening to separate them from their family, from a good career and effectively ruining their lives.
As you can imagine, remembering all these things has made me tired, and so I have split this series into two parts.
If you want to read about another of my experiences in a large bank, read- https://medium.com/@fualexking/clueless-in-corporate-close-karo-close-it-8a16c41c76a4
