The redeployment of blind and partially sighted staff in the banking industry.
UK banks have traditionally employed blind and partially sighted people as telephonists. The introduction of new technology and organisational restructuring has lead to a decrease in the need for clerical staff. Banks are faced with the dilemma of what to do with blind and partially sighted telephonists. Many are considering the options and preferring to deal with individual cases at a local level as they become pressing rather than take a co-ordinated approach. This paper describes how one Bank decided to tackle this challenge at a corporate level through a company wide redeployment project, assisted by the Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB). Data collection, assessments, job analysis and technical investigations are described. The central role of training both for project participants and personnel staff is discussed and the responsibilities of project Case Managers are reported. So far over 100 members of staff have been relocated, supplied with new equipment, had their current job expanded or been placed in a new job. Some other wide ranging results such as changes to Bank policy are discussed. The conclusion highlights some of the challenges encountered and suggests how the lessons learned through the project might be applied to other situations.
RNIB Employment Research, RCEVH, School of Education, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK.
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Simkiss
Bank; Blind and partially sighted; Redeployment