In a bid to give a its staff a balanced lifestyle, Access Bank Plc, has set up the Access Recreation Centre, ARC, for the mental and physical wellbeing of its staff. The centre, which has a state of the art eating cafeteria for staff, a Standard Gym where staff are encouraged to carry out daily routines of exercise for no fee with the help of a gym instructor on hand for physical training.
Aside this, the bank also engaged a Zumba instructor who takes dance fitness classes. In 2013 when Herbert Wigwe assumed the position of the Group Managing Director of Access Bank Plc, he placed a premium importance on the mental and physical wellbeing of its resources with the decision to set up the Access Recreation Centre, ARC. To further support its staff and family life, the bank under the Herbert Wigwe leadership saw to the establishment of a creche for staff babies between the ages of three months old to one year.
A gesture and obvious demonstration of total commitment and care by the organisation to its staff especially those with tender and young children. No doubt the impact of this investment would not only help the staff better balance their personal life matters, it will also impact on the Bank’s performance. Indeed, one can confidently infer that motivation and staff welfare investments are contributing factors to organization growth and performance.
Aside the social welfare plans, the Bank places a huge premium on training and retraining so as to increase knowledge base, maintain standard practice and also keep up with global business trend. In driving this, the Bank has sustained its yearly scheme of middle management cadre training at the Wharton Business School- a laudable and valuable investment indeed.
These policies, programmes and much more either initiated or sustained by Herbert Wigwe have brought about a highly motivated and committed workforce delivering a consistently impressive business performance year on year. In 2015, the bank improved efficiency in driving profitability by a 38 per cent increase in gross earnings, from N245.5 billion in 2014 to N337. 4billion with Interest income and non-interest income contributing 62 per cent and 38 per cent, respectively to the gross earnings. Commendable performance was recorded in the Non-interest income jumping by 89 per cent to N129.450 billion from N68.429 billion.
Profit Before Tax (PBT) grew by 44 per cent from N52 billion in 2014 to N75 in 2015 Profit After Tax (PAT) which was up 53 per cent from N43.1 billion to N65.9 billion. Whilst Return On Average Equity (ROAE) improved from 16.5 per cent in 2014 to 20.4 per cent in FY 2015, indicative of the bank’s commitment to maximising shareholder returns. No doubt Access Bank is the pride and toast of the financial sector and Herbert Wigwe, as the natural Guru of the banking industry.