Banks.am has interviewed Tatevik Janoyan, member of Management Board and Head of HR Division of Evocabank, about managing a large team in an emergency, about new challenges and steps to overcome them.

- Are remote working and banking compatible?

- In 2019, Evocabank started preparing a shift of some of its divisions to a WFH (work from home) mode, which helped to organize this accelerated shift to WFH as smoothly as possible, within 1-2 days. In this process, the compliance with information security standards, performance efficiency and the team’s psychological unity were of major importance for the bank.

As a digital bank, we were technologically ready to move to a WFH mode. As needed, the bank provided laptops and other devices to its team members working from home. We introduced an online system of WFH performance assessment which provides information on a daily basis about WFH performance. The results are discussed with the team to determine possible improvements.

Unsurprisingly, for the banking team it was unusual to work from home, far away from the bank and each other. Our team members are looking forward to returning to the Evoca environment, resuming their tete-a-tete meetings, discussing news over morning coffee and having lunch together. Recently I’ve found out that some of our teammates make video calls to enjoy coffee in the mornings and at lunchtime together. All of them are striving to get back to the bank and to direct communication. Sometimes we have to repeatedly remind them the aim of the means taken in order to minimize their visits to the bank.

It is really difficult to have family members at home interacting on a video call, children having virtual classes while you need silence to stay focused. Still, as time goes by we all are able to become more effective while working from home.  

During this period, our partners and customers became convinced once again that we are trustworthy. In spite of environmental changes, we stand ready to help our customers.

To date, the bank’s frontline is working at its full potential, while 80% of the head-office team – around 140 people – continues working from home, receiving full salary.

- What is the major team-related challenge of these days?

- From the very first days of pandemic it was vital to ensure proper, open and uninterrupted communication with the team. Any piece of news, security rule guides and advice are communicated to the team both in formal and informal channels. We hold discussions and motivate each other. In current situation, it is important that all team members feel protected and important.

When our team members need to be guided or supported on pandemic-related issues, even working remotely, they receive immediate answers to their questions. Any health or other problem faced by a teammate is of great importance for us. The bank finances the testings for Covid-19 of those who have any suspicions.

We highly value our team memebers who have direct contact with cash as well as meet and service hundreds of customers on a daily basis. The bank greatly appreciates the work of the frontline staff that is at the greatest risk. During this period, they had no extra fear or panic. I think this can be contributed to the fact that our employees always feel the bank management’s candid concern about the health and safety of the team.  

As evidence, our frontline and security teammates have received extra pay for the first two months of the state of emergency. Each month they got a 50% raise to the salary for ensuring the bank’s uninterrupted operation during external uncertainty and for positive mood. By the way, I’d like to mention that no one knew about this bonus in advance and the team had its work done enthusiastically without expecting anything in return.

On these days we hear a lot about job cuts or partially paid salaries. This is not about Evocabank. In opposite, we are expanding our team, while motivating and developing them.

Our team members have been provided with all necessary means of protection. Apart from daily disinfection, each weekend a specialized company equipped with appropriate disinfectant chemicals and devices carry out thorough disinfection of all our offices.

In addition, I’d like to emphasize that even after reopening of public transport services the bank continues to provide free transportation of its team to and from work via a partner taxi service. The team’s work was highly appreciated and greatly acknowledged by the Shareholders meeting.

- How did this situation affect the team and how has the team transformed during these months?

- Most of our team members used the lockdown very efficiently. Instead of taking walks or watching movies, they made efforts to participate in online courses for their professional and personal growth.

In our Facebook group, we have a #challenge to post our achievements and certificates issued by renowned international organizations, so that everybody sees them, is joyful about them, becomes proud of their teammates and strives to attain new achievements. So far, we have had over 50 certificates in our #challenge. A unique atmosphere has been formed among Evoca teammates, one that encourages flexibility, innovation, and creative approach, professional and personal growth.

I think the bank executives’ growth mindset serves as a good example for it.

I’d like to mention that in order to motivate our team, the bank compensates our professional and even nonprofessional training and qualification courses, as well as finances 50% of our team members’ tuition fees in international universities.  

We certainly realize how important it is to develop both professional and soft skills. Soft skills are becoming more important: critical thinkinh, innovation management, negotiations, EI - emotional intelligence, communication and especially crisis management. To date, the world is facing the reskilling problem. The 2020 Global Survey of Work by the World Economic Forum has shown that in order to qualify for the work, 54% of all workforce in the world needs new skills and qualification growth.

- Why do people want to work in Evoca team?

- Armenia is a small country and any information about a desired or undesired employer spreads fast. We can’t hide our downsides or advantages.

The bank is an honest and careful employer and these are not just beautiful words written on our website. We have repeatedly proven it. In spite of the crisis, we keep paying competitive salaries together with providing multiple other material and non-material benefits.

Evocabank offers bonuses on various occasions: birthdays, weddings and birth of a child. For high performance we offer quarterly and annual bonuses. We have favorable terms and discounts for loans and other bank services. Our team members are offered a full package of free health insurance while paid off days may be used at our will.

We don’t have a dress code here at Evocabank. Instead, we have a style guide designed by a well-known stylist, which guides us how to look stylish and comfortable: we have passed the era of mandatory white shirts and uncomfortable ties. We have a colorful open-air rooftop cafe in the head-office to have lunch and just relax a little.

Apart from the above-mentioned, after having studied the best international practices and trends, we keep adding new benefits to this list in compliance with our ideology.

Our group has a tradition of interviewing our teammates on their 1-year anniversary of joining Evoca team. One of the questions reads as follows: describe Evocabank in 3 words. Here are some real-life answers:

- Youth-oriented, bright, loyal,
- Making the impossible possible,
- Innovative, motivating, modern,
- Violet-colored, cool team, responsibility,
- New colors, new emotions, everything linked to innovation,
- Improving, innovative, demanding,
- Nice, cool, powerful.

As we can see, our team members like their workplace and our brand. There is a strong emotional connection between the team and the brand. There is always a positive atmosphere here; we do not accept unhealthy competition, we work in a pleasant environment. And have you heard about our corporate events, they look more like techno festivals rather than bank events.

Imagine how easy it is for me to work in our team, with our team and even with the people who have applied to join our team. Most of them when applying to Evocabank, are already well-aware of our culture, know about friendly, candid relations with the management. If you don’t like it, “violet color is not for you”.

- It is becoming increasingly difficult to attract new talents. How is Evoca doing in this field?

- A few days ago the bank’s Malatia branch has opened - creating 10 new jobs. Soon the bank will open a new Nor Nork branch and will expand the team further. It is true that competition is intense in the sector. It is especially hard to attract IT or digital specialists since most of them prefer working as a freelancer or in an IT company.   Nevertheless, people like Evoca and are eager to join our team.



To find new talents, we are implementing EvocaLAB professional development program for the 9th time. The program is designed for final-year students and university graduates. It helps smart and ambitious young men lacking relevant experience to become bankers. To date, 20% of our team is from EvocaLAB, some of them have already become successful managers: heads of departments, branch managers, etc.

Quite recently a new system of performance management and assessment has been developed in the bank, being characteristic to our agile environment. This is another competitive advantage to help attract talents and have a highly motivated team. With this system, each specialist will have a clear-cut idea what should be done for career growth from the very first days of recruitment through the appointment to a managerial position.  

Apart from professional skills, we highly value personal characteristics of the newly hired, their social skills and life style. This culture and environment has been formed by all the members of Evoca team.

Although COVID-19 changed our daily life, our team continues achieving bank’s strategic goals with highest responsibility. We speed up our pace of implementing and introducing state-of-the-art technology. The world is becoming increasingly digital; and we have shown that we are ready for it.

Khoren Ormanyan talked to Tatevik Janoyan