Academy Bank Reviews

Pros

Pay is decent for a starter position. Company is flexible with days off and hours.

Cons

You have to wear a white collared shirt on the weekends, which the company does not provide. The training program is nearly nonexistent. Getting support from management is difficult when you have questions on how to process transactions (and you usually do because the training is terrible).

Advice to Senior Management

Don't make the collared white shirt mandatory unless you're going to provide some kind of compensation for the cost to keep the white shirts clean. We are marketing by popping popcorn, passing out popsicles, and other messy activities. If you insist on us wearing the same things, you should provide us with company shirts. It would also be helpful if you had a set training program for your new employees.

Pros

It is an easy company to move up in. Simply because the turn over is high.
Decent health benefits and 401 K.
Regional Managers pretty much leave you alone and never visit any of their locations unless for quarterly audit or they absolutly have too.
The staff was great.

Cons

Over worked and under paid compared to competitors.They have regionals in positions that play favoritisms and promote people for not what they have accomplished,but a who knows who basis. Not who is the best qualified.
They put managers into positions that do not know the severity of needing to know regulations and compliance guidlines. Yes, you can get shut down if you do not follow compliance.
Pay freeze for 3 years because they took a TARP. Yes people, a bail out and then hid it from the staff. We had to find out on THE NEWS!!! How tasteless and unprofessional.
Hours worked are minimum 10 hours a day.
I think they need to take a close look on why Branch Managers have quit.

Advice to Senior Management

Try listening to your managers. Believe it or not some of us know our jobs very well. You should not play favoritisms becuase some people do see this and take notes. You should interview people for positions based upon qualifications, not rather or not if they are your "friend" and just "giving" the positions without giving anyone a fair chance to apply for it. Believe it or not this can cause you to loose your job and the company money since you are representing them.
There are a few Branch Managers I do know of that are never at their Branch and have their staff covering for them. Yes, the regional knows about it, but does nothing to stop it since they are "friends".
Sadly if you fixed the managment issues then I think the branches would run a lot better then they did in the past.
Pay raises believe it or not does have employees work harder for you.

Pros

Co-workers, environment, and very fun management

Cons

Hours are a bit much at times.

Advice to Senior Management

Raises

Pros

The benefits were very nice (medical, dental, vision.) Working four 10-hour days and having three days off (but usually split up.)

Cons

Upper management was horrible at giving feedback when it was due. Upper management could also care less about the well-being of there employees. Working all of the holidays.

Advice to Senior Management

Treat your employees like customers because management treats them worse then customers. Some senior staff members need to grow a heart to care about there staff.

Pros

For someone just getting into banking this is a good start.

Cons

Wages not competitive,
Training is very slim and inconsistant
Unprofessional atmosphere do to low wages

Advice to Senior Management

A qualified trainer who trains ALL new hires exactly the same. Do not promote or hire just warm bodies. Dress codes need to be looked at more closely...your teller should not have pink hair and tatoos all over her neck...