The number of employees in the banking sector dropped by some 1,200 people in the first quarter of 2008, due to lender restructuring processes, according to the president of Romania’s Banking Institute (IBR), Petru Rares. The economic and financial crisis has driven banks to stop network expansion and even to decide to close some branches. However, according to Rares, the number of employees has risen in the bank headquarters.
Although the personnel turnover in the banking system has dropped, valuable professionals are still “sought after” by lenders, and attracting these is costing more than last year, when the crisis was not affecting Romania, HR specialists say.
“Training a specialist takes years. In future, perhaps, the slower development and personnel stability will lead to a gradual narrowing of the [specialist] deficit,” according to Adela Jansen, HR Manager of BRD-Groupe Societe Generale lender.
