Premier Bank’s Hierro: Remote Work, More Compassion

Frank Hierro, market president at Premier Bank, is coming back strong. You can read more about Premier (formerly Home Savings) at its website.

What are some ways the COVID-19 outbreak has affected your organization, and how is it rebounding?

We’ve had numerous members of our team whose lives are impacted tragically in some way by COVID.  We have resources available to our employees to help them deal with the stress and anxiety of this situation.

The safety of our employees and customers is a top priority for us. We’ve implemented many new protocols to ensure their safety, including remote work where possible.  We have also offered drive-thru and appointment-only service for a period of time and continue to close branch lobbies as needed in areas experiencing high rates of new cases.  Not being able to interact with employees and customers as we normally do has created the need to reimagine ways to communicate as we work at building a better banking experience.

Our team members have been resilient and have adapted to the new protocols very effectively.  We now have a substantial number of employees working remotely and they are being productive and efficient. We’ve all learned to be more compassionate towards each other as we stay safe.

How has the outbreak affected your personal life?

Fortunately all those in our family have remained safe and adapted to more home-based lifestyles and activities.

What steps are you taking to come back strong?

Remaining diligent with safety is our highest priority and we’ve been pretty successful at avoiding outbreaks. We are all better at maximizing technology and being productive in new ways; we’ve been very proactive in reaching out to customers to ensure we’re meeting their needs.

What advice are you sharing with the people you love?

Using caution and staying safe is the highest priority.  Be kind and compassionate to others as these difficult circumstances of 2020 have impacted many people and we may not fully understand what folks are dealing with at this time.