MANAMA: The National Bank of Bahrain (NBB) is implementing a series of internal measures to ensure the health and safety of its employees across its operations, and further support them beyond the workplace.
In line with government directives urging all residents, citizens and businesses to practice social distancing to prevent the spread of the virus, NBB is increasingly shifting towards a ‘work from home’ environment, with priority being given to pregnant women and mothers with children below the age of 18, as well as to employees with compromised immunity due to chronic health conditions, and those residing with family members who fall under the previously mentioned categories.
NBB has also enabled remote access to operational personnel currently working from home.
Training courses and business meetings have continued with the increased adoption of digital communication methods.
A rigorous sanitisation regime is also being implemented across the bank’s entire network, in addition to providing all customer-facing employees with the necessary personal protective equipment, such as gloves, masks and sanitisers, as an added safety measure.
Additional pre-emptive measures have been adopted to reduce both staff and customer exposure to any potential health risk, including reduced working hours and staff rotations, and the temporary closure of high-density branches.
Staff who were operating in the closed branches are now supporting the remaining network.
NBB is taking a step further to stay closer to the needs of its employees by extending the previously mandated 14-day leave of absence to those affected by Covid-19, to 21 days.
The bank said it is deferring all monthly loans for Bahraini citizens for up to six months with no additional charges on interest, and no interest on interest, which is also applicable to Mazaya loans.
Additionally, all credit cardholders have been offered deferment on all monthly dues for a period of six months without additional charges, and no interest on interest.
NBB has advised customers to utilise contactless payments and remote transactions from home through its 24/7 available mobile banking features.
Other initiatives include the increase of limit on Tap&Go without a PIN from BD20 to BD50, and the temporary increase of the debit card daily withdrawal limit at NBB ATMs from BD1,000 to BD2,000 until further notice.
Additional precautionary measures are being considered internally and will be deployed as and when the need arises.
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