Not the best bank I've worked for but not the worst
Pros
They really do try to be a good bank to work for. They offer bonuses based on performance, bonuses for staying healthy, and bonuses for selling certain products and services. Benefits for my pay grade are reasonable and include 401K matching, two healthcare options and two weeks vacation.
Cons
The current focus for Retail staff is on production -- sales, sales, sales. If you do not have a passion and aptitude for sales it is a difficult environment to work in and is getting worse. Incentive plans and goals change on a regular basis -- both in what is required to meet and the amount of pay given. If you do not make goal in every single category (accounts, loans, mortgages, credit cards, investments, business relationships, and referrals to Commercial and Wealth) you will not be able to receive your bonus. Many HR functions (like payroll and leave) are outsourced making it difficult to get help when needed. The pay for retail in my area is awful -- I made more as a part-time person at another bank than I do full-time now. Sick time is accrued instead of given in one lump sum at the beginning of the year like vacation -- I wind up using vacation days for sick time. Work/Life Balance is awful in Retail -- you have vacation and sick days but it is difficult to use them all -- I've rolled over vacation hours the past two years (at least we're allowed to!). We're given two days paid time off to volunteer -- I've never been allowed to use mine. Employee retention is pathetic and we are always understaffed (even when fully staffed!). Fully staffed is truly bare bones. The computers regularly do not work -- I have to restarting mine 3x/day on average. BBVA Compass says it wants to be technologically pioneering but ignore their infrastructure. Upper & Middle management changes positions on a regular basis -- lower-level Retail employees can't get promoted if they try. If you start in Retail and want to be anything other than a Branch Manager you are out of luck. CALL NGIHTS -- you stay until 7:00 pm cold calling customers for appointments two nights a month. Two nights a month you have to work until 6:00 on Friday and two times a month you have to work on Saturday. You're not allowed to have overtime but you're also not allowed to cut it all on one day -- instead you wind up coming in late four days and taking hour and 15 minute lunches because "that's what's best for the company."