ICBA Membership Is A Workplace Perk

In speaking with bankers about the benefits of membership, I’m often struck by the number of individuals that are unaware of the wealth of services offered or that membership privileges extend to every employee, in every branch of their bank.

Common refrains like “I had no idea this was included” or “can my board members participate” suggests that the true value of ICBA membership remains one of our industry’s best kept secrets.

When your community bank became an ICBA member, your leadership team probably had a specific end goal in mind, such as joining the fight to reduce onerous regulatory burden or expanding the bank’s product and service arsenal. Amplifying community bankers’ voices in our nation’s capital is certainly an ICBA top priority, as is supporting innovation as a way to meet customers’ evolving financial needs, but when you look at the ICBA mission holistically our raison d’être is to create and promote an environment where community banks flourish. In support of this mission we’re also dedicated to providing community banker education for your entire bank team.

ICBA’s Community Banker University leverages multiple delivery options to provide community bankers in every role with learning opportunities. From your bank teller to your chief financial officer, our training programs make a positive difference not just from a profitability standpoint or in an examination context, but in the curation of well-rounded, knowledgeable community bankers.

With resources like the Community Banker University online training library of 300+ courses and our Unlimited Webinar Pass, staff can dive into self-paced learning for improved job performance at a time and place of their choosing.

Our flexible learning opportunities are designed for specific job roles within the bank, but we also offer coursework and in-person training focused on critical soft skills (leadership, communication and collaboration) that benefit community bankers at every level. These skillsets are increasingly in demand and rank as the No. 1 training priority for employers, according to a LinkedIn 2018 Learning Report. A joint 2017 study by Boston College, Harvard University, and the University of Michigan provides further evidence of the benefits of soft skill training, noting a 12 percent boost in productivity and retention and an astounding 250 percent return on investment.

Events like our upcoming ICBA LEAD FWD Summit scheduled for Sept. 16–17 in New Orleans offers the perfect blend of personal development and technical banking skills, while our annual convention ICBA LIVE scheduled for March 8-12 in Orlando, Fla., provides the ultimate venue for supercharged networking, education and exploration.

If you haven’t introduced ICBA to your entire bank team, what are you waiting for? Because in banking, like any business, sometimes it’s what you don't know that limits potential. Just imagine the opportunities for personal career advancement and the impact on your bank’s overall success if every employee leveraged the full extent of your ICBA membership.

Learn more about how you can maximize your ICBA member benefits by calling (866) THE-ICBA or by emailing [email protected].

Lindsay LaNore is Group Executive Vice President, Community Banker University, at ICBA.