Lloyds Bank's 'Orwellian' sales culture breeding discontent

Pressure to force products upon customers is putting managers under pressure, insiders at Lloyds Bank have reported.

The bank pledged to eradicate sales targets in 2014, and introduced “competency standards” for lower level staff in 2015. The following year it was rolled out to bank branch managers, The Mirror reports.

The insiders told The Mirror that these “competency standards” are just another word for sales targets, or, in the words of Mark Brown, General Secretary of Lloyds Trade Union, “Orwellian doublespeak”.

The union were especially concerned about the effect this has on management, who meet fewer customers day-to-day. They feel this will make them sell products that customers don’t need.