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LLOYDS has hired the world’s biggest corporate investigator to probe shocking claims of bullying by branch bosses.
Every manager in the Midlands region will be interviewed after a wave of complaints by front-line staff about the huge pressure they are under to hit sales targets.
The bank last night confirmed US giant KROLL had begun an investigation — but refused to comment on the brief they had been given.
A spokesman said simply: “We take allegations like this very seriously.”
The move comes seven months after The Sun first revealed the huge bonuses being picked up by managers in the area. One HALIFAX boss scooped £28,000 for just three months’ work after his branch smashed sales goals.
At the time, front-line staff claimed the pressure they were under to meet targets was becoming “intolerable”.
One employee in the Midlands said yesterday: “The behaviour of senior staff in my area is appalling and customers are treated with utter contempt.
“Staff are still being routinely humiliated by managers and forced to stay behind if they have done minimum sales lead levels.
“My area was subject to an internal investigation.
“But they have now recruited an outside agency to investigate and interview every branch manager to get to the bottom of what’s going on.”
Lloyds chief Alison Brittain vowed to hunt down the “bonus bullies” in September.
But last month union chiefs claimed staff were still being “routinely threatened” with disciplinary action for failing to meet quarterly targets.
Lloyds now plans to reduce commission front-line branch staff can earn from sales in the New Year. Instead more focus will be put on “team sales”.
Under the restructuring announced earlier this week, only 50 per cent of the bonuses given to branch bosses will now be based on sales — with the remainder based on service.
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