Both Sides of The Coin: The Story of The Central Bank of Barbados 1972-2017

106 Training and development The Bank continued to place high priority on training of staff, with a policy driven by both personal goals and organisational needs. The criteria for Bank-sponsored training were made more transparent and a Training and Employee Development Policy was implemented in 2002. Opportunities for in-house training, including in foreign languages, were increased. Training in the so-called “soft skills” was also made available. Starting in 2010, as part of a focus on leadership, the entire workforce was exposed through interactive workshops to the concept of Emotional Intelligence (EI) which emphasises trust, cooperation, mutual care and respect. 66 Several of the Bank’s publics were also present when it hosted the island’s first National EI Conference in October 2012. Health and social well-being The physical and psychological well-being of employees was accorded higher priority during this period. Two initiatives in this regard started in 1998. The Employee Assistance Programme helped employees and their families cope with work-related or personal issues and problems pertaining to family life. The Healthwatch Awareness Initiative promoted a holistic approach to healthy living. Another workplace health initiative was the Annual Health Fair. The inaugural event was held in 1997 for the Bank’s 25th Anniversary celebrations and from 2000 until 2012 became an annual feature. The fair provided staff and the general public with information on chronic non- communicable diseases, sexually-transmitted diseases, alternative medicine, wholesome foods and healthy lifestyles generally. Also complementary to the health initiatives was the provision, in 2001, of a gym for the staff. The After School Care Programme was started in 2003, providing supervision for school-age children of staff members on the Bank’s premises at the end of the school day. Staff getting health checks at the Annual Health Fair.