BOV celebrates longstanding employees’ anniversaries amid increasing labour market challenges

Bank of Valletta (BOV) CEO Kenneth Farrugia has praised a number of the bank’s employees for being part of BOV for so long, despite increasing pressures from a tight labour market.

This came as BOV recently hosted an event for around 200 of its employees at the Limestone Heritage in Siġġiewi, celebrating their employment anniversary at the bank. These individuals were commemorating between 15 to 45 years working at the bank, having witnessed the evolution of banking and Malta’s financial services industry over the years. They were have also seen how BOV has continued to develop its banking business in the process of becoming Malta’s largest banking and financial services provider.

Mr Farrugia remarked that in today’s labour market, employee retention has become “increasingly challenging”, thus making such occasions even more special and worth celebrating.

“BOV is today actively transforming its business and operational model to strengthen its leadership position in the market,” he said.

He pointed out that this change programme is supported by highly talented individuals who possess diverse skills and experiences operating across the business, support, and control functions of the bank.

“Whilst BOV will be celebrating its 50th year in 2024, and has a rich history behind it, the bank is dynamically transforming itself into a forward-looking and highly focused organisation aiming to remain a leader and innovator in the market,” Mr Farrugia concluded.

The need for a diverse and inclusive workforce is a must in today’s modern-day employment reality. Within this context, the bank’s goal to attract the required human capital entails not only recruiting the right talent to support its aspirations and ambitions, but also ensuring that employees from diverse backgrounds “feel a sense of belonging and engagement in a dynamic organisation”.

BOV Chief People and Culture Officer Ray Debattista highlighted BOV’s efforts to position itself as the “employer of choice in the banking sector”.

During the event, Gordon Cordina, BOV Chairman, stated: “What distinguishes the people in front of me this evening is that, in spite of having spent all these years in the bank’s employ, they are still young in their enthusiasm and eagerness to deliver.”

“It is this spirit that will take BOV forward and enable us to continue growing,” Dr Cordina concluded.