Don’t Make The Mistake Of Taking Up A Job With Equity Bank

DON’T MAKE THE SAME MISTAKES.

I made some mistakes in my career growth. I always feell should have made better choices, but again we make choices given the options we have. The choices made in every career determine how far your career grows how much money you make and the quality of life you eventually retire to and live through. I am not living badly but I would like to warn you about who to work for. Every organization has its challenges, but one really stood out for me. Between 2008 and 2016 I worked for one of the best employers in the country. At least that is what I thought at the time

From the outside they seemed superb here I was sure I would grow and most importantly make money. I really got neither until I left. Coming from Central Kenya equity bank or member was always looked at as our thing. Our space, the place to go. So, when I received a call to interview for a job there, I was ecstatic. My family wondered how I had landed this interview. My extended family thought and believed I must have known someone. Even more I was not working in a regional branch I was going to the head office. I did my best and scored highly on the interviewed. Or that is what I thought. I later learned some of the people I interviewed with refused to take up the job offer. They were wiser

So, I joined the company. Within the three months I should have left because the signs were on the wall. If you have just joined, consider my advice. For a company of this magnitude, it didn’t make sense that getting a working PC was such an issue. On top of that they used desktops I came from an office that used Laptops. When I told my friends this, they asked me if they even had money to pay me. I was not an intern so how did I not have a working laptop. After some time at equity 2nd floor, I lost touch with my friends. Little did I know what this employer would take from me. I wish someone had warned me. My job involved rolling out new money programmes around the country.

This is where the greed of the organisations became visible. I was used to receiving money to travel across the country as per diem pay. Equity does not give per diem ever. Instead, I was to take money from the organization, that I was to use then bring back receipts and the difference would be deducted from money given. This was such a cheap organization. What did I expect from central Kenya mindsets and ways of life. Given where I had come from, I was ashamed of sharing this with people close to me. I felt foolish. To have chosen this. Maybe I shouldn’t have, in fact I should have been more vocal. Now note that in my tenure there I was never given per diem for any domestic travel. Only accountable facilitation.

It didn’t matter if I was to be in Wajir for two weeks. I only got my salary as is. Nothing. How greedy and stingy. Even the smallest upcoming company in the country gives its employees per diem whenever they travel and spend the night outside their home. Not this wealthy renowned blue-chip employer. At this same time equity formerly a building society was winning many awards locally and internationally. I started to wonder how they were getting these given this small staff issues. Even the CEO didn’t deserve what he was awarded for. He had made this way of life and work for us. He didn’t care as long as he saved money for his pockets.

The money issue got even worse. I was only given Ksh 1,000 per day for food water and drinks. That is Ksh 500 per meal. If I brought a receipt with more that 500 each say 501, the one bob came from my account. I guess I was not to overeat. 501 was overeating. Which never made sense if you gave me money wasn’t it my choice how to spend it. Why decidehow much I was to spend per meal, and per seating. It so stupid. Accommodation. Per night I was not to spend over Ksh 3,500 per night for BB. Or else I paid the money above it myself. If I spent less, I was to return the balance to the company.

Regardless of the amount. Be it 50 cts. Crazy. In the beginning the 3,500 was okay but every year accommodation got more expensive. So, I ended up sleeping in cheaper hotels or spending long periods of time at every hotel reception negotiating 5,500 to 3,500. You know the hustle I went through working at Equity made me realize that James was a sadist. He enjoyed others suffering and pretended it was the way to work.

An evilness. After a year I was ready to go, but I was not getting job offers. Throughout my stay at equity, I moved backwards in terms of earnings. My peers who had gone to KCB now earned more than me. With less work and political pressure. They didn’t work on Saturdays. Anyone who earns well at equity either has a good boss or is a bad person. The kind that backbites their
peers and get favors in return. How did I end up working on Saturdays. HR lied to me. During my interview they told me Saturdays were not a must. All I had to do was talk to my boss on when and if I will work on Saturdays. My boss never came to work on Saturday but always expected us to.

This drained my social life. I missed so much that I will never get again. In this difficult post covid times. I have learnt that a good employee can mean so much. I good employer/boss is heaven. A bad one is one shilling taken from your salary so that you eat less. If you ever have a choice between this former building society and another company, go for the other and thank me later. I hope my article helps you and was not for
nothing.