Branches will operate six days in the mornings, and twice a week in the late afternoon hours.
Starting this Friday, Bank Hapoalim employees will work a five-day week. As usual, branches will continue to operate six days a week. Following the transition, changes will occur in branch opening hours, which are to increase by three hours weekly. In most branches opening hours will be: Sunday - Thursday, 8:30 am - 13:00; Monday and Thursday, 16:00 - 19:00. On Fridays the bank will open in the mornings until 12:30.
Branches will be open to the public a total 32.5 hours weekly instead of the previous 29.5 hours. Employees will work 41.5 hours weekly in lieu of the previous 42.6 hours. Business departments, previously open until 14:30, will now open until 15:00. Central management divisions will not work on Fridays, apart from those providing ongoing services to branches. Branch employees will get every third Friday off, or will otherwise receive a day’s vacation on either Sundays, Tuesdays or Wednesdays, as required.
For this reason, a special software package has been developed, which will arrange the branch’s work schedule. The system enables workers’ rotations based on specific needs in various departments; definition of each employee’s personal track, based as far as possible on his preferences; management of planned absenteeism, and the option to implement a placement plan in the future.
Published by Israel's Business Arena June 15, 1998.