Employee retention

First Bank Financial Centre's Mark Mohr personalizes work anniversary cards by drawing sketches on them highlighting employees' interests.

Financial firms need to focus developer teams on creating products, not fixing legacy IT issues and bad code.

Last summer, the Wausau, Wis., bank combined two employee groups to form the ICEBreakers. Its mission is to support outstanding customer service and foster a positive workplace culture.

There are ways for banks to gain an edge against the likes of Google and Facebook for the best software developers.

HomeTown Bank's decision to designate an employee to oversee its wellness efforts has revitalized the program, pushing it into new areas such as emotional intelligence and stress management.

From on-site clinics to 24-hour access to doctors, many of the 85 banks on our annual list provide unique health benefits to employees.

Banks can’t just make jobs fun, they must help workers find meaning.

Chip Mahan, founder of Live Oak Bank, believes that if employees have their needs outside work met, they will work better with customers.

Michael Towbes, the owner of Montecito Bank & Trust who passed away last year, launched a program in 2003 that gives $1 million away to charities each year.

The Best Banks to Work For study is a collaboration between American Banker and the Best Companies Group, which conducts extensive employee surveys and reviews employer reports on benefits and policies.