Working at Rabobank Group in Salinas, CA: 2 Employee Job Reviews by Real Employee working in Salinas, CA Area

"Rabobank is the most dysfunctional organization I’ve ever experienced. Loans take an incredibly long time to close; commercial real estate loans take anywhere from 120-350 days to complete. Employees have been told that this is a “temporary situation,” for the last 36 months. Many businesses have been pushed to the brink of bankruptcy with the unnecessary delays. Underwriting policies are the same for $50,000 loan as they are for a $5,000,000 loan. Quarterly commissions are inaccurate and paid late with absolutely no notice or explanation. Employee turnover is rampant. For Relationship Managers, 40% of the sales force left in 2016 and an even higher percentage in the underwriting department and branch locations. The client turnover is just as rapid, as many clients are leaving due to delays caused by improperly trained personnel, defunct banking channels and inept leaders. The loan processing department could be aptly described as a breathtaking Grand Canyon of incompetence. There is little or no accountability from the highest leadership all the way down to the temporary employee (whom is all they can seem to attract due the damaged brand reputation of Rabobank). Favoritism is rampant and many people lacking the proper qualifications occupy critically important roles. Ask any business client that took a loan with Rabobank from 2014 on and they will tell you the same thing, “The bank strung me along and never followed through on our closing expectations. You guys almost brought my business to bankruptcy.” The EVP who runs the processing department lacks the interpersonal and technical skills to manage the chaos. She sends these monthly “progress,” emails that were not unlike Robert McNamara’s reports on the progress of America’s involvement in Vietnam."

"This has been the worst experience in my 35 years of banking"

What do you like about working at Rabobank Group?

"It started off great. They were the 10,000 lb gorilla that had ability to be all things to their clients. They really appeared to care about the staff and the clients"

What don't you like about working at Rabobank Group?

"You are not allowed to speak your mind even though they ask you to. They (top management) is confused about their direction. They run the place like the Gestapo (they forgot they fought against that in WWII). Their is no loyalty to staff only to the bottom line. Truth is met with dismissal and unfair treatment. Performance is met with greater demand and less rewards."

What suggestions do you have for management?

"Before they start cleaning house at the staff levels, they need to direct their attention to the lack of focus at the upper level. When executive officers cannot agree on what the vision of the bank is, how can staff."