All India Bank Officers’ Confederation (AIBOC), the country’s largest organisation representing bank officers, has written to the Prime Minister seeking urgent intervention for the immediate implementation of a Five-Day Work Week in the banking industry.
In its letter, AIBOC welcomed the Prime Minister’s recent appeal for austerity, fuel conservation, reduction in avoidable travel, and responsible use of national resources. The Confederation stated that introducing a five-day work week in banks would be a practical and nationally relevant step towards achieving these objectives.
The organisation highlighted that modern banking services are now largely digital, with facilities such as UPI, internet banking, mobile banking, ATMs, cash deposit machines, and call centres operating round the clock. It stated that an additional weekly closure of physical bank branches would reduce commuting by lakhs of employees and customers, resulting in fuel savings, lower traffic congestion, reduced electricity consumption, and a smaller carbon footprint.
AIBOC also pointed out that several institutions, including Central Government offices, RBI, LIC, GIC, and financial markets, already follow a five-day work schedule. The Confederation urged the government to approve and notify the policy at the earliest, stating that it would improve productivity, work-life balance, and energy conservation while maintaining efficient banking services.
