Since the onset of COVID-19 in February, the Bank has been responding by adapting to ensure continuity of services. A number of teams have had to work especially hard to make this possible. Every week, different teams are being given the spotlight in the weekly staff newsletter, 'The APS Times': https://www.apsbank.com.mt/en/news-details/593

The first mention featured Support Department, which implemented the WHO's best personal safety and prevention practices. These included the urgent procurement of scarce personal protective equipment and anti-viral products, sanitiser gel dispensers in all lifts and at exit doors and the intensification of cleaning routines. The Support team also installed perspex screens in branches and meeting rooms, floor-markings to enable physical distancing and co-ordinated the overall logistics.

Another team that worked round the clock was IT Service Desk, with 120 laptops being deployed in 3 weeks for staff working remotely. This was a critical stage of the Pandemic Response Plan. All the necessary operating and security systems had to be set up on these devices. The Cash Services Team also continued to provide operational support for the processing of customer cash and cheque deposits, replenishment of ATMs and cheque clearing.

The Retail network also continued to offer excellent and seamless service through 9 branches which remain open from Monday to Saturday. Most branch staff members still report for work physically, handle moratorium requests, organising meetings online and helping to educate elderly customers to be more confident using digital channels.

More teams will be featured in forthcoming editions of 'The APS Times', highlighting their sterling contribution in these challenging times of the pandemic.