Bank bashing may be a national pastime but for the 100,000-plus employees of the big four banks the past few weeks appear to have been particularly morale sapping.
So, in the face of sustained attacks from federal and state governments, banking executives are looking for ways to lift spirits. One is going as far as bringing in singer songwriter Kate Ceberano to entertain the troops.
CEOs have sought to remind staff members of the valuable contributions they make to society and the differences that good service can make to the lives of millions of customers in a series of company-wide messages sent since last week.
Banks are believed to be concerned about the impact of the criticism on employees and are keen to avoid a repeat of the global financial crisis, where morale at banks was so low that some staff members would change into their uniforms at work to avoid attracting unwanted attention.
National Australia Bank CEO Andrew Thorburn wrote to all staff members over the weekend from London, saying he was proud of the bank and its achievements and that all bank employees had good reason to feel the same way.
"I am proud of what you do to bring the best of NAB to our customers," Mr Thorburn said in an email. "Stay focussed on your customers, and be proud of everything you do to help them."
Bank SA, the South Australian wing of Westpac's multi-brand strategy, is planning to have Ms Ceberano perform for employees later this week as both a reward and a morale booster for staff.
Ms Ceberano, a singer and songwriter who had hits in the 1990s with Bedroom Eyes and Pash, is known to Bank SA CEO Nick Reade through her role as an ambassador for the St Vincent de Paul Society's CEO Sleepout.
Mr Reade raised $154,000 for the Sleepout and was Australia's largest single fund raiser for 2017.
Westpac employs 3800 people in the South Australia and says it is reassessing its commitment in the wake of the plans for a state-based levy. Mr Reade has said that plans to hire an additional 150 people for a new payments facility have been put on hold.
Commonwealth Bank of Australia CEO Ian Narev also rallied the troops in an email sent to all 51,000 bank employees on Monday. In it he said the tax was a sign of weak management and that the SA government was unable to control its spending.
A CBA spokesperson said employees at the bank and its subsidiary Bankwest were understandably concerned because "they know any new taxes which need to be borne by the business will have an impact".
"There are still many unknowns, so we're committed to maintaining an open and ongoing dialogue with our people and our shareholders as we work through these issues," the spokesperson said.
ANZ CEO Shayne Elliott, who visited South Australia and met with Premier Jay Weatherill and Treasurer Tom Koutsantonis on Tuesday, is expected to deliver a personalised message to South Australian staff during his visit.
A spokeswoman for Macquarie Bank, the fifth bank targeted by both state and federal taxes, said it was not planning to do anything to address the question of staff morale at the bank.
Macquarie has gone to great lengths to distinguish itself from its peers despite being a fully paid-up member of the sector's peak lobbying body, the Australian Bankers' Association.
Banks and other companies have been going to great lengths to improve morale during challenging periods.
Last year it was revealed that Pricewaterhouse Coopers was offering therapy to its 7000 Australian workers who were concerned about the election of US President Donald Trump.
