Talent Acquisition

In 2020, the Talent Acquisition team developed a Diversity and Inclusion Recruitment Strategy to reaffirm our commitment to fostering an inclusive workplace where diversity is embraced across the Sandy Spring Bank footprint. Our goal remains to attract, retain and develop a workforce that reflects the communities we serve while continuously identifying and addressing potential gaps in our recruitment efforts.

Workforce
Demographics:

Women in workforce
(41% Men, .3% Other not listed)
 58.9%
Women in managerial roles
 53%
People of color in workforce
 45%
People of color in managerial roles
 27%

Internal mobility: To promote internal mobility, we ensured that all job openings were posted internally for three days, giving employees the opportunity to apply before external candidates. All internal applicants were given full consideration and interviewed by HR and/or the hiring manager.

External outreach: We strengthened our outreach by forming strategic partnerships with regional organizations and associations that support diverse communities. These collaborations included participating in informational sessions, networking events and job fairs. Notable partnerships included Prince George's Workforce, Anne Arundel County Workforce, Howard County Office of Workforce Development, Hiring Our Heroes and Seeking Employment Equality and Community — a nonprofit organization based in Silver Spring, Maryland, dedicated to supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in securing meaningful employment.

We also expanded our efforts by participating in diverse career fairs and recruitment events at colleges and universities to attract underrepresented talent.

We have partnered with Bowie State University for over five years and built strong relationships with institutions such as Coppin State University, Howard Community College, Morgan State University, the Fort Meade job fair and 50+ other job fairs, among others.

Our commitment to diversity was further demonstrated through our participation in the National Diversity Career Expo, sponsored by the Northern Virginia Hispanic American Chamber of Commerce. These ongoing efforts reinforce our dedication to building a workforce that reflects and serves our diverse communities.

We were selected as a Great Place to Work for the fourth year in a row.

We continue to collaborate with a range of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and other institutions to support our Summer Internship Recruiting efforts. Additionally, we leverage Handshake, the leading career platform for college students, to connect with emerging talent.

These initiatives include:

  • Meet Your Banker: A social media series highlighting current employees and their roles within the bank, providing prospective candidates with insight into career opportunities. We also leverage creative marketing campaigns to promote employment opportunities at Sandy Spring Bank.
  • Social media engagement: Featuring branch employees through videos and photos to attract potential Universal Bankers. Efforts are underway to expand this initiative by producing content in Spanish and highlighting the Client Service Center Specialist role in both English and Spanish.
  • Recruitment advertising: Placing targeted recruitment ads on branch TVs to engage potential candidates from the communities we serve.

Through these efforts, Sandy Spring Bank continues to build a workforce that reflects and supports the diverse communities we serve.

Corporate Summer
Internship Program
  • American University
  • Bowie State University*
  • Coppin State University*
  • Georgetown University
  • Howard Community College
  • Howard University*
  • Johns Hopkins University
  • Loyola University
  • Morgan State University*
  • Salisbury University
  • Stevenson University
  • Towson University

*HBCUs

Enhancing the Employee Experience

Recognition and Engagement

A key priority in 2024 was ensuring that new employees feel welcomed and fully integrated into our culture. Through an improved New Employee Orientation program, we reinforced our values and provided a supportive environment for new team members to thrive.

These initiatives reflect our ongoing commitment to enhancing the employee experience, fostering a culture of recognition and ensuring that Sandy Spring Bank remains a great place to work.

Employee Experience Initiatives

In 2024, we expanded our employee recognition initiatives, delivering over $10,000 in Spot Awards to individual employees, alongside 258 Principle awards to honor individuals who exemplified our core values. Employees also actively engaged in peer recognition, sending 865 e-reMarkable cards to acknowledge and celebrate each other's contributions.

To gain deeper insights into the employee experience, we continued key feedback initiatives, including the New Hire Experience Survey, which collected and analyzed over 123 responses, and the Exit Survey, which gathered 62 responses, to better understand employee perspectives. Additionally, the 2024 Baseline Survey launched with 607 responses, helping shape strategic improvements. Supporting leadership with real-time insights, we introduced Manager Assist, providing managers with instant access to survey results.

This year also marked the fourth consecutive time Sandy Spring Bank was recognized as a Great Place to Work, a testament to our commitment to cultivating an outstanding workplace. Our Employee Experience Committee played a crucial role in enhancing the onboarding process by refining the Onboarding Checklist and Plan for Managers and developing a dedicated SpringNet resource page for new employees. Innovation remained a key focus through the Bright Ideas Program, which celebrated creativity with 97 new ideas submitted. Additionally, employees connected in a fun and interactive way through themed Chatter Challenges held throughout the year, fostering engagement and offering opportunities for prize drawings.