For many bankers in Pakistan, achieving a difficult target does not always bring relief.
Sometimes, it simply brings a bigger target.
An employee may spend an entire month chasing deposits, opening accounts, selling financial products or convincing customers to maintain higher balances. Finally, the target is achieved.
There is a moment of satisfaction.
Then the next month begins.
Instead of getting some breathing space, the banker may receive an even higher number to achieve.
This creates one of the most frustrating parts of target-driven banking: good performance can sometimes increase future pressure instead of reducing it.
We previously discussed the wider realities of banking careers, workplace pressure and burnout in our detailed guide, From Targets to Burnout: What Life Really Looks Like for Bankers in Pakistan.
However, one issue deserves a closer look: what happens when yesterday’s success becomes tomorrow’s minimum expectation?
You Achieved It Once, So You Can Do It Again
Imagine a relationship manager receives a difficult deposit target.
The employee works through personal contacts, existing clients and business relationships to achieve it.
Reaching that number may require weeks of calls, meetings, follow-ups and constant customer engagement.
Management sees the result as proof that the employee can deliver.
However, the next target may then increase.
A banker who brought Rs50 million may be expected to bring Rs60 million or Rs70 million next time.
This creates a difficult cycle.
Yesterday’s exceptional performance slowly becomes today’s normal expectation.
The problem is not having targets.
Every bank needs business growth, deposits, customers and revenue.
The concern begins when targets continuously rise without equally considering market conditions, customer availability and the effort required to achieve the previous result.
The Finish Line Keeps Moving
Bank employees often work with monthly, quarterly and yearly targets.
These can include deposits, credit cards, bancassurance, accounts, digital registrations, loans and other financial products.
When targets continue rising after every successful cycle, employees can feel as if there is no real finish line.
Complete one challenge and another appears immediately.
This can change how employees experience success.
Instead of thinking, “I achieved something difficult,” the employee starts thinking:
“What will they ask me to achieve next month?”
Success then stops feeling like an achievement and starts feeling like a new obligation.
Strong Performers Can Feel More Pressure
There is another side to this problem.
Employees who repeatedly perform well can become the people management depends on most.
That recognition can help careers and promotions.
However, it can also mean tougher expectations.
The banker who consistently delivers may receive the most difficult numbers because management believes that person will somehow manage them again.
This can create an unusual situation where the reward for high performance is more pressure.
Over time, even highly motivated employees can become mentally exhausted if they constantly operate at maximum capacity.
No employee can remain in permanent month-end mode.
Market Reality Does Not Reset Every Month
Targets may change every month, but markets do not always provide new opportunities at the same speed.
A banker cannot create unlimited customers.
A branch operates within a particular location, customer base and economic environment.
Once an employee has already approached major businesses, professionals and existing customers in an area, finding another large pool of deposits may become increasingly difficult.
Economic conditions also matter.
Businesses may withdraw funds for operational needs. Customers may move money between banks. Companies may experience cash-flow problems.
These factors can affect a banker’s ability to achieve a target even when the employee works hard.
Therefore, performance should not only be viewed as a number on a spreadsheet.
The conditions behind that number also matter.
Targets Should Motivate, Not Punish Success
Targets play an important role in banking.
Removing accountability is not the solution.
However, there is a difference between ambitious targets and targets that constantly rise simply because an employee succeeded previously.
A healthier approach would consider previous performance alongside branch potential, market size, customer base and current economic conditions.
Recognition should also matter.
Employees need to feel that completing a difficult goal represents an achievement rather than simply resetting the starting point for another harder race.
Banks benefit when motivated employees continue performing over many years.
That requires sustainable performance, not only maximum performance for one month.
Banking Needs Sustainable Targets
Pakistan’s bankers work in one of the country’s most demanding service industries.
They manage customer expectations while also carrying business responsibilities and strict performance requirements.
Targets will remain part of banking.
However, the question is how those targets are designed.
When every achievement automatically produces a higher expectation, employees may eventually stop feeling successful no matter how much they accomplish.
A strong performance culture should encourage people to improve.
It should not make employees regret performing well.
This issue forms only one part of the much larger discussion around banking careers, workplace stress, long hours, sales pressure and employee wellbeing.
Because targets should help banks grow.
But achieving one target should not make the next target feel impossible.
