Overview
Astoria Financial Corp. is the holding company for one of the largest thrifts in the U.S., Astoria Savings and Loan. The bank is based in Lake Success, N.Y., on Long Island, has about 90 branches in the New York area, as well as a regional mortgage broker network.
The thrift has been working to change an operations-centric workplace to focus on listening skills with the aim of boosting both customer and employee retention. Seeking customer feedback for continuous improvement is baked into its culture. Bonuses are tied to performance and the company is partially owned by its employees. It also seeks to build a workforce that reflects the multicultural diversity of the communities it serves, particularly when it comes to languages.