ING Groep NV (INGA), the Dutch bank, said that it plans to cut 1,700 jobs to make automate systems and processes simpler and easy.

The Amsterdam-based lender said in a statement that the bank will book a pretax redundancy provision of 320 million euros ($398 million) in the fourth quarter. The bank said that the cuts will occur over the next three years and largely at the retail bank's headquarters, in back-offices, call centers and technology departments.

NG's made this decision and announcement in less than two weeks after state-owned ABN Amro Group NV said that it will slash about 1,000 jobs by 2018 and will also reduce its branch network as customers shift to banking on their phones.

The bank said that in 2008, ING has got a 10 billion-euro bailout and plans to increase digital banking, reinforce local advisory capabilities in the branch network and also make additional IT investments in its Dutch retail banking unit.

ING Chief Executive Officer Ralph Hamers said in the statement that the most systematic way of working will impact a lot of their employees. The number of positions employed by external suppliers will also be decreased by 1,075. From 2018 onwards, the job cuts will lead to a total gross cost savings of about 270 million euros and will spend 200 million euros in its IT systems.

"ING is to take the next step in digital banking in the Netherlands. The measure (is) to result in the reduction of 1,700 jobs in ING's Dutch workforce", the bank said in a statement.

ING group chief executive Ralph Hamers said in the statement that change is a constant factor in today's digital world.

The Dutch bank has about 53,000 people worldwide and has gone through significant restructuring in recent years.