In a globalised workplace, diverse and inclusive practices can empower employees and enhance their creativity and productivity, which can contribute to the company's growth and success. UOB, the multinational banking corporation, has a visionary workforce. At UOB Thailand, more than 60% of senior management positions are female employees. Moreover, in terms of nationality, UOB Thailand has 10 nationalities working together including Thai, Singaporean, American, Indian, Malaysian, Australian, Filipino, European, Chinese and Japanese. With its diversity and inclusive policies, every employee can equally join activities and the benefits provided by the bank and they are also welcome to share their thoughts and feedback for making UOB a better workplace.
In addition to having diverse employees of many nationalities, UOB Thailand also provides job opportunities to retired employees. This is different from many companies in Thailand, which stipulate employees aged 55 years onward retire. Sasiwimol Arayawattanapong, Country Head of Human Resources of UOB Thailand, explained that as part of UOB Thailand's multi-generation workforce strategy, the bank rolled out the gig employment model (independent contractor) for retired employees. This model allows them to return to the workforce on a flexible basis and also creates opportunities for the bank to tap into valuable expertise and experience.
"UOB Thailand opened up short-term and project-based opportunities for retirees in areas where deep technical expertise and extensive experience are highly valued, such as customer service, process and systems training, operations and the Project Management Office. We will also test the feasibility of expanding our flexible gig employment model to include more positions with different target groups in the time to come."
Since the young generation is the future of the bank, UOB Thailand is attracting fresh graduates through its regional Management Association (MA), designed to nurture the next generation of leaders at UOB Thailand.
"Under this programme, employees in MA undergo an accelerated induction experience over a period of 18 months in both retail and wholesale business segments or corporate functions of their choice," said Sasiwimol.
Working with employees from diverse backgrounds may lead to conflict due to differences in culture, communication styles and education. To handle these differences, UOB Thailand has proactive measures. Sasiwimol explained that UOB's people philosophy as part of the UOB Way focuses on treating others with care, growth and trust for one another, working collaborative and respectfully with every individual. The bank implemented training programmes to support this philosophy.
"Throughout the year, we arrange training programmes called ‘Diversity of Generation' and ‘Synergise Thinking' to educate and encourage employees to be aware of individual differences and how to foster good working relationships with colleagues. The programmes are arranged quarterly with successful booking rates. They were fully booked by the end of the opening day. For our expat employees, we also provided them with Thai language and culture programmes to facilitate their acclimatisation to Thai culture and in order for a successful team building collaboration," said Sasiwimol.
Since Thailand is a country with a culture that respects the elderly, sometimes the culture holds back younger employees from expressing their opinions and creativity which may benefit the company. UOB strives to encourage its employees to speak up and also encourages supervisors to respond in an appropriate manner.
"At UOB, we believe that no single person has all the answers; alternate views or questions are encouraged, valued and respected. We rely on the diversity of experiences, skills and ideas of everyone in order for the bank to attain the best possible performance. Our ‘Speak Up' initiative is our commitment to transparency and open dialogue on all levels of the organisation," said Sasiwimol.
"We encourage supervisors to avoid overly focusing on mistakes or allocation of blame and to responsively follow up on any issues raised within a reasonable timeframe. The importance of responsiveness cannot be overstated; employees will only raise concerns if they feel that their voice will be heard and that their concerns will be addressed in a timely manner and without retribution," Sasiwimol added.
As part of its dedication to diversity and inclusivity, UOB Thailand has implemented strategies aimed at cultivating high-performance workplaces and workforces. This commitment to employee well-being and growth is exemplified by the recent relocation of UOB's former head office at South Sathon to UOB Plaza Bangkok on Sukhumvit Road. The new head office features a modern, user-friendly design with facilities that enhance the working environment, making it more attractive and comfortable. These facilities include a resting lounge, a gym, a game zone, a massage room with appointed blind therapists and a lactation room.
This innovative workspace embodies UOB's values by accommodating diverse needs and promoting holistic well-being, which aligns with the bank's commitment to diversity and inclusivity. This approach not only recognises the individual needs of its employees but also nurtures a diverse workforce for increased productivity and performance. We also won the Employee Experience Awards 2023 - Most Innovative and Sustainable Office Design.
"Two years ago, we planned to transform our offices into high-performance workplaces and our employees into a high-performance workforce. The plan was achieved when we moved to our new head office, UOB Plaza Bangkok last year. After we moved in, there was an 86% increase in work-life facilities satisfaction according to the post-move to UOB Plaza survey. The survey indicates that UOB employees are highly satisfied with the new non-working zones such as the gym, massage room, lactation room, and other facilities on the communal floor," she said.
Diversity and inclusive policies are still rare in workplaces in Thailand. UOB Thailand proves that such policies can bring positive benefits to the company, amid the global phenomenon known as the Great Resignation or the Big Quit in which employees voluntarily resigned from their jobs post Covid-19. According to AON analysis in Dec 2022, UOB's attrition rate witnessed a decrease of 1% compared to 2021, which is notably lower than the overall attrition rate in the banking segment, which surpassed 20%. Also, UOB operating profits showed strong growth of 5% compared to in 2021. This divergence in attrition rates underscores UOB's success in nurturing a workplace environment that not only values diversity and inclusivity but also supports employee retention and satisfaction during challenging times.
"Our drive to create a conducive environment of care, growth and trust is beginning to bear fruit, evidenced by the record-high annual survey in 2022 which indicates an employee engagement score of 85%, a 9% increase from 2019. In addition, 89% of employees stated that they are proud to be an employee of UOB," concluded Sasiwimol.
This article is part of a 20-part series that explores what it takes to create and secure a sustainable future. In collaboration with UOB. You can view the whole series here.
