UOB Thailand gives employees choice to work remotely two days a week for better work-life balance
Bangkok, 20 December 2021 – UOB Thailand today announced that it will allow more than 4,000 of its employees to work remotely up to two days per week, starting from next year. Underlying the permanent change is the Bank’s aspiration to ensure colleagues attain the right balance between professional fulfilment and mental well-being.
Over the past two years, many people have experienced the strains of turning their homes into home offices as they work remotely while adhering to various social restrictions. These pressures include difficulties in juggling family and professional obligations, longer working hours due to an “always-on” mindset and the challenges of working together as a team while being physically apart.
Ms Sasiwimol Arayawattanapong, Executive Director and Country Head of Human Resources, UOB Thailand, said, “At UOB, we are dedicated to fostering a caring environment and culture. We want to help our people to develop emotional resilience while being fulfilled and engaged at their job. This is why we decided to implement a hybrid work model. We believe that at least two days of remote working per week will help our employees maintain a sense of connection with their colleagues and the Bank while reaching optimal performance and preserving their well-being.”
“The definition of what constitutes a workplace has changed fundamentally over the last two years. Businesses have been compelled to shift from a traditional office model to one that allows their employees to work from anywhere. With economies reopening and the country’s COVID-19 situation improving, we aim to strike the right balance in ensuring that our people can work efficiently and happily, either in the office or at home.”
The new Remote Work policy is also a response to the changing societal expectations. The recent UOB ASEAN Consumer Sentiment Study shows that more than 80 per cent of Thai consumers would like their employers to provide more flexible work arrangements[1] in a post-pandemic world.
In addition to the Remote Work policy, the Bank will continue to offer the Flexi-2 scheme, which allows all employees to take two hours off per month during workdays to attend to personal matters. Employees in non-customer-facing roles will also continue to have the option of choosing to start their day at the office anytime between 7:30am and 10:00am, having more freedom to manage their own work schedules.
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About UOB Thailand
United Overseas Bank (Thai) Public Company Limited (UOB (Thai)) is a fully-licensed commercial bank with its network of 152 branches, 410 ATMs nationwide (as of 31 January 2021). UOB (Thai) is 99.66 per cent owned by Singapore-headquartered United Overseas Bank Limited (UOB), which has a global network of more than 500 offices in 19 countries and territories in Asia Pacific, Europe and North America.
UOB Thailand is rated among the top banks in Thailand: AAA by Fitch Ratings. We offer innovative financial solutions, quality products and excellent services through understanding and identifying the needs of our customers.
Generations of UOB (Thai) employees have carried through the entrepreneurial spirit, the focus on long-term value creation and an unwavering commitment to do what is right for our customers and our colleagues. We believe in being a responsible financial services provider and we are committed to making a difference in the lives of our stakeholders and in the communities in which we operate. Just as we are dedicated to helping our customers manage their finances wisely and to grow their businesses, UOB Thailand is steadfast in its support of social development, particularly in the areas of art, children and education.
For media queries, please contact:
Yada Srisammasheep
Strategic Communications and Customer Advocacy
Email : yada.sri@uob.co.th
Tel: +66(0)2343 4965; Mobile: +66(0)84640 0058
- According to the UOB ASEAN Consumer Sentiment Study conducted by UOB and Blackbox in August 2021 among 3,466 individuals aged between 18 to 65 years old across five ASEAN markets including 612 from Thailand and 2,854 across Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and Vietnam. ↑