UOB Thailand's employee-centric transformation received acclaim at the Asian Experience Awards

The company received the Thailand Employee Experience of the Year - Banking trophy for their exceptional commitment to nurturing a thriving workplace environment.

United Overseas Bank (Thai) Public Company Limited (UOB Thailand) has emerged as the winner of the prestigious Thailand Employee Experience of the Year - Banking award at the renowned Asian Experience Awards. This accolade recognises UOB Thailand's relentless dedication to fostering a workplace environment that nurtures pride, care, growth, and trust amongst its employees.

The Asian Experience Awards, celebrated for their recognition of excellence in enhancing employee experiences across Asia, have acknowledged UOB Thailand's exceptional achievements in the banking sector.

At UOB Thailand, the pursuit of becoming the foremost institution in employee pride has been a continuous journey marked by unwavering commitment to service excellence and performance. This commitment extends to addressing both external challenges and internal management, with the ultimate goal of positioning UOB Thailand as the industry leader in employee satisfaction and well-being.

The year 2022 marked a significant step in UOB Thailand's transformative journey. The bank expanded its business through the strategic acquisition of Citigroup's consumer banking businesses in Thailand, catapulting UOB Thailand to the position of the sixth-largest retail bank in Thailand with a customer base of 2.4 million. Integral to the acquisition plan was the imperative to ensure that employees and customers perceived a unified UOB—a harmonious entity sharing common purpose, goals, and an unwavering commitment to putting customers first.

UOB Thailand revitalised its brand identity to align with its compelling purpose: "Building the future of ASEAN: For the people and businesses within, and connecting with, ASEAN." This mission statement underscores the bank's long-term strategic commitment to the ASEAN region. 

As part of the brand transformation, UOB introduced a refreshed logo, seal mark, and a unified regional brand campaign, " Right By You," to showcase the bank's readiness for the future in the ever-evolving banking landscape.

UOB Thailand made a significant move by relocating its head office to UOB Plaza Bangkok, a contemporary 30-floors green building with BCA’s Green Mark Platinum criteria nestled in the heart of Bangkok. This new headquarters embodies the High-Performance Workplace (HPW) philosophy, emphasising collaboration, unity, sustainability, and superior performance. Every facet of the workspace underwent meticulous design to accommodate evolving work processes, ensuring a pleasant and productive environment.
Alongside this relocation, UOB Thailand underwent a refreshing transformation of its corporate identity. The organisation brightened its corporate colours and modernised its seal mark. In addition to these changes, the uniforms of branch staff were updated to convey a minimalist and vibrant modern style.

Despite the global economic challenges, UOB Thailand displayed resilience through business expansion and strategic recruitment efforts. The company successfully acquired Citigroup's consumer banking businesses, with an impressive 88% of Citi staff accepting the transfer to UOB. Furthermore, UOB Thailand proactively recruited a thousand new positions to bolster its workforce, supporting its ambitious business expansion endeavours.

Internally, UOB Thailand has championed the concept of "One UOB" through the "UOB Way," where every employee is inspired by a shared purpose, upholds core values, and commits to the bank's people philosophy.

By actively listening to its employees through comprehensive surveys, UOB Thailand pinpointed four key areas for improvement, aimed at enhancing the overall employee experience and reinforcing the integration of the UOB Way. 

The first area of focus is Enhanced Productivity, which involves streamlining and enhancing the efficiency of six core bank processes. Additionally, there is a strong emphasis on Performance Management, with efforts directed at reinforcing performance management cycles, processes, and criteria to promote transparency and understanding. 

To inspire career growth, UOB Thailand is introducing individual development plans (IDPs) and creating opportunities for career advancement. Lastly, the organisation is launching the "Wellness Shape Your Life Programme," which places a significant focus on well-being across various dimensions, including Mental, Physical, Financial, Career, Social, and Intellectual wellness. These initiatives collectively reflect UOB Thailand's commitment to its employees' well-being and professional development.

The success of these improvements was attributed to strong leadership from senior management, engagement of talent and key influencers across all functions, and strategic communication efforts.

The Asian Experience Awards is presented by Asian Business Review Magazine. To view the full list of winners, click here. If you want to join the 2024 awards programme and be acclaimed for providing meaningful brand experiences to stakeholders, please contact Jane Patiag at [email protected].