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Friday, November 13, 2020 – 2:23 pm
UPDATED Fri, Nov 13, 2020 – 6:53 pm
In a move to boost mental well-being, the majority of UOB’s 26,000-strong workforce will have the option to work remotely two days a week once Covid-19 restrictions are lifted, the bank announced Friday. .
This comes when a Gartner study found that two days of remote work a week are “the best for employees to maintain a sense of connection with colleagues and the company,” as well as for optimal performance, UOB said.
This followed a six-month review of workforce work patterns, workspaces, and technology tools, where 65 percent of banking roles, all of which are not customer-oriented, were assessed to be suitable for working remotely.
The move is in line with broader community sentiment, where a previous UOB study found that 80 percent of people in Asean said they wanted some kind of flexible work arrangement from their employer.
The bank received feedback from its employees through its global network about the stresses of having their homes turned into offices during Covid-19. During the peak of the pandemic, while 85 percent of them reported being just as effective while working from home, 15 percent said they faced challenges that caused them stress.
These tensions included trying to balance family and professional commitments, increasing work hours from an “always on” mindset, and difficulty fostering teamwork and collaboration online.
Dean Tong, head of human resources for the UOB group, said the bank believes the future of the workplace is a hybrid in which employees choose how to manage their work commitments based on where and where they can be more. effective.
“Working from home during Covid-19 has been instructive due to the speed and intensity of change, but we must look beyond the present and define a future of work that is more sustainable,” he said.
“This hybrid approach will require some adjustments and we are committed to providing our people with the necessary resources and support during the transition period.”
In addition to its telecommuting options, the bank already offers all employees an additional two hours per month to attend to personal matters during the workday. Employees will also be able to take advantage of the bank’s staggered start hours; In Singapore, for example, they can choose to start their workday between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m. based on their preferred work styles.
To support your remote work options, UOB will accelerate its infrastructure improvement plan, which sets new office standards to be used throughout the region.
This will allow for more agile teamwork and deeper collaboration between different functions, the bank said.
In Singapore, the bank will establish new social spaces in prime locations for its employees to meet and relax. For example, at Boat Quay, he has converted an office into a clubhouse for collaboration and recreational activities. It will open when Covid-19 safe distancing measures are eased.
When contacted by The Business TimesBoth DBS and OCBC said they already have some kind of flexible labor arrangements in place. A DBS spokesperson said: “Over the past few months, our hybrid work arrangements have proven to be fluid and effective. We hope that these working arrangements will continue in the future. “
Jason Ho, head of human resources for the OCBC group, said the bank has been “agile” in the way it introduced new initiatives and measures to transform the way employees work, taking into account staff preferences as well. like its physical, emotional and mental well-being aspects.
“We will continue to do so as the situation progresses, so that we can constantly be prepared for the ‘next normal’ and improve the way we engage our customers and employees,” he said.
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