UOB Malaysia is giving the majority of its almost 5,000-strong workforce the choice to work remotely up to twice a week once COVID-19 restrictions are fully lifted.

In a recent release announcing the move, Bank said underlying the permanent change is its “aspiration to ensure colleagues attain the right balance between professional fulfilment and mental wellbeing.”.

The announcement follows a review of work patterns, workspaces, and workforce technology tools during the COVID-19 pandemic. Close to 60% of bank roles were assessed to be suited to working remotely, whether from home or a location other than the employee’s assigned workplace. The new arrangements also fall in line with broader community sentiment where 90% of people surveyed across Malaysia said they expected some form of flexible work arrangement to become more common in a post-pandemic world, the Bank added.

In addition to remote work options, UOB Malaysia will continue to offer Flexi-2, which gives all employees an additional two hours a month off to attend to personal matters during the workday. Eligible employees will also be able to opt for flexible working hours, beginning their workday between 7:30 am to 10:00 am based on their preferred work styles.

UOB Malaysia’s move follows the wider organisation’s move to flexible work arrangements. The two-day remote working arrangement was first announced across UOB’s markets in November 2020, where a head office transformation in UOB Malaysia was also announced and is expected to complete in 2022.

Human Resources Online