Explore SCB's Talent-Spotting Secret Formula

Siam Commercial Bank, or SCB as referred to by the general public, is widely regarded as both a venerable institution steeped in tradition and a cutting-edge financial institution with branches throughout Thailand supported by talented staff working behind the scenes. All of these factors combine to make SCB a once-in-a-lifetime career goal for a great many people.

Anyone interested in working for SCB probably has some thoughts about how they may get ready for an interview or about the type of person SCB is seeking. This interview with SCB's Head of People Strategic Partner, Wittawat Autsawanapakas, will provide insight into the company's hiring practices, allowing you to learn more about how the right people are chosen, as well as more about SCB's commitment to its employees' personal and professional growth.

In search of the "ideal individual" for the organization

Each company should have a checklist of the characteristics and skills it is searching for in new hires. According to Wittawat, the right mindset and skillset are two of the most essential factors that SCB considers when hiring the "right person."

Wittawat elaborated by saying, "The first thing we look at is their mindset or attitude, whether the person can fit into SCB's "CRIS" corporate culture, which consists of four elements:

• Customer-centricity which puts the needs and wants of our customer first
• Risk Culture which emphasizes proactive measures to mitigate risks
• Innovation or new ideas and creations which will propel the Bank forward
• Speed, or the rate at which work is completed, which will aid the Bank in competing successfully

Work-readiness is just as crucial as having a set of ideas that mesh well with the company's culture. The first is the job-specific knowledge and experience you'll need to succeed in your role, and the second is the leadership abilities you'll put to use every day. These abilities are broken down into five categories: strategic team planning; driving the team to take action; building stronger relationships among team members; coordinating with internal and external parties; and finally, self-awareness. Knowing oneself, said Wittawat, is the most crucial talent since it reveals one's own strengths and weaknesses and areas for growth. Being like a glass of water that is half full will help keep you open to new information and knowledge.

Strategies for pursuing "The One" from upstream to downstream

Wittawat has developed a variety of strategies to entice outstanding employees with the potential to remain with the firm because it can be challenging to identify candidates who are a good fit for an organization or a certain role. There are three primary approaches that SCB might take to discover qualified candidates to fill open positions.

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“Initially, we will spread the word by publishing job openings across a variety of online platforms. However, this strategy is insufficient on its own to fill open positions at the Bank, as there are occasions when we need candidates whose skill sets precisely match those of the available positions. If you advertise too many different positions, you risk losing out on these skilled individuals.

Because of the aforementioned reality, the second strategy adopted was establishing collaboration with local and international educational institutions. SCB hosts events to educate students, such as workshops on how to construct a professional CV, in addition to promoting its organization and employment. The Bank also hosts online events for Thai students studying abroad. When SCB executives travel internationally, they always make time to meet with potential students.

Participating in the development of pre-graduation career plans for students with the purpose of assisting in the growth of their potential and the skills essential for actual jobs can be broken down into four distinct approaches.

• Granting undergraduate Young-Tech Scholarships that provides full financial support to high school students who are interested in pursuing a bachelor's degree at a leading scientific and technology institutions abroad
• Signing memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with domestic universities to help create, design, and adjust learning courses to suit real work
• Organizing a Co-Operative Internship Project to give fourth-year students opportunities to learn ?through real work
• Organizing a Summer Internship program open to college students of any year who want to get job experience and familiarity with the Bank.

By combining the aforementioned three recruitment tactics, the Bank will be able to attract outstanding individuals throughout the duration of their education, from the beginning to the finish.

An organization that provides not just competitive pay, but also an unrivaled quality of life for its employees

If you asked Wittawat, "What is the strength of the organization that makes outsiders want to join?", he would draw a circle with compensation as the main axis, surrounded by four other attributes: result-driven, flexibility, workplace, and quality of life, all of which make SCB an outstanding company in terms of the quality of life of its employees.

As a first step into the working world, everyone must consider financial stability, as this is the fundamental driving force behind most people's desire to work. SCB pays its employees fairly and in accordance with the value of their labor. In any case, pay is taken for granted as a given in every business. Accordingly, SCB is concentrating on building four more features to encourage more individuals to join.

First, result driven. The Bank gives the same weight to the ideas and hard work of its employees, regardless of position or title. In the event that an employee comes up with a novel concept, they are encouraged to give it a go without being restricted by rigid operating rules so long as it can achieve the required results.

Second, flexibility. During the severe COVID-19 outbreak, many businesses temporarily instituted a work-from-home policy. As soon as things stabilized, those businesses required workers to come back to the workplace. Here at SCB, we know that being mobile is crucial and that productivity at work is not tied to a specific physical place. As a result, the remote working policy is now in effect indefinitely, enabling workers the freedom to select their work location as long as their output remains consistent and on time.

Third, Workplace. Whether it's the two-story co-working space at the SCB Academy or one of the many coffee shops or barbershops spread out over the head office premises, the Bank is prepared to support its workers who wish to come in and sit and work at the office on days when they so choose. Because of this, working at SCB is like coming home for all its staff members.

Finally, Quality of Life. The Bank cares about its workers' well-being in more ways than just providing a nice work environment. The Bank regularly hosts guest speakers to share insights on a wide range of topics, including how to strike a healthy work-life balance, how to maintain your health while at the office, the psychology of stress, and more. SCB also provides telehealth services to its staff, known as "SCB Telecare.”

Because learning is a continuous process throughout life

SCB's primary competitive advantage is its commitment to its workers' well-being, but the Bank has also made it a priority to ensure that its staff members have the tools they need to continue to expand their expertise and experience. The Bank has instituted training programs in an effort to help its workers reach their maximum potential. "While we want the company to grow, we also want our employees to feel that it is possible for them to learn and grow together," Wittawat said. “It makes no sense not to promote their expertise.”

According to Wittawat, the Bank's learning methods are based on a 70:20:10 formula that categorizes education into three distinct categories:

• 70% of total training will be spent on job rotation to provide workers with a variety of learning opportunities.
• 20% of the total learning is accomplished through mentoring in the form of feedback and coaching.
• 10% of all education is delivered in a classroom setting; this can be either online, offline, or a hybrid of the three.

If an employee decides that furthering their education through the Bank's internal training programs isn't enough, the Bank will provide them with a scholarship to pursue a master's degree at a university of their choice (both domestic and international institutions are eligible), with the amount of financial aid provided depending on the type of scholarship.

Finally, Wittawat encourages you to apply for a position with SCB. "SCB is a large organization full of potential and eager to welcome new ideas. This is a good place to begin for anyone searching for opportunities to grow and improve.”