career
Beginnings are usually challenging, particularly when launching a new career. The list of issues that need study and adjustment is a long one. That's why it is helpful to have a mentor who can help you navigate the corporate world and equip you with relevant abilities as you advance in your profession.
Veeraya "Dao" Chuchart and Nawaporn "Tong" Sungkamanee, two powerful ladies from the People Function's On-boarding team, are being profiled by Career SCB today. These two ladies are crucial in ensuring that new employees have a positive first experience at SCB.
Dao tells us that she has a degree in public administration and that she worked as a secretary for over ten years before joining SCB. Communication skills are ideally suited to this kind of activity.
Tong earned her degree in the same field as Dao. She applied for a job at SCB right after she graduated, and after working in a few different departments she found her niche in the People Function. Being a former intern at the People Function, she was able to quickly become comfortable in her new role and form strong bonds with her coworkers.
When asked about their work, Dao and Tong both agreed that their main task involved the orientation of new staff, which is organized twice a month. They kick things off by going over the roster of new hires, setting up the venue, and taking on the role of emcees for orientation days. They go through the Bank's backstory, organizational structure, core values, and long-term goals, as well as provide a rundown of the many perks that workers receive.
Because the responsibilities performed by each team are unique, Dao noted that they schedule at least two orientation events, a bank-wide orientation and team orientation. There are various specifics that need to be understood. Afterward, they will hand things off to their People Strategic Partner (PSP) team so that they can continue supporting and coaching staff members in their roles.
However, the Onboarding team has more work to perform. There are still follow-ups even after time has passed and individuals have settled in their jobs. Tong elaborated, "We will function as a mediator to help coordinate with multiple parties, so we will continue to check in with new employees for any problems."
Apart from new hire onboarding activities, the COVID-19 pandemic has pushed SCB to implement a remote working model. SCB also hosts online events called "SCB We Share" to facilitate knowledge exchange.
Speaking on behalf of the Bank, Tong said, "We want SCB We Share to be a knowledge-sharing platform accessible to all employees, covering knowledge of professional skills, investing, finance, and lifestyles. Experts in the field are invited to speak. For example, we once had an NFT developer talk about how to participate in the digital asset market. Miss Thailand Universe 2020 Amanda Obdam was also invited to give online makeup lessons last year. These were exclusive events for SCB staff members.”
When questioned about the challenges of working prior to and following COVID-19, Dao responded, "Usually we hold an orientation on site. It's a great way for workers to build professional relationships with people from other departments. As part of their orientation, new hires will be given a tour of the company's facilities, including the employee shuttle bus pick-up location and the cafeteria.”
The spread of the pandemic introduced new challenges into the workplace. Orientation activities had to be modified to meet the needs of the organization while continuing to provide stimulating experiences for new hires. According to Tong, "Before COVID-19, we were able to meet new staff and provide them with welcome gifts in person. To preserve social distancing, we will now transport the items to a different location and have staff pick them up. As a result, we have switched from a physical to a virtual company tour to ensure that our staff members have access to the information they require.”
Dao admitted, "Talking about something repeatedly is difficult. We are well-versed in the intricacies of our work because we have years of experience in the field. But when we bring on new workers, we have to act as though they have no idea about any of that. Regardless of the perspective, we can't leave information uncommunicated. The difficulty of this task is comparable to that of performing stand-up comedy, in which we must keep up our best performance throughout the entire show.”
Dao and Tong both agree that coworkers are the bank’s most valuable asset. “Even though the work is arduous, we are encouraged by the fact that we live in a society with decent peers who listen to each other and give each other a chance. This makes it easy to bounce back from fatigue.”
The two ladies working behind the scenes are also quite pleased with the positive response the SCB We Share project has consistently received from staff members. The concept reinvigorated workers during the start of the pandemic, when many lost their drive due to needing to stay at home. Exposure to fresh information broadens one's horizons and sparks new ideas that can be incorporated into one's own work down the line.
Dao and Tong commented on their experience with this role, saying that they were both proud when someone turns to them and gets the answers they need.
