What it does: Offers services in corporate and personal lending, retail and wholesale banking, and investment banking to customers in Thailand.
Best known for: The country’s oldest commercial bank.
Staff stats: Around 27,000.
The good bits: Reported to have a friendly work environment.
The not-so-good bits: The company has extended work hours and a bureaucratic environment.
The Siam Commercial Bank Public Co. Ltd. (SCB) was Thailand's first domestic bank established in 1907. Headquartered in Bangkok, the company is the country’s third-biggest commercial bank with total assets of US$63 billion as of 2018.
SCB became a publicly listed company in 1976 and was the first bank to introduce automated teller machines (ATMs) throughout Thailand in 1983.
In 2016, the company launched the SCB Transformation Programme with the aim of becoming the ‘the Most Admired Bank’ by 2020. This programme is set to upgrade its infrastructure and improve the long-term competitiveness in light of the rapid changes in digital technology, consumer behaviour and government regulations.
In line with this programme is the company’s strategic plan called ‘Going Upside Down,’ wherein SCB intends to change its business model and mindset in human resources, work processes, products and technology to boost performance as well as sustain customer value and services.
Candidates can submit their resume and fill out the application form on the company’s affiliated recruitment sites.
The waiting period can take up to two months before receiving a notice from the company’s human resources team. When shortlisted and scheduled, the candidates will go to the office in Bangkok and take the initial screening. They will then take written tests in reading comprehension, math and English, IQ and logic skills..
After passing the tests, aspiring candidates will go through two interviews, the first from HR for the personality assessment and the second from the hiring manager for the skill assessment. The interview questions may include:
The hiring manager asks the job-related questions such as:
The following are the positions available for graduates and their reported monthly salaries in baht): customer service representative 19,000-25,000; HR specialist 24,000-32,000; accounting assistant 20,000-26,000; administrative assistant 21,000-28,000; management trainee 16,000-22,000; loan processor 20,000-26,600; teller 14,000-18,000; phone banker 10,000-13,000; data processing clerk 12,000-15,000; credit analyst clerk 19,000-25,000; fraud analyst 21,000-29,000; research assistant 18,000-23,000.
Under the SCB Transformation Programme, the organisation provides employees the capability development roadmap which integrates numerous training programmes, such as design thinking for innovation, digital transformation, mindset and change management. This offers them career advancement opportunities and professional development.
Consistent with this goal is the establishment of the SCB Academy in 2017 where it serves as an open forum for employees to learn and experiment with new ideas. Employees can boost their skills and knowledge in this platform as executive coaching programmes are offered. Senior executives are invited to share their expertise with the participants. Learning and training courses, such as Building on Talent, Digital Transformation, Execution Leadership and Changing Employee Behaviour, are also introduced in partnership with leading international academic institutions.
Moreover, the organisation launched its own digital learning platform called Phon La Muang Dee(gital) where employees can access and learn digital skills based on their preferences from anywhere and at a convenient time. This platform offers over 10,000 courses and AI-enabled recommendations of contents and courses that match the needs and learning behaviours of each employee.
The work environment is said to be professional and friendly. Managers are approachable and hands-on. Colleagues work together in the daily operations to resolve problems, attend to customer concerns and attain departmental targets.
SCB also promotes a culture of fairness and openness. Based on its policy, employees are allowed to join labour unions and are urged to share their opinions regarding the organisation’s operation and management approach. It also employs qualified individuals regardless of gender age, religious belief or disability.
The company put in place a complaint channel known as the Whistle Blower programme where employees can send or file their complaints about violations, suspected fraud or corruption. Through this programme, SCB regularly monitors and assesses corruption exposure to maintain transparency and trust among employees, customers and shareholders.
SCB launched the Junior Science Talent Programme that supports youth development projects in science and technology. In cooperation with the country’s National Science and Technology Development Agency, the programme builds capacity among youth through a variety of activities appropriate to different learning levels.
At SCB, employees will feel comfortable being creative given the company’s open culture. They can suggest different ideas and think outside the box without the fear of receiving criticism. Slow decision-making caused by an organisation's bureaucratic environment may affect their morale.