SINGAPORE – UOB will provide its junior employees an extra month of bonus on a one-off basis to help them cope with rising costs of living, joining local peers DBS Bank and OCBC Bank in doing so.

Singapore’s third-largest bank will pay the additional bonus to about 6,000 employees across the group, of whom 600 are based here. The lender also counts Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and Greater China as its key markets.

Its move is in line with recent recommendations by Singapore’s National Wages Council to help employees cope with rising costs.

UOB said: “The group is committed to ensuring that the wage structure of its employees is fair and competitive, complemented by a comprehensive range of perks and benefits that are sustainable for the long-term, including enhanced medical support and training programmes.”

The bank’s earnings were lifted towards the end of 2023 by strong growth in credit card fees and a recovery in wealth management fees. Net profit for the three months to December 2023 rose 22 per cent to $1.4 billion from $1.15 billion a year ago, it said on Feb 22.

However, its net interest income fell 6 per cent to $2.4 billion, reversing a boost from high interest rates, which had increased margins but also weighed on loan growth. 

OCBC said on Feb 20 that a total of 4,600 junior group employees in Singapore, comprising about 40 per cent of the group...