Walking the Talk: How UnionBank University has gone Pedal to the Metal
By Carl Cordero
(with contributions from OC-COE team members)
For many years, UnionBank University has been leading the efforts in growing leaders and building experts. In the last three years, along with the digital transformation of the Bank, the focus shifted from building single domain expertise to multiple domains, thus developing more #Talent UnionBankers ready for the multiple futures of the Bank.
From the staggering transformation of almost 1,000 branch personnel doing transactional work into being at the forefront of converting customers to digital as Ark Ambassadors, to the meteoric rise of front liners like Rachel Alcantara to Line Engr. and Arch. Anna Tangonan-Tiongson, who went through Ambassador certification, now leads and trains new Ambassadors herself. The transformative journeys of UnionBank’s #Talent have not only been a source of great pride and inspiration, but it has also increased business value across all groups in the organization.
Such inspiring stories of capability-building are echoed in Jokes Wolf, who, in addition to being a Senior Manager in Human Resource handling capability-building, is also an Artificial Intelligence and Ecosystem Lead for the Bank’s Data Science Group. Even Cathy Casas, a Treasury Expert, became a stable coin trader, led experiments on cryptocurrency, and now heads the newly established Digital Assets Markets Unit.
So, when 2020 rolled in and drastically changed work (and life) as we know it – the stakes were as high as the bar set by all our #Talents.
Could we change, adapt, and evolve as they did?
And more importantly for a group that leads capability-building,
could we Walk the Talk?
For UnionBank University, there was only one way to find out.
Source: Rappler
In the final days before the first Enhanced Community Quarantine in Metro Manila was announce, the 14th floor of UnionBank Plaza was abuzz with a mixed sense of anxiety and excitement as we began to quickly transition from physical classes to virtual ones – quickly utilizing MS Teams, webcams, and microphones. The things that were once “nice to haves” instantly became the bare minimum. More importantly, what we have built as a foundation in the recent years on Collaboration and Digital Literacy, to name a few, allowed us to not only sustain but even increase our productivity while in a remote set-up.
Fast forward to the last quarter of 2020, we find ourselves deeply transformed by our shared experiences and collective decision to stay true to the Agile Ways of Working.
On the surface, UnionBank University has now ceased to be associated with the cozy training rooms with gray carpets, yellow chairs, and walls printed with word art. Today, what easily comes to mind is the online gateway of learning resource – the UnionBank University portal – that houses over 235 learning interventions curated from an ever-growing number of digital platforms and learning providers.
This shift reflects a more comprehensive and accelerated effort to build on key capabilities that are essential to satying ahead of the game. These are the Core Capabilities for those expected of all UnionBankers regardless of job function and Chapter Capabilities for more specialized squads and teams.
Even for familiar course offerings like the Sales Bootcamp, Ambassador Certification, and leadership courses like IGNITE and Coaching.
The pivot to virtual classes did not only mean a significant decrease in logistical costs, but also a new level of efficiency.
Our ability to deploy classes, unhindered by room availability, transportation, and accommodation concerns has allowed us to offer classes to a significantly larger audience afforded by virtual platforms.
We have also seen an increase in the take-up of self-paced courses, in attendance to virtual instructor-led trainings, and in-site visits to the UnionBank University Portal.
Yet even with such compelling numbers, we are even prouder of the personal transformations our team has gone through.
Carl Cordero
UnionBank University Learning Manager
“I could have never imagined myself separated from my first love, the training room,” says Carl Cordero.
“But now, my ability to connect with others and facilitate learning has exponentially increased, not only through virtual classes but also through utilizing digital learning tools like creating micro-learning videos and curating the best possible online content for UnionBankers. From being a contributor to learning, I now feel like I am managing an entire learning ecosystem,” he adds.
Jokes Wolf delightedly shares, “I am now seeing among us the real transformation of L & D (Learning and Development) professionals into the new breed of LX (learning experience) designers, wherein we don’t just ensure access to a variety of relevant learning opportunities, but we also aim to develop UnionBankers to become “superlearners”. It is no longer just about directing them to “what” they could learn but making them discover “how” they could learn faster and more effectively. And this takes upskilling of the L & D team with the capabilities of data and artificial intelligence, business process automation, and customer experience. We have to be the first superlearners. And we are.
Jokes Wolf
OC-COE Senior Manager
Dave Halili
UnionBank University Learning Manager
Dave Halili, another Learning Manager, resonates with this sentiment stating, “I’ve always believed that my strength is in facilitating and I have always loved doing it. So, when we started doing the transformation in UnionBank University, I was anxious about how I can adapt. But keeping an open mindset and can-do attitude, I was able to elevate my role from just being a facilitator to a learning curator. I was surprised with the things I have accomplished. Now, I can design a learning page, curate, and recommend learning plans for my accounts. In the end, I have seen how I can also continuously transform as I open myself up to learning and doing new things.”
“Not knowing the terminology used in digital was the biggest challenge,” say Gigi De Leon. “I had to learn again, study again, and attend digital training programs offered in the UnionBank University. Perhaps one’s passion will lead you to something unexpected, something better than you thought could be possible. I became part of the Branch Transformation Team and recently one of the programs I manage won the Best Staff Training and Development Programme for Ark Ambassadors. Through UnionBank University and the OC-COE Team, I was able to do digital learning programs, create learning pathways, create assessments, and do virtual classes.”
Gigi De Leon
UnionBank University
Senior Learning Manager
Blessie Doce
Talent Capability Associate
Blessie Doce, a Talent Capability Associate, shared, “Before the transformation of UnionBank University, we used to answer the emails from UnionBankers on various learning and development concerns individually, some of which were the same questions asked by different people. Now, with the different tools that we have, we are able to provide these through the UnionBank University Portal, making the information readily available to everyone. This became possible because we were willing to transform ourselves as well by learning more and applying these learnings to improve what we do. We were constantly curious, exploring new resources and experimenting new ways as much as we can. My perspective and mindset at work also changed as we undergo this transformation within the team. For example, if before I am just focused on collecting data for the sake of recording training attendance, it has now shifting to also considering what a UnionBanker will experience the moment he or she accesses the information anytime. At the end of the day, our role in UnionBank University is to transform UnionBankers to become their best versions. That’s why it is also crucial for us in the team to continue transforming ourselves so that we can also continue to help others transform.”
Tina Calderon, an Organization Capability Senior Manager from the team, said, “If there’s anything that the transformation has taught me, it is the importance of continuous learning. And I realized that this stays true to how Magis means to us: I learn fast and constantly build capabilities. That’s why I believe and am headstrong in building and promoting a culture of learning in the Bank.”
Tina Calderon
OC-COE Senior Manager
Gladys Ocampo
OC-COE Lead
Organization Capability – Center of Excellence Lead Gladys Ocampo is one with her team in championing capability-building in the Bank. She shares, “I am personally inspired by how UnionBankers have adapt to new ways of learning, this led to the increase in proficiency levels on digital and other future-proof capabilities. We are clearly seeing the ROI in learning through the various role transformations of our people. I met agile in UnionBank and it has empowered me in so many ways. Together with my team, we are committed to build UnionBankers that will not only sustain but take us faster and further into the future of Banking.”