Health screenings, yoga workshops at UOB's renovated branch

One bank here is offering unconventional services such as health screenings and yoga classes to its customers.

At the newly renovated UOB branch in Upper Bukit Timah, there is also a booth for customers to make a custom blend of tea for themselves.

Some of the services, such as the tea booth and health screenings, are open to walk-in customers, who do not need to have an account with the bank.

Other activities, such as monthly yoga workshops or talks on will writing, are available only to the bank's customers.

The various services were announced yesterday at the revamped Upper Bukit Timah branch and are part of UOB's initiative to meet the holistic wellness needs of its customers.

The range of services was initially trialled at UOB's Orchard branch from December last year, with basic health screenings being the most popular among them.

More than 325 of the screenings, comprising quick medical tests like measuring one's blood sugar level, blood oxygen level and blood pressure, were carried out at the branch over the past six months.

Any member of the public could walk in for a screening, which would be conducted by a medical professional.

The bank will roll out the services to several other branches, including those at Jem in Jurong, Suntec City and Tampines Centre, this year.

Yesterday, several customers, including Madam Susan Lim, 72, eyed the various services - including the health screening and tea booth - at the Upper Bukit Timah branch with suspicion at first, expecting to have to pay a fee or sign a new agreement before they could enjoy them.

But the retiree, who has a bank account with UOB, said she was pleasantly surprised to learn that everything was free, quipping that banks usually require that customers hit certain transaction amounts to receive perks.

"I've never seen all this before (at a bank), so it's a completely new experience. It makes visiting the bank seem so much more personal and welcoming," she said in Mandarin.

Mr Benny Chan, head of channels, group channels and digitalisation at UOB Singapore, said the decision to introduce a greater range of activities aimed at improving well-being was motivated by the Covid-19 pandemic, which he said served as a "reminder that wellness, be it mental or physical, is priceless".

"We hope to deepen our relationship with customers through curated events and activities that will make our branches a one-stop resource for their well-being needs."