Employers win awards as great places to work; DPM Heng urges care for staff's total well-being

THIRTEEN companies including DHL Express, Cisco and Salesforce were named Singapore's Best Workplaces on Monday, with Tan Tock Seng Hospital (TTSH) also honoured with a special award for Resilience. Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat and Manpower Minister Josephine Teo officiated at the virtual event.

Organised annually by global consultancy Great Place to Work, this year's awards had a special focus on companies' responses to Covid-19. Mrs Teo, who presented the awards, noted the pandemic has taken a toll on employees this year, with many companies implementing belt-tightening measures amid workplace closures.

"The Covid-19 pandemic turned the way we work upside down," she said. "It was not like Sars, or the global financial crisis. There was no playbook and no rehearsal."

TTSH was given special recognition for its pandemic response, and its leaders' attention to the well-being of frontline and support staff.

In a panel discussion, TTSH's chief executive Eugene Soh said a top priority for the hospital was its staff's safety. He recounted how Health Minister Gan Kim Yong visited the hospital on the first day of the Chinese New Year, two days after Singapore confirmed its first Covid-19 case on Jan 23.

On the sideline of the visit, Dr Soh recalled noticing two plaques at the back of the auditorium. They bore the names of two staff - a doctor, Ong Hok Su, and a nurse, Hamidah Ismail, who succumbed to Sars in 2003 after TTSH was designated the central hospital for Sars cases. That moment was a "stunning reminder" on the need to keep their employees safe, said Dr Soh.

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Besides TTSH, Great Place to Work identified 13 employers to receive awards. In remarks recorded for the event, Mr Heng observed that some had provided counselling resources for their employees and paid attention to their mental well-being, such as by sending them encouraging notes.

"A great workplace remembers, and respects, that each of their members may face their own pressures and commitments outside of the workplace, and cares for their total well-being," said Mr Heng. He added that it was important to take care of mental health in the workplace, home and the community.

Mr Heng also commended the awardees for rallying their staff to donate to others during the pandemic. "A great workplace is also a place that inspires and support its employees to care about others - even in difficult times," he said.

The award recipients were ranked based on the results of an Employee Trust Index Survey, weighted at 60 per cent of the score. For the remaining 40 per cent, the consultancy invited companies to share "bold acts of leadership" taken to create a great workplace, in response to Covid-19.

DHL Express (Singapore) bagged first place among the 10 medium-to-large companies to make the list. The company partnered government agencies and the Singapore Red Cross to care for healthcare workers and vulnerable groups, such as migrant workers and the elderly.

Despite the tough economic climate, DHL Express also committed to no pay cuts or retrenchments for its employees. All staff received a one-time bonus of 300 euros (S$488), and remote working devices such as desktops were delivered to staff in their homes.

"Words cannot express our appreciation to all our DHL employees," said Christopher Ong, senior vice-president and managing director of DHL Express. "The stakes this year have never been higher, but once again we have demonstrated that when we put our people first and work as one, we are unbeatable."

Taking second and third place were Cisco and Salesforce, respectively. The others were Medtronic, Amgen, the PAP Community Foundation, Micron, Certis, HP Inc, and foodpanda. Among smaller workplaces with fewer than 100 employees each, lighting company Signify Singapore took the top spot, followed by software company Cadence, and World Wide Technology (WWT)'s Singapore office.