Employers lauded for promoting positive workplace culture, progressive HR practices

SINGAPORE - DHL and Cisco have been named among the best places to work in Singapore. Hilton hotel employees can take a month off from their jobs to pursue a personal cause, while manufacturing firm Michelman Asia-Pacific automated its work process to reduce the workload of its older employees.

These four companies were among more than 70 employers that were lauded for promoting positive workplace culture and progressive human resources (HR) practices in two separate events on Friday.

At one of the events, Hilton was one of 45 companies that received the Great Place To Work awards for building workplaces that fostered trust among employees. It implemented a programme to rally a culture of supporting employees, listening to their feedback and providing initiatives that improve their well-being. It also organised mental wellness campaigns and introduced a sabbatical scheme that allows employees to take a month off to pursue a personal cause, with a stipend.

Hilton’s Asia-Pacific vice-president for HR Patsy Ng said: “Amid current talent challenges, we have a responsibility to engage with those whose paths have never crossed with hospitality, to help them better understand what working in this industry means today.”

The awards were handed out by Great Place To Work, a global organisation that promotes positive workplace culture. The award winners were picked after they were evaluated on areas including confidential feedback from their staff, the companies’ values and the effectiveness of their leaders.

After analysing the data of companies that participated in the 2022 and 2023 employee surveys, Great Place To Work also found that a firm’s trust index score increased with an improvement in employees’ experience in the areas of collaboration and communication.

Ms Evelyn Kwek, Great Place To Work managing director for Asean and Australia and New Zealand, said: “Trust isn’t just a feel-good factor. It’s the lifeblood of engagement, productivity, innovation and growth.

“The past few years have been tumultuous. We’ve witnessed shifts in economic landscapes, evolving work models, and social transformations. With these changes, there’s been a palpable crisis of trust in leadership.”

Besides companies, Great Place To Work on Friday also presented 10 employers with a new award to recognise leaders that embodied company values in their daily actions. Among the winners in this category was Shiseido Singapore, where senior leaders of the company come together at the start of each year for a global strategy week to share its business and HR plans.

Speaking at the Great Place To Work award ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat said that having trust in a workplace raises employee engagement, fuels organisational success and attracts talent.

He suggested two ways for leaders to build trust. Leaders should prepare organisations for the long term by being forward-looking and anticipating changes, such as in the areas of technological transformation and climate change, he said.

“If we do not keep our eye to the future, we are doing a disservice to our employees and organisations, and this in turn will diminish trust,” he added. “Reshaping jobs, reskilling workers, re-imagining the workplace are difficult but necessary endeavours to ensure organisations and employees remain relevant and competitive.”

He said that leaders must also show honesty and empathy as they steer their organisations.

“Talent is fluid and global these days. They seek organisations that align with their priorities and values, and leaders who can inspire and support their growth,” he added.

Meanwhile, at a separate event on Friday, Manpower Minister Tan See Leng attended an award ceremony which recognised 31 organisations and three individuals for their fair and progressive employment practices.

The Tripartite Alliance Award 2023 award was organised by the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices. The number of applications and winners was the highest since the award started in 2018. 

Dr Tan said that progressive workplace practices are vital, especially as society ages. “Companies that do not have age-friendly practices and workplaces to attract and retain seniors in the workforce will miss out on a valuable reservoir of skills and experience.”

He added that progressive practices include flexible work arrangements, using technology to personalise career development for individuals, redesigning work environments to meet different needs and providing training programmes so senior workers can still contribute productively.

For example, Michelman Asia-Pacific changed its bottling process to semi-automated to reduce manual handling for senior employees. It also provides staggered work hours, flexi-working times and telecommuting arrangements to accommodate workers’ needs. About 36 per cent of the company’s workforce are aged 50 and above.

The firm’s vice-president and managing director Phillip Choo said: “Our enduring goal is to nurture a workplace where mutual respect and trust prevail, where talents transcend age boundaries, where the rich reservoir of experience merges seamlessly with youthful enthusiasm.”

Tripartite Alliance chairman Stephen Lee said that taking care of employees creates a win-win outcome for companies.

“By keeping their employees at the heart of their progress, these employers can better differentiate themselves in a tight labour market. It also enables their employees to contribute their best to the business,” he added.