Ensuring that each and every employee feels valued and respected

When Ms Elysia Koh first joined biotechnology company Amgen Singapore Manufacturing in 2015, she was a manufacturing associate fresh out of university. Along the way, she discovered her interest in a related field: process development.

She spoke to her manager about developing her career in that area, and when an opportunity for a job rotation arose in 2018, she made a successful transfer. In her new role, a work buddy was assigned to ensure a seamless transition. She was also sent for technical and non-technical training courses to gain the necessary skills.

She is now an engineer and an integral member of the company's first-of-its-kind next-generation biomanufacturing facility.

Ms Koh's career trajectory is one example of how Amgen supports its employees' development. In the Singapore Best Employers 2021 list, it is ranked 21st out of 200, and first in the Health Care Equipment & Services category.

Providing motivated employees with continuous opportunities to upskill and grow is part of Amgen's priorities. To that end, the company is also able to retain its talents.

"As a relatively young site in Singapore, our ranking is a positive affirmation that we are on the right track in creating a vibrant and progressive workplace that unlocks the best in our people," says its vice-president Emily Razaqi.

Since the US-headquartered firm opened its Singapore manufacturing plant in 2014, it has grown its workforce to nearly 400 full-time employees.

There are career growth and development tools for employees such as Individual Development Plans (IDP) and career maps designed to help employees take ownership of their development and discover their passions.From there, they can work with their managers to develop a personalised roadmap that fit their individual career aspirations.

Learning and development initiatives such as mentorships - either in one-on-one or group settings - for both junior and senior employees enable the sharing of ideas and expertise, while networking events, coaching sessions and workshops encourage learning beyond one's core job functions. `

Employees in their early or mid-career journey can participate in groups such as Women Empowered to be Exceptional and the Amgen Early Career Professionals Programme. Activities include informative lunches, learning sessions and coffee chats with leadership team members to discover new pathways in the company.

High-performing individuals get to join the organisation's global programme, FUEL Your Potential, which develops selected employees for key operational leadership roles and lets them work on different assignments across global Amgen offices.

These individuals undergo on-the-job development, job rotations, and are given mentoring, career development resources and structured learning. To date, six employees from the Singapore office have completed or are involved in the programme.

Beyond developing its own employees, Amgen is committed to strengthening Singapore's biotechnology sector as a whole.

To facilitate that, it has partnered with government agencies and polytechnics to support industry development programmes. One example is the Professional Conversion Programme (Train and Place) for Advanced Biopharmaceuticals Manufacturing (PCP TnP Advanced Biopharma), which helps fresh graduates or mid-career individuals enter the growing biomedical science sector.

Plans are in place to on-board 32 trainees from the programme this year.

"We strongly believe these initiatives help shape Singapore's aspirations to become Asia's premier hub for the biomedical industry, and strengthen its workforce," says Ms Razaqi.

Amgen also believes that a diverse workforce is key to continued business success. That is why another key aspect of its work culture is diversity, inclusion and belonging (DI&B).

Says Ms Razaqi: "An inclusive and diverse workforce helps fuel scientific innovation and problem solving, leading to better scientific solutions that benefit patients and society.

"We believe our differences lead to better science and we are committed to fostering a culture of belonging, where diversity is celebrated, and inclusion is the norm."

To walk the talk, Amgen's leaders proactively model and create an inclusive environment where all staff feel valued and respected.

In the light of the Covid-19 pandemic, Amgen has also enhanced its Employee Assistance Programme to provide telemedicine and mental help support services, and access to professional counselling sessions.

"Amgen will continue to focus on a holistic total well-being and work-life harmony approach to keep our staff resilient," says Ms Razaqi. "Now, more than ever, we see the value of empathy - to have a greater understanding of what employees need to reach their full potential."

Ms Koh is deeply grateful for the opportunities she has been given at Amgen. "To date, I have been exposed to many types of work that keep me learning on the job. I was able to build on new skills that I did not have prior to the job rotations. It was especially fulfilling to experience how the various job functions at Amgen positively impact the lives of patients."