Professional development, inter-team collaboration and well-being: Inside a workplace that prioritises its people

At the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) headquarters, townhalls are designed to be immersive experiences that play a role in shaping culture, reinforcing collective identity and enhancing collaboration. Everyone often comes away feeling energised and more connected to the people they work with. 

“I remember one aviation-themed townhall where we were onboard the Phoenix Airlines,” says Mr Jansen Tham, a deputy director of policy development and security at MHA’s Policy Development Division. The fictional airline was a nod to the New Phoenix Park, where the MHA headquarters is located.

He says: “It was an apt theme because it signified that we were on the same flight, led by our ‘captains’ – senior management – heading towards a common destination that we all agreed on.”

In other townhalls, MHA colleagues found themselves entering the worlds of Harry Potter, Formula One racing, Lego, Super MHA HQ – a reference to Super Mario, and even “Multiverse”, which coincided with the release of the Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness movie.

These atypical townhalls are just one way MHA reinforces a people-centric culture, helping their team members relate more closely to the organisation’s mission and values. 

Apart from prioritising employee engagement, MHA continually invests in its officers through tailored training, and a broad spectrum of learning and development opportunities, ensuring that each individual can thrive and develop in their role.

Ms Ashley Yeo, an assistant director of resource planning at the Planning and Organisation Division, has attained multiple accreditations in the past seven years – including Certified Internal Auditor – with MHA’s support. She is also awarded the MHA Postgraduate Scholarship and plans to embark on a master’s programme in 2028. 

“For my colleagues in the finance and audit domain, they are highly encouraged to take on accreditations,” says Ms Yeo. “MHA places a lot of emphasis on training and upskilling.”

Mr Tham similarly benefited from the organisation’s support for lifelong learning. He took up a master’s in public policy, along with a six-month student exchange programme in Washington, DC.

“That experience broadened my perspectives on international relations and allowed me to better appreciate Singapore’s place in the world, and how countries can and should work together to address geopolitical and security challenges,” he says.

Building mentorships, friendships

At MHA, learning is also supported by structured mentorship programmes and initiatives that bring officers together to share experiences and insights.

Mr Tham says: “One ‘perk’ here is that supervisors are very generous with their time to guide and advise staff, and lead by example. I have also benefitted from mentors in MHA who have helped me to navigate career transitions.”

Divisions in MHA Headquarters take turns to organise monthly Coffee Connect sessions, creating opportunities for employees to connect with one another including with senior management in casual settings.  

One formative shared experience that many MHA colleagues find memorable is the Home Team Foundation Course, an experiential programme that senior Home Team officers typically attend within their first two years of service. 

“It’s a two-week stay-in course where we get to visit all the Home Team agencies and understand each other’s work,” Ms Yeo says.

She notes that being able to see how the Home Team agencies – such as the Singapore Police Force, the Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) and the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority – work made her appreciate what they do on a daily basis more.

“It was memorable wearing the SCDF bunker gear,” she says. “Just wearing it helped me to appreciate the fitness level that our firefighters must have.”

To this day, she and her course mates from the Home Team Foundation Course meet at least once a year to catch up and swap the latest stories about their personal lives and work. 

“In my work, one of the things I look at is manpower needs,” says Ms Yeo. “When my friends from the other Home Team agencies share about how manpower impacts their operations, it really helps me to see from their perspectives the impact of my resourcing work in achieving the safety and security of Singapore.”

Promoting work-life balance

At MHA, the seriousness of the mission to keep Singapore safe and secure is balanced by an appreciation that people need time to unwind and recharge to do their best work.

Through Communities of Interest (COIs), employees regularly connect across departments over shared pursuits – whether on the pickleball court, at badminton sessions or even during trampoline workouts. 

Ms Yeo is co-leading one COI called Stare What Stair where members spend their lunchtime scaling up 18 floors at the MHA headquarters fives times, keeping fit while cultivating friendships.

At MHA headquarters, every first Friday of the month MHA colleagues get to finish work early to spend quality time with their families. During Family Day, they can invite their family members to visit their workplace and during Wellness Week which takes place every year in October, employees can enjoy a range of initiatives including foot and shoulder massages, wellness workshops and dialogue sessions with senior management to explore new ideas on achieving a healthier work-life balance.

Ms See Puay Ling, senior assistant director at the Finance and Administration Division, says: “The people, a nurturing culture and the sense of purpose in the work are the three main reasons I enjoy working at MHA. There is a sense of warmth when it comes to the people here. These interactions are not transactional and that makes a big difference.

“You feel that you are being taken care of, and that you are valued.”

Kick-start your career at the Ministry of Home Affairs by applying for an MHA scholarship. Applications are open till Mar 15, 2026.

Find out more about MHA scholarships here