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Leng Leng Ng, Country Leader, Head of Corporate Risk and Broking, Singapore
Agnes Cassandra Lee, Human Resources Lead, Singapore
What does being included as one of the companies in Singapore’s Best Employers ranking mean to you as a Willis Towers Watson leader?
Leng Leng Ng: We are delighted to see that Willis Towers Watson has made it into the top 200 ranking of Singapore’s Best Employers. Last year brought many unexpected changes for everyone, so being included in this ranking is recognition that we have supported our colleagues well at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic by coming together to tackle 2020’s changes and challenges, especially when all of us were working from home.
Leng Leng Ng: Colleagues are the reason why we continue to give our best to clients. This accolade demonstrates the strength and impact of one of our core values: teamwork. It’s been amazing to see how our teams have worked together to support each other and stay connected by carrying out virtual and fun gatherings such as the ‘virtual koppicino (cappuccino) meetings’!
How do you see being a best employer in action at Willis Towers Watson?
Leng Leng Ng: At Willis Towers Watson we go above and beyond to engage with our colleagues and promote an inclusive culture and work environment. We make sure that our commitment to Inclusion & Diversity (I&D) is put into practice throughout the organization and across all levels. This is how we empower our teams to have safe and open discussions, where ideas are taken into account in order to deliver top-quality solutions for both, our people and clients.
Leng Leng Ng: Similarly, we also focus on recognizing and celebrating our colleagues’ achievements. In 2020 we launched the Willis Towers Watson ‘Hall of Fame’, a regional initiative where we virtually commended those colleagues who had gone beyond their responsibilities to bring the best of Willis Towers Watson’s expertise to our clients. Last but not least, we also prioritize our teams’ professional growth, that’s why we re-launched a mentoring program in Singapore with the aim of coaching colleagues to thrive in challenging situations.
How do your colleagues and team feel about working at Willis Towers Watson and receiving this award?
Agnes Cassandra Lee: We are extremely happy to be receiving this recognition as it is a tribute to our colleagues’ teamwork and efforts to make everyone feel comfortable in being their true and authentic selves. A big part of why we come to work is because of the close-knit culture of our company. Our inclusive environment and diverse colleagues make us a unique employer, and this has always been a part of Willis Towers Watson’s DNA. Here in Singapore, we have a diverse group of individuals from 20 different countries and backgrounds. This allows them to feel comfortable in bringing different ideas and perspectives to their day-to-day work and deliverables.
How did Willis Towers Watson’s culture of flexible working help support colleagues during COVID-19?
Leng Leng Ng: During the pandemic, our biggest concern was our colleagues’ safety and wellbeing – physical and mental. I&D has been pivotal in the process of supporting our people to navigate through these unprecedented times, while ensuring everyone was well equipped to maintain productivity levels as they worked remotely. Many of our colleagues are parents, so they had to adapt to the new work from home arrangements and to juggle between work and taking care of their children. Willis Towers Watson’s flexible work policies have been key in providing our colleagues the tools to maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Leng Leng Ng: We also shared resources for managers to support their team members in managing anxiety, stress and their mental wellbeing. As health was one of the key concerns during the COVID-19 lockdown last year, we introduced telemedicine services for our colleagues and their family members here in Singapore where they could consult with a doctor through a virtual clinic 24/7. All these small efforts helped to improve the work from home experience of our teams.
What is The Straits Times’ Singapore Best Employers 2021 ranking?
The Singapore Best Employers 2021 ranking is based on independent surveys of more than 9,000 employees conducted by The Straits Times and global research company Statista. Participants were asked to rate over 1,700 companies across 26 industry sectors in Singapore between August and October 2020. These included various work-related topics, from salary, work-life balance to potential for development, their work environment and company reputation.
Click here to learn more about Willis Towers Watson becoming part of Singapore’s Best Employers 2021.
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How long have you worked at Willis Towers Watson?
I recently celebrated my first year at Willis Towers Watson.
What are you responsible for at Willis Towers Watson?
My role involves assisting various Technology and Administrative Solutions clients. As the global pandemic developed, our clients started working from home, which resulted in an increased volume of client queries. However, I was able to successfully meet the service level agreements that we have with our clients. This was a rewarding experience that increased my expertise, strengthened my confidence as a professional and gave me the opportunity to participate in new client-facing projects.
How was your experience of joining Willis Towers Watson as a speech and hearing-impaired colleague?
Joining a new company can be overwhelming and this is especially true when you are differently-abled. Being speech and hearing-impaired, I’ve always been apprehensive about communicating with new colleagues.
On my first day at Willis Towers Watson, I was amazed to find out that the company’s Mumbai Inclusion & Diversity core committee and the Talent Acquisition team had partnered with Eklayva Foundation to conduct a two-day workshop for my team to get acquainted with the basics of Indian sign language. This made me feel welcomed and provided an insight into the company’s culture and commitment to make everyone feel comfortable in bringing their true selves to work.
How has this differed from past experiences?
My experience as a new colleague at Willis Towers Watson was completely different from what I’ve encountered in the past. In other organizations, I would sometimes struggle to communicate with other colleagues. My former team members and I would type out messages in order to have conversations with each other which was very time-consuming.
The fact that a few Willis Towers Watson colleagues already knew sign language made it easy to not only coordinate tasks but also strike a conversation, express myself, and build healthy relationships.
How did Willis Towers Watson help you to seamlessly communicate with other colleagues?
Colleagues who work closely with me attended the Eklayva Foundation workshop that the company had organized on sign language, which helped to set good foundations for communication. This was the first time that a workshop like this had taken place at Willis Towers Watson India, so I was very grateful to experience the results of it on my first day.
How did you adapt as we transitioned to working remotely during COVID-19?
I am used to working with colleagues and teams in person. As the pandemic continued to develop, I started feeling anxious and stressed at the thought of working from home, since this could potentially impact how I communicate with other colleagues. However, this was not the case thanks to Willis Towers Watson’s support and internal communication platforms.
I must say technology has played a crucial role in my work from home experience. Since some of my colleagues understand how to use Indian sign language, video conversations are mainly what we use to communicate during trainings, one-on-one meetings and daily interactions with the team. Also, popular messaging apps help me to stay connected with fellow team members.
Is there anyone you would like to thank or who was integral to your experience?
I am extremely thankful to my colleagues, Asha and Rajiv, for always being there for me and making my experience so fruitful. I also appreciate the technical support and workshop on sign language organized by the company that has made communication seamless and effective.
What is your favorite part about working for Willis Towers Watson?
I love to work across the different areas at Willis Towers Watson and my team has always guided me to excel in every task. The company culture and the values leave no stone unturned to make every colleague feel appreciated, I truly respect this.
I also appreciate the fact that Willis Towers Watson’s unwavering commitment to I&D truly gave me the tools to carry out my daily operations confidently. Each of my colleagues has exemplified the inclusive culture of the company. They clearly know how to create connections between the hearing and hearing-impaired world. These thoughtful efforts are a direct reflection of the culture and this is truly inspiring.
What advice would you give to a differently-abled person that is looking to apply for a role at Willis Towers Watson?
I would encourage them to join an organization like Willis Towers Watson in order to experience the all-inclusive culture that connects colleagues and creates an environment where they can reach their full potential.
Learn more about our different roles and business areas here.