Programme
11 October 2023

11 October 2023

8.15am

Delegate registration

9.00am

Welcome address by Editor-in-chief

Aditi Sharma Kalra

Aditi Sharma Kalra

Editor-in-Chief

Human Resources Online
9.15am

[Opening Fireside Chat]

Communities, culture, and care: Making employee wellbeing a management priority

In this thought-provoking conversation to open the day, we probe two speakers who were advocating for employee wellness before it became ‘cool’.  

Get a glimpse into the key wellbeing initiatives undertaken for Singapore’s public officers, and how they have been built around the principles of communities, culture, and care. Prepare to explore the intricacies of employee wellbeing at a high-functioning organisation and let’s tackle stigma – because everyone single employee deserves to have good mental health. 

Moderator:

Aditi Sharma Kalra

Aditi Sharma Kalra

Editor-in-Chief

Human Resources Online

Speakers:

Hiroshi Limmell

Hiroshi Limmell

Assistant Director, Infuse

Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)
Edmund Heng

Edmund Heng

Senior Manager, Infuse

Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR)
9.55am

Wellness Connect

10.35am

Morning break

11.10am – 11.50am

First Interactive Discussion Session

11.50am – 12.30pm

Second Interactive Discussion Session

12.30pm – 1.30pm

Networking lunch

1.30pm – 2.10pm

Third Interactive Discussion Session

2.10pm – 2.50pm

Fourth Interactive Discussion Session

Discussion Topic 1
Prioritising mental health: Addressing burnout and the stigma attached to mental illness

Managing mental wellness has the largest gap to delivery and the quickest path to success. Meanwhile, the behavioural norms of a generation emerging from isolation and anxiety must be addressed to enable their personal growth. In this session, we will:

  • Explore holistic ways for employers to address mental health needs.
  • Share proven interventions, particularly stress management and resilience training, to meet the urgent demands of the current landscape.
  • Analyse the impact of company culture on fostering employee mental wellbeing.
  • Discuss engagement strategies to enhance mental health, including the role of employee assistance programmes (EAPs).
  • Discover successful approaches to cracking the code of mental wellbeing and implementing comprehensive wellbeing plans.

Speaker:

Haider Amir

Haider Amir

Director, Asia

TELUS Health

Discussion Topic 2

Emotional Wellbeing and the workplace: What is the role of organisations?

With large macro and talent shifts such as the pandemic and new generations entering the workforce, it is imperative for organisations to proactively reimagine their conventional approaches to sustain employee’s overall wellbeing. In this session, we will:   

  • Explore what emotional wellbeing is all about and how important is to create a happy, engaged workforce with super-charged productivity.  
  • Delve into what exactly is the role of organisations? What are organisations best placed to do and what should we actively avoid doing to best serve our employees?  
  • Discuss how examples such as employee burnout can lead to unsafe behaviours and how employers can play a part 
  • Brainstorm effective wellbeing interventions tailored to the evolving needs of different categories of employees.

Facilitator:

Ramya Eva

Ramya Eva

L&D APAC

Booking.com

Discussion Topic 3

Beyond fitness: Strategies for holistic physical wellness in organisations

Join us for an insightful discussion on the multifaceted concept of physical wellness within organisational settings. We’ll delve into prevalent challenges, and discuss effective strategies to enhance physical wellness in the workplace.

  • Exploring effective methods to communicate the significance of physical wellness.
  • Emphasising the roles of leadership & feedback in promoting and exemplifying healthy practices.
  • Ways to budget for physical wellness in terms of cost and bottomline.

Facilitators:

Jieun Wrigley

Jieun Wrigley

Nutrition and Dietetics Expert

The Integrative Medical Centre

Rabia Shah

Rabia Shah

Senior Physiotherapist, Mindfulness for Health Teacher and Clinical Pilates Instructor

The Integrative Medical Centre

Discussion Topic 4

Self-service and a la carte wellbeing packages: Why a one-size-fits-all approach may not be the best

In today’s changing demographics and hybrid work environment, traditional approaches to employee wellbeing and benefits packages may not fully meet the diverse needs of today’s workforce. Organisations must explore alternative strategies and tailor wellbeing initiatives for maximum impact and relevance. In this session, you will: 

  • Discover how to empower employees with choice and flexibility through customisable benefits packages that cater to their unique needs. 
  • Delve into the advantages and potential challenges of adopting inclusive yet adaptable benefits packages that accommodate diverse employee requirements. 
  • Explore the innovative concept of co-creating benefits packages with employees themselves, fostering a sense of ownership and alignment with individual preferences and organisational goals. 

Facilitator:

Xiaoxian Huo

Xiaoxian Huo

Regional Sales Manager

Virgin Pulse

3.00pm

Afternoon break

3.30pm
[Lightning Talk]
Unlocking value: Optimising the pillars of wellbeing for maximum impact

In this session, hear from 2 speakers as they showcase the wellbeing initiatives in their respective organisations. 

Discover, in a nutshell: 

  • The emotional and social wellbeing initiatives in a pharmaceutical organisation and how the organisation’s culture play an indispensable role in enabling these initiatives. 
  • How a design, engineering and project management organisation takes on wellbeing in a holistic manner that goes beyond traditional approaches. 

 

These focused and concise talks by our speakers promise an impactful insight into what works and what doesn’t! 

Speakers:
Vanessa Teo

Vanessa Teo

Director, Strategy Planning

AbbVie
Archana Srinivasan

Archana Srinivasan

HR Director, Asia

AtkinsRéalis

4.10pm

[Closing panel discussion]
Measuring Milestones: Wellbeing initiatives as a collaborative employer-employee project

Employers are responsible to their employees’ wellbeing up to a certain extent – but how to relay the shared accountability effectively to employees? This panel will summarise learnings based on the conversations from the floor and a discussion on the following questions:

  • How can the balance and structure of engagement measures be established to empower and motivate employees in fostering self-care?
  • What strategies can be employed to create a company culture that fosters employee advocacy and engagement?
  • Discuss key metrics and indicators that demonstrate the impact of employee well-being initiatives on engagement.
  • Where is the potential of co-creating impactful wellbeing initiatives based on data-driven insights on the health of the workforce?
Moderator:
Andrew Epaphroditus Tay

Andrew Epaphroditus Tay

Director (Health and Wellbeing)

National University of Singapore (NUS)
Panellists:
Karn Kongsawat

Karn Kongsawat

VP of Revenue

Intellect
Angelina Chua

Angelina Chua

Head of People & Culture, AP-S

SIG Group
Alyssa Than

Alyssa Than

Wellbeing Lead, Singtel Group People & Sustainability

Singtel

4.50pm

Closing remarks by Editor-in-chief

Aditi Sharma Kalra

Aditi Sharma Kalra

Editor-in-Chief

Human Resources Online

5.00pm

End of Corporate Wellbeing Asia 2023