WorkWell Leaders

#CEOCatchUp Anthea Indira Ong, Chair of WorkWell Leaders caught up with Sze Keed Wong, CEO of AIA Singapore at social enterprise The Social Space Pte Ltd Duo Galleria. Keed is also Co-Chair of WorkWell Leaders Awards & Gala Committee. Both leaders had ginger kombucha as they discussed the global leadership crisis in general. AIA is a significant leader in corporate benefits. The two leaders discussed the rising claims in mental health, including outpatient claims in the last year. The upward trend is set to continue. Are more and more workers facing mental health challenges in Singapore? Are more workplaces safer now so more employees are coming forward to seek help and utilising the mental health benefits? Are we doing enough as employers in mental health? When is enough? What’s the role of employees? The two leaders, who have lived experience in mental health, also asked how much more destigmatisation is needed at workplaces, especially self stigma. #courage Keed shared her concern that she would wish to see more of AIA employees join the wellbeing programmes. They both agree that leaders and managers must pay more attention to those who are not engaged. Keed also believes in approving all leave applications that come her way because she trusts that they would do what’s responsible and fair to their team mates and clients. #compassion #trust Anthea is grateful that Keed and AIA have been such a sincere champion to human-centred leadership and workplace wellbeing as the Lead Partner for the WorkWell Leaders Awards for 2023 and 2024, and delighted that AIA is committted to do the same for the next 3 years. #commitment #clarity The call for submissions for the 2025 Awards is open, Anthea hopes that more of AIA’s corporate clients can come forward to celebrate their team’s efforts in mental wellbeing. Find out more about the awards nominations process and table reservations at https://lnkd.in/gjJBSnar Bob Grove Annika Mock Joey Chung Kok Weng SAM Stephane de Montlivault Khai Yang Koh Choon Hong Tay Chee Weng Lam Kelvin Ho Peta Latimer Chartered FCIPD Kwang Cheak Tan

The WorkWell Leaders Awards 2025, supported by the Workplace Safety and Health Council CARE Awards, is now open for submissions! Table reservations are also open for the Gala Dinner, to be held at the Conrad Singapore Orchard on 24 April 2025. These prestigious Awards set the national benchmark for leadership in workplace wellbeing. They are the only awards in Singapore and APAC that recognise excellence across distinct categories, including CEO and Wellbeing Partner commitment, organisational strategy (aligned with ESG priorities), corporate culture, and innovation. At this year’s Gala, President Tharman Shanmugaratnam inspired 450 CEOs with their teams and government and community leaders by urging leaders to: “Make your company a role model, a beacon, of a culture of empathy.” Entering the awards is a chance to stand out as an employer of choice, celebrate what leaders and their organisations have achieved, as well as recognise the tireless contribution your teams have made to support employees. Just participating in the awards itself is recognition that their work is appreciated and applauded. The Awards spotlight not only organisational excellence but also the leaders who drive transformative culture shifts by exemplifying the principle: “Being Well to Lead Well.” The categories are as follow: BE WELL AWARDS: Wellbeing CEO Award, CEO’s Wellbeing Partner Award  LEAD WELL AWARDS: Corporate Culture Award, Organisational Wellbeing Strategy Award, Wellbeing Innovation Award A special Wellbeing Organisation of the Year Award, determined by an expert global panel of judges, will also be presented. Award submissions are free of charge and close on 21 February 2025. For nomination details and table reservations, visit: https://lnkd.in/gjJBSnar To explore partnership opportunities, email us at [email protected]. #bewellleadwell #mentalhealth

Interesting piece on the contribution of female leadership to Finland’s 6 year record as being ranked the happiest country in the world. Finland is known for having strong trust in public institutions, but in recent years the focus of female leadership on social support, inclusivity and wellbeing is also having an impact. Lessons for us all in ensuring that leadership is balanced to create environments where employees thrive.    Anthea Indira Ong Kelvin Ho Peta Latimer Chartered FCIPD Kok Weng SAM Stephane de Montlivault Khai Yang Koh Choon Hong Tay Chee Weng Lam Joey Chung Annika Mock    https://lnkd.in/gwaQkJ8j  

At the WorkWell Leaders 18th Learning Session today – very kindly hosted by Florence Foo and the BNP Paribas team – with over 25 senior HR and wellbeing heads, we discussed the challenging issue of tackling micro-cultures and leaders who do not always display positive behaviours when it comes to the wellbeing of their teams.   To set the stage, Jean Balfour MCC, shared the principles of “Driving Relational Outcomes” and how Relational Leadership acts as a compelling model to navigate complex organisational systems and the series of interrelated relationships and social processes through which work is done and business is built. She shared a few practical pathways for HR to encourage leadership teams to go beyond the transactions of getting things done, to being champions of building trust, collaboration and mutual understanding that underpin driving business outcomes. Some staggering statistics on the prevalence of toxic behaviour in the workplace were eye-opening.   Attendees echoed that some leaders in their organisations were too transaction focused and in small group discussions identified some of the traits of “bad apples”, including being passive aggressive, clique building, self-serving or too focused on managing up and being non-constructive or disparaging in providing feedback. They then explored their experiences on how to intervene in such situations starting with articulating with clarity what the non-positive behaviours were for any given issue, approaching these difficult conversations in a way that matches the leader’s own style and having clear consequences for not being open to change.   They all agreed that baking behaviour assessment into KPIs and having very clearly articulated policies and standards, supported by coaching and training, were the foundations to building greater behavioural alignment amongst leaders, before interventions could be effectively practiced. Having regular 1-1 check-ins with active listening that are not all work focused with individuals in teams, was also discussed as a key enabler in changing leadership styles; and that those environments, where people are safe to speak freely, usually result in better business outcomes.   During the session, the implications of the new Workplace Fairness Legislation – the first phase of which was introduced this week by the Ministry of Manpower – were examined. Unlike the current guidelines in place, the legislation includes legally enforceable rules to foster positive workplace norms and strengthen social cohesion by addressing unfair treatment at workplaces.   It was heartening to see such a rich and complex discussion taking place as teams put the final touches on their plans for 2025. A massive thanks to the BNP team for hosting us today. Anthea Indira Ong, Stephane de Montlivault, Kok Weng SAM, Kelvin Ho, Peta Latimer Chartered FCIPD, Choon Hong Tay, Khai Yang Koh, Bob Grove, Annika Mock, Joey Chung

WorkWell Leaders was really pleased to have an important and in-depth discussion today with 14 senior lawyers – largely private practice but also some in-house counsel – on the mental wellbeing challenges facing the legal community.    It is well known that the legal profession has one of the highest levels of stress compared to the average working population, yet according to the International Bar Association, more than 40% of lawyers do not feel comfortable talking to their employers about their wellbeing; and one in three believe that their work specifically has a negative or very negative impact on their wellbeing. Over 80% of legal employers state that employee wellbeing is very important to them although only 16% of their senior management has been trained in mental wellbeing to help identify potential issues in teams and intervene appropriately.   From the attendees, it’s clear that there is keen interest to do more and a number of ideas and current practices were shared amongst the group. These included ways of monitoring risk with individuals to make sure they can tap into support mechanisms when needed; agreeing protocols with clients on deadlines, differentiating the urgent from the non-urgent and for clients to proactively respect the same; and for the senior partners themselves to integrate wellbeing into their discussions with teams on a regular basis as well as set an example by talking about their own wellbeing challenges to create a safe space for others to do so too.   There was general recognition that in many cases, bad apples do exist and the group explored what to do about those situations as well as whether more discussion should be had on balancing profit with employee wellbeing. There are no silver bullets as ever, but fabulous to see such engagement in the topic and a willingness to continue the conversation on a regular basis.   A big thanks to Jean Muller for hosting the lunch today and getting this discussion off the ground.   Patrick Ang Wai King Ng Yi Wayn Sophie Mathur Dawn Tan Ly-Ru Long Jong Chang Charlie Wilson Akash Mohapatra Kelvin Ho Benedict Teo Astha Malik Shuhui Kwok

Terrific panel discussion today, moderated by Bob Grove at the #SFF on Shaping success: Unlocking the secrets to an exceptional workplace. Open and personal sharing with rich insights from Sabrina Ooi, Pamela Sng and Qian Yin Yap. Highlights included the need for leaders to be vulnerable in sharing about their own wellbeing to enable others to feel safe to do the same; a spirited discussion on unconscious bias training and whether this easy-to-implement DEI approach actually reinforces stigma and self-justification. The panel posited that a more thoughtful, behavioural-led shift is needed to diminish discrimination especially in the context of the upcoming Workplace Fairness Legislation (WFL). It was noted that many companies are not yet prepared for the WFL which is enforceable unlike the current guidelines in place and presents a risk to businesses. The audience was particularly keen on understanding more about building a healthy, positive and safe work culture where the panel shared that culture should and could not be imposed from the top-down and had to be a bottom-up process, empowering employees to have ownership of the definition and norms of culture. There was also a lot of interest in the role of middle managers as the heartbeat of culture and how they need to be supported more beyond their functional duties to develop an everyday employee experience that achieves results but also is rooted in empathy. It was a great way to kick off the afternoon’s focus on all things talent at the Singapore Fintech Festival. #bewellleadwell #mentalhealth Anthea Indira Ong Kelvin Ho Khai Yang Koh Peta Latimer Chartered FCIPD Stephane de Montlivault Kok Weng SAM Choon Hong Tay Bob Grove Joey Chung

This afternoon, 18 leaders from the WorkWell Leaders community gathered for an inspiring lunch and conversation with Prof Dame Carol Black. As an acclaimed expert on workplace wellbeing and valued member of WWL's Advisory Council, Prof Black opened the session with a few observations about the global workplace mental health landscape, including what truly constitutes best practices in employee wellbeing today (beyond the basics of EAP, flexible work arrangements, etc). A recent Gallup report found that Singapore has the lowest employee engagement in the region, and Prof Black shared her views on how employers can overcome this. The primary conversation topic over lunch was the upcoming Workplace Fairness Legislation and how employers can ready themselves to meaningfully adopt anti-discrimination practices beyond box-ticking. With many members making plans for their 2025 wellbeing strategy, this was at timely opportunity to exchange ideas and gain inspiration from peers. Many thanks are due to Prof Black for making the time and WWL board members Peta Latimer Chartered FCIPD and Kelvin Ho for hosting! #bewellleadwell #mentalhealth Anthea Indira Ong Kok Weng SAM Choon Hong Tay Stephane de Montlivault Khai Yang Koh Bob Grove Joey Chung

There's just one more week left to join the national pledge and share your support for workplace wellbeing as part of World Mental Health Month! Join 120+ other pledge-makers and stand up as an employer of choice today! This pledge is open to leaders of any kind (i.e. CEO, manager, team lead, supervisor) and is co-organised by WorkWell Leaders and @Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF). As a bonus, SNEF will be offering free optional training sessions on workplace mental health to all organisations that participate in the pledge. It's super simple to make your pledge: 1. Go to the wall at https://lnkd.in/ghUCgFdi and click “Create Post”. 2. Upload a selfie and type out your pledge: "Together with my leadership team, I commit to supporting the wellbeing of our employees with action and programmes" or use wording of your choice. 3. Click next, provide your name and company name in brackets e.g. John Tan (Company XYZ) and your email address in the next field 4. Click “Post Now” If you prefer to participate on LinkedIn, you’re welcome to post the pledge directly on your personal page. Be sure to use the hashtag #LeadTogetherForMH and tag WorkWell Leaders if you do! Happy posting! Anthea Indira Ong Kelvin Ho Khai Yang Koh Peta Latimer Chartered FCIPD Stephane de Montlivault Kok Weng SAM Choon Hong Tay Bob Grove Joey Chung

This afternoon, WorkWell Leaders had the honour of hosting an intimate fireside chat with Professor Tommy Koh, beloved changemaker, international negotiator and Ambassador-at-Large at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The session was held in collaboration with SGListCos and attended by over 40 C-Suite leaders from SGX companies and WWL's member network. The session’s theme, "Leaders Championing Change," felt especially timely given today's geopolitical challenges and economic uncertainties. Few people are better placed to speak on these issues than Prof. Koh, who has spent decades negotiating trade deals and global pacts, while also championing important local causes from conservation to social inclusion. Moderated by WWL chairperson Anthea Indira Ong, the conversation shifted seamlessly between rich personal anecdotes and thoughtful reflections on leadership, often drawing insightful parallels between foreign relations and workplace dynamics. A few key takeaways stood out: 1️⃣ In a working relationship, never take disagreements personally. Always show the other party respect. 2️⃣ Leaders must take care of their own wellbeing and embrace a "Be Well to Lead Well" mindset. Prof. Koh impressed everyone by sharing that he'd just had a morning swim at 5.45am (a remarkable habit at 86-years-old). 3️⃣ Creating a healthy work culture requires committed leadership. Senior leaders must set the tone while empowering middle managers to feel confident and take ownership of their work environment. Attendees left with a renewed sense of purpose and practical insights on leading through change. Many wished for more time and even requested a follow-up session to ask Prof. Koh their burning questions. Before closing, leaders joined the national pledge to support employee wellbeing with action and programmes to mark World Mental Health Month. You can also demonstrate your commitment to employee wellbeing by making the pledge here: https://lnkd.in/ghUCgFdi We are deeply grateful to Prof. Koh for sharing his time and wisdom with us. Special thanks again to Chong Lek Foong, Felicia L., Peggy and the team at SGListCos for co-organising and hosting this event. #mentalhealth #bewellleadwell Kelvin Ho Khai Yang Koh Peta Latimer Chartered FCIPD Stephane de Montlivault Kok Weng SAM Choon Hong Tay Bob Grove Joey Chung

Listen to what our members had to say about WorkWell Leaders 10th CEO Dialogue last Thursday. This was a unique Dialogue as attendees were treated to a first-of-its-kind Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) session designed for CEOs, in collaboration with Intellect. This historic event was held in the beautiful Gardens by the Bay, where 30+ leaders gathered to learn strategies to support employee wellbeing on an individual and systemic level. Thank you to leaders Wallace Ignacio Torres Ng Su-Ling Felix Loh for sharing their takeaways and reflections on what sets CEO Dialogue sessions apart from other forums. We look forward to welcoming more organisations into this growing leadership movement! #bewellleadwell #mentalhealth Anthea Indira Ong Khai Yang Koh Peta Latimer Chartered FCIPD Stephane de Montlivault Kok Weng SAM Kelvin Ho Choon Hong Tay Bob Grove Joey Chung