The NTUC Women’s Development Secretariat (WDS) ‘Little Ones @ Work’ (LO@W) programme was launched three years back in 2009, to help promote the importance of work-life integration at the workplace. Since its implementation, the LO@W programme has seen great response from participating companies. About 150 companies have since taken part in the programme, with a total of 6,800 children having visited their parents’ workplace.
Under the programme, companies are encouraged to designate at least one day in a year, typically during school holidays, to allow their employees to bring their children to their workplace. Companies can also organise fun and meaningful activities which will help engage both parents and children.
This whole experience not only allow these children to appreciate and understand how their parents’ work is like but could also help inspire the little ones on what they want to be when they grow up. Through the organised activities, the employees can better bond with their children and can also help them feel a stronger sense of belonging to the company.
NTUC WDS Gives Out ‘3 Year Recognition Award’ to Five Model Companies
Since the launch of LO@W programme in June 2009, many companies have tried as much as possible to make this a regular event for the staff and family. Today, as NTUC WDS celebrates the third anniversary of the LO@W programme, they took the opportunity to recognise the continuous support given by some of the participating companies.
At this mega event, NTUC WDS gave out the ‘3 Year Recognition Award’ to five model companies who have been with the programme for the past three years. The five model companies are City Gas Pte Ltd, Feoso Oil (S) Pte Ltd, Mercer, Stats ChipPAC Ltd and NTUC Club.
City Gas Pte Ltd receives ‘3 Year Recognition Award’
Believing in the purpose of the LO@W initiative, City Gas Pte Ltd has been with the programme ever since its launch in 2009. Every year since then, the company religiously set aside a day during the year for the LO@W sessions to be held. The events brought together more than 120 employees and their children over the years.
Mr Abdul Hamid Bin Bakar, a Senior Manager in the Human Resource department has six children. He has brought at least two of them to the LO@W sessions for the past three years. He said, “My children have actually been asking me when the next session will be and hope that the qualifying age could be relaxed further to allow their much younger siblings to join in too. Such events will benefit many young children in appreciating their parents’ work commitment and environment. They also get to interact with the other children, thereby enhancing social integration within the multi-racial fabric of our community.”
Coming from the management, Mr Ng Yong Hwee, President and CEO of City Gas Pte Ltd said, “This is the third consecutive year that City Gas organised Little Ones @ Work programme. It is a meaningful activity as it gives the children a chance to see their parents in action at work, and to appreciate what work environment is all about and what the community entails. We will continue to support this NTUC initiative which is consistent with City Gas’s tagline – warming hearts in the city.”
Swissotel Merchant Court participates in LO@W programme for the first time
Swissotel Merchant Court joined the LO@W programme for the first time this year, with participation from around 45 employees and children. Special efforts were made to help these children understand their parents’ work better, despite operational challenges commonly experienced in the hospitality industry. Participating children were brought to various operational departments during business hours and were also given insight to areas restricted to only staff.
Commenting on this first time experience, Mr Abdul Rahman Bin Naem, Technical Officer, commented, “My children made new friends from the activities and have come to learn and understand my workplace and my job better. Apart from acquiring a stronger bonding with my kids, their maiden visit to the hotel has also served as an eye opener and now they are full of praises for my organization. I am proud to be part of Swissotel Merchant Court.”
Mr Rainer Tenius, General Manager of Swissotel Merchant Court added, “I think it is very important for the little ones to see their parents’ workplace in order to understand better and relate the statement “Mum/Dad is going to work” to reality. It will make them proud too. I would encourage fellow hospitality organisations to participate in this meaningful programme as the employees’ children will be more appreciative of their parents’ workplace and efforts. Making the employees feel proud of their organization will help foster a stronger sense of belonging.”
Going forward
“NTUC WDS will not stop at where we are, we have achieved good results and will continue to strive even harder to reach out to more employers in the promotion of work-life balance, encouraging them to offer more family-friendly programmes to their employees.” Ms Sylvia Choo, Director of NTUC WDS concluded.
Going forward, other than pushing out its LO@W initiative to more companies and employers, NTUC WDS will also seek to explore new and creative work-life initiatives and programmes to help more employees strike a better balance between work and family.
