The Straits Times Singapore’s Best Employers 2022 - The LEGO Group Ranked #3
It’s always good to be told you’ve done a great job. So we were delighted when we learned our Singapore colleagues have voted us amongst the Straits Times’ Best Employers. We couldn’t be prouder of our people.
Working here is an experience created by all of us. But, as they’ll tell you, it’s how and why they work here that really matters. As we celebrate being voted #1 in the Retail and Wholesale category and #3 overall for the first time, we asked some of our Singapore based colleagues to reflect on life at the LEGO Group:
“When I tell people I work for the LEGO Group, they smile”, says Senior Corporate Counsel, Dean O’Connell “There aren’t too many brands you can say that about. It feels special to work here because our work matters. We are encouraged to do things differently, to contribute. There is a sense that you are trusted. If you fail, you’re not judged. It’s another opportunity to learn. This is rare.”
LEGO® Play
Play is synonymous with our brand. But applying the attributes that children bring to play in our working lives helps us. Curiosity. Imagination. Creativity. This fearlessness to explore is something that empowers Mekala Gummadi in her role as Business Model Innovation Lead.
“We are co-creating the future of play with kids, their parents, and fans all the time. It teaches us. We get to see children, their confidence, their resilience, their empathy. That’s really inspiring. Believing in our values makes working here so fulfilling. Play here has a very special meaning. When you enjoy your work, you do a better job. Play is about exploring, collaborating, asking what if. It leads to better outcomes.”
Learning from each other
Being a good employer is about more than rewards and benefits. Christina Chiew in Human Resources is responsible for this aspect of our employee offer and understands we must go above and beyond:
Our employee benefits compare very favourably. We offer 26 weeks paid parental leave for the primary caregiver and 8 weeks paid leave for the secondary caregiver because we know how important family time is for a child’s development. This is what our brand is about. Encouraging parents to bring their children to work to meet the team and for celebrations is consistent with this. A collaborative work environment is important too. Our Singapore Hub is designed to stimulate interaction, but Covid-19 meant remote working. Hybrid working has made the way we work easy to translate our culture into this new norm and consider support for mental health, as well as physical wellbeing"
Ways of working is a theme taken up by Narae Keum, Customer Service Team Leader:
“We’re encouraged to tag along to see how someone else’s role works. It makes sense to understand how our own role might impact another. Also, we’re encouraged to use some of our time is to pursue our own passions. This too gives more depth to the experience of working here.”
For Jeremy Lee, Regional Sales Manager, the emphasis on diversity & inclusion and the vision and priorities for the business are crucial. “When employees learn from one another, they enrich themselves which is key to being their best selves. Our workforce is very diverse and we are a stronger business because of it. We prioritise business goals such as sustainability which gives deep meaning to the work that we do.”
A sense of shared purpose
A sense of shared purpose is something that Doreen Wan who heads up our Procurement function is keen to emphasise:
“You get a lot of contact with other parts of the business, there's a great exchange of ideas. In Procurement, we're buying the raw materials that go into our final product. So we work very closely with internal groups who are really super ingenious. They have great minds and great ideas. How we support them in finding external partners and suppliers who can make those ideas work is all part of how we achieve our vision to develop the builder of the future.”
Fandy Harahap, one of our HR colleagues, sees our inclusion in this prestigious list as a clear vote of confidence in the way we do things:
“We are a company with a very vibrant and motivating people-centred culture. There is an emphasis on the wellbeing of the whole person, and everyone is included.”
These are sentiments picked up by U-Fong Chua Senior Channel Manager in our e-commerce team:
“Whether it’s yoga, meditation or breathing exercises, the ability to just switch on our cameras and engage with colleagues in something that is conducive to how we function is a great experience and helps us feel connected.”
Involving all of our people and giving them a voice is a theme close to the heart of Amrita Singh, Head of HR:
“Employee advocacy is something that is hugely important to us. We have a wide range of roles on offer here in Singapore and, equally, a diverse range of people who work with us. Initiatives that celebrate and recognise this meaningfully are something we invest in.”
A final word
We’ll leave the last word to our Regional President Asia Pacific, Eric Maugein:
“We say at the LEGO Group ‘Only the best is good enough’. This is our belief whether we’re thinking about our consumers or our people. We can only ever be as good as they are. Making sure everything is in place for them to thrive not only makes good business sense, it’s the right thing to do. They give us their time and talent. We give them the freedom and support to make the most of it. This recognition is really about everyone that brings their best self to work here. This is how we succeed. By being our best, together.”
Are you ready to come and play?
