NTUC - Administration and Research Unit receives recognitions at SBR Management Excellence Awards 2024

The business unit was awarded two accolades that honour its human resource department and employee engagement strategy.

National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) - Administration and Research Unit (ARU) brought home wins in the Team of the Year and Employee Engagement of the Year - Non-profit or Government Organizations categories at the SBR Management Excellence Awards 2024. 

As the administration and research arm of NTUC, ARU has been at the forefront of NTUC's strategic business objectives to support 58 trade unions and seven trade associations, as well as to coordinate with other NTUC social enterprises and tripartite partners in the Labour Movement. As part of NTUC’s ongoing transformation journey, ARU’s Human Resource Department (HRD) has implemented a comprehensive transformation plan aimed at professionalising its people practices, such as enhancing talent acquisition and retention, fostering employee engagement, and leveraging digital innovations to streamline operations.

Prior to 2023, ARU’s HR structure had consisted of mostly HR generalists taking on specialised roles such as performance management, compensation, and benefits review, etc., on a rotating basis annually. Since April 2023, HRD has undergone a significant restructuring aimed at being a strategic partner to the organisation. To professionalise HR functions, the department has reorganised into three Centres of Excellence (COEs): Policy and Planning, Business Partners, and Organisation Development. This allows HR practitioners to deepen their expertise in specific HR domains and still fulfil the requirements of HR operations more intentionally. By December 2024, approximately 70% of HR practitioners will have undergone certification assessment with the Institute for Human Resource Professionals (IHRP), joining the 20% who are already IHRP-certified.

To ensure optimum staffing levels and to recruit talents, HRD launched an intensive recruitment drive, increasing job application volumes by 50% and improving employee manning to 90% by October 2024. HRD also introduced a scholarship programme in 2024 and began proactively engaging with Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) through career fairs, industry visits, and internships to build a pipeline of future talent for NTUC-ARU.

The department has also adopted a multi-faceted approach to improve employee retention and the mental well-being of about 1,200 ARU employees who contribute tirelessly to NTUC and the Labour Movement. This includes regular staff remuneration and benefits reviews to ensure compensation packages are competitive; a four-year Collective Agreement with the Staff Union to enhance employee benefits; and the launch of Fun@Work initiatives. These year-round activities—including Lunchtime informative talks, Social Hours, Kids@work, and Staff Townhalls—have fostered a sense of community and belonging. Additionally, mental well-being programmes including a helpline manned by qualified external counsellors as part of the Employee Assistance Programme, have been incorporated to promote and support, emotional and social well-being of staff. As a result of these concerted people-centric practices, employee retention rates have increased considerably over the past 1 to 2 years.  

In addition to these, the department has also implemented several digital innovations to improve operational efficiency and employee engagement. These include a staff profile dashboard for streamlined data analysis, an employee portal that fosters digital interaction and communication, and the procurement of recruitment services with LinkedIn to enhance outreach. Furthermore, an employee sentiment dashboard is being developed to monitor staff satisfaction and facilitate timely interventions.

Employee engagement has been central to ARU’s talent retention strategy, embodied in the goal to ensure that every ARU employee is well-exposed, well-engaged, and well-equipped.

In a 2023 business alignment survey, more than 80% of ARU employees expressed a strong commitment to NTUC's business objectives, with 75% agreeing that there are ample opportunities for career growth and development within ARU.

The same survey revealed that 84% of employees feel positively about teamwork within their departments, indicating strong collaboration and social well-being across the organisation. Furthermore, over 80% of employees have provided positive feedback on the various employee engagement initiatives thus far. 

ARU’s strategic transformation and employee-focussed initiatives are positioning the unit to better serve the needs of the Labour Movement, whilst supporting the well-being, growth, and engagement of its workforce.

The SBR Management Excellence Awards recognise the most exceptional business leaders, innovators, teams, and initiatives that drive growth and make a positive impact on both the business operations and its workforce in Singapore.

The awards programme, now in its 10th year, acknowledges positive change and honours those who have successfully propelled their companies to new heights of success whilst fostering a nurturing environment that positively influences their employees.

The SBR Management Excellence Awards is presented by Singapore Business Review Magazine. To view the full list of winners, click here. If you want to join the 2025 awards programme and be acclaimed for your company's employee engagements and management initiatives, please contact Julie Anne Nuñez at [email protected].