As an inclusive employer, MOHH believes in employing persons with disabilities (PWDs) so that they achieve self-reliance. From 2013, MOHH has been working with the Autism Resource Centre (ARC), in partnership with SG Enable, to redesign jobs for PWDs and, in the process, build a diverse and inclusive workforce. For example, colleagues with hearing impairment were provided with a mobile phone to allow him/her to communicate with co-workers and stakeholders via text messages. Work processes were also tweaked, with PWDs assigned buddies to help familiarise them with the company and colleagues while regular engagements with their Job Coaches helped them settle into the new roles well. Of course, all this was done with feedback from our PWD colleagues.
To date, MOHH has employed 10 PWDs of various profiles and ages (ranging in age from 26 to 56) to provide administrative support in various workstreams like HR, Leadership & OD and Means Testing. They are considered permanent employees, with career progression in place to recognise their contributions and cater to their developmental needs. In addition, our PWD colleagues are encouraged to stay active, remain an integral part of the organisation and participate actively in corporate events like the annual yearend celebration and Family Day where their family members are also invited to complete the one big MOHH family.
Our subsidiary Vanguard Healthcare, which runs a group of nursing homes, is also doing likewise. In partnership with ARC, a team of six facility assistants has been employed to clean the wards. Vanguard also offers its care homes as a training facility for SgEnable’s Transition to Work programme, S2W Transition and offers internship opportunities.
These inclusive efforts have won MOHH the Enabling Employers Award for various categories such as Inclusive Project, Enabling Champion and Progressive Employer.