152 managers and senior management from the National Healthcare Group (NHG), were invited to reflect about how they can create a better working experience or the "magical experience" for their employees, at this year's NHG Leadership Moments (LM) organised by NHG College, held on 6 April 2018.

 

Since 2012, the annual forum organised by NHG College, seeks to provide NHG managers and senior management with a platform to learn from thought leaders of different industries, engage with senior management and network across institutions.

 

This year's topic "What Makes Google, Google? – Culture & Beyond" had guest speaker, Mr Eugene Ho the lead from Google People Services Operations (Asia Pacific) share the various Human Resources approaches and processes in recruitment, office culture and leadership from Google's perspective.

 

Focus on Users' Needs

Throughout his talk, Mr Ho kept emphasising the importance for an organisation to focus on the employees' experience – the Google Experience. Continually ask "What's next for the user? What else do they need (in order to grow)… and how can we anticipate and provide for that?", he said.

 

Mr Ho elaborated that if employers or the organisation spend more time understanding the employees' experience – what they need now and may need in the future, they would be able to uncover the ingredients required to create the "magical experience" for their employees.

 

Associate Professor Chua Hong Choon, Deputy Group Chief Executive Officer (Clinical), NHG, who joined Mr Ho during the LM panel discussion concurred, adding that the focus should not only be on the current "users" (employees or patients) of the system and their immediate needs, but their future needs, and the future users who will be entering the system.

 

Growth

"Growth," said A/Prof Chua, was constantly mentioned during Mr Ho's sharing session. He then turned to the audience and asked, "What does growth mean for us (NHG)?"

 

"What are we growing anyway? Are we trying to grow more patients?" quipped A/Prof Chua, to the laughter of the room, "Exactly! We are not trying to grow more patients, so what are we trying to grow?"

 

He stressed that while NHG is continually working to build its staff's capabilities and capacity, and improve its systems and processes, there is a need for the managers and senior management to constantly look at the big picture – what the organisation is trying to achieve, and cultivate a future-oriented and progressive workplace culture.

 

Potential

Another point that resonated with A/Prof Chua was Google's belief that "everyone is a leader". "He (Eugene) said it almost as a matter-of-fact, as a given…" said A/Prof Chua. "It seems that Google has done a lot, to be able to have it roll off the tongue."

 

A/Prof Chua shared that even though this belief is aligned with NHG's ongoing efforts to develop leaders who possess collective and engaging leadership qualities, NHG still has a lot more to learn from Google. He encouraged both managers and senior management alike to reflect on what was shared, and work towards implementing it in their respective workplace.

 

"Google created a platform for high-performing individuals to thrive. NHG is also the same. We need to develop and grow the platform and framework for people to thrive. Allow people to grow to become the managers (or leaders) that they can be," said A/Prof Chua.