The Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA) was recognised for its leading human resource (HR) practices at the Singapore HR Awards 2008 in July. IDA won awards for Learning and Human Capital Development and for Health and Employee Wellness. It also received a special mention for Performance Management. This was the first time IDA had made submissions to the Singapore HR Institute (www.shri.org.sg), which organised the awards.

Mrs Fum-Ko (left) receives the Singapore HR Award on behalf of IDA.

"We believe in nurturing our people and giving them ample opportunities to develop themselves to reach their potential while doing meaningful and challenging work. I am heartened that our programmes to develop our staff and our policies to foster a healthy work-life balance have been recognised," said IDA's Chief Executive Officer RADM(NS) Ronnie Tay. "We will continue to review our policies to stay at the leading edge in HR development and ensuring that our HR strategies achieve our organisational outcomes."

The IDA's HR programmes is driven by a competency-based framework to define and manage staff's performance and development. This framework defines the competencies that IDA staff need to have to deliver its organisational objectives. Introduced in 2002, it has been reviewed and refined over the last five years. An integral part of it is ACE, an online performance management system which provides the platform for assessment of competencies through 360 feedback and identification of development opportunities.

IDA is believed to be one of the few organisations in Singapore to adopt a competency framework. It has been invited to share about its system with the Directors of Personnel in the Public Service and Statutory Boards. It has also advised agencies on how the framework is operationalised.

Other than a comprehensive suite of Learning and Development programmes, IDA's HR schemes extend to creating a conducive work environment. Its employee wellness programmes are tailored to the practices common in the infocomm sector, with features such as flexible work arrangements and hours.

Said Mrs Fum-Ko Joon Chin, Director (HR), "We recognise that if we want to retain talent, we have to go beyond pay and benefits because people stay mainly for challenging work, learning and growth opportunities, quality of relationships with their bosses and the quality of the work environment."

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