Engaging Industry,
Community and Employees
Corporate Social Responsibility
Highly engaged employees think, feel, and act in ways that reflect commitment to the organisation and become integrated into the company’s culture. Acknowledging the importance of engagement, MDA has in place a five-pronged staff engagement strategy, covering relationship building, recognition of staff, career development, staff well-being and valuing staff inputs.
Relationship Building
MDA has several platforms to build strong, positive relationships among MDA employees. Apart from quarterly townhalls to discuss internal staff matters at an organisational level, iTalks are also organised to facilitate smaller group discussions. Hi-Tea and teambuilding sessions are regular features to foster greater social interactions between staff away from the usual work environment.
Recognition for Staff
MDA is committed to honouring staff for their dedication, service quality and work achievements. Individuals regularly receive accolades for their contributions. In 2013, Mr Tan Chee Wee, Deputy Director, Content & Standards (Broadcast, Internet & Publications) received a National Day Commendation Medal. Ms Lena Cheng, Personal Assistant to Assistant Chief Executive (Industry) and Director (Public Service Broadcast), as well as Ms Angela Goh, Personal Assistant to Director (People Development) and Assistant Executive, People Development, were awarded the Star Service Award by the Ministry of Communications & Information. 19 other MDA officers also received the Long Service Award.
Career Development
MDA is dedicated to nurturing talent at all levels and developing staff through training to build a culture of continuous learning. Every officer is encouraged to set aside at least 65 hours of learning each year to upgrade their skills and expand their knowledge. A sponsorship programme is also in place for leadership and professional training to facilitate lifelong learning and development. In 2013, MDA supported Dinesh Pasrasurum, Assistant Director, Content & Standards (Films, Video Games and Arts), who will be pursuing a Masters in Film Studies at Columbia University.
To develop and retain officers with management skills and deep domain knowledge, MDA has introduced an annual posting framework. This allows for officers to be rotated to different roles, in line with their career aspirations and long-term development needs.
Well-Being
During the year, staff also benefited from a series of programmes designed to help promote work-life balance. Besides supporting government-wide initiatives such as “Eat with your Family Day”, MDA also rolled out staff welfare activities under the auspices of The Play Club (TPC). In 2013, TPC organised more than a dozen activities including movie screenings, museum visits, “Bring your Kids to Work Day” and MDA’s annual “Dinner and Dance”.
MDA recognises the importance of giving back to the community and strongly encourages its staff to participate in activities organised by its employee volunteer group, Care Connexion. During the year, MDA staff accompanied elderly folks from PEACE-Connect for visits to Kusu Island and to Sentosa, and children from Mighty Kids, Families and Community to the River Safari. In 2013, employees of MDA participated in 412 hours of community service activities, accumulating a total of 2,712 hours since its inception in 2009.
Valued Input
MDA values staff involvement in setting future directions. Workplan seminars are conducted for different divisions to communicate divisional roles and deliverables. This culminates in the annual staff conference where MDA-wide plans are shared with the entire organisation.