Our thirty-seven invaluable secretaries, together with some of our senior management, spent two days of great fun building up relationships, pondering on provoking messages, presenting their WITS results and learning about teamwork.

Mary Cher, CEO’s office, said “This conference not only broke down walls and barriers among the secretaries but also between the departments. It encouraged us to be receptive to messages and challenges ahead.” And one of the most important messages she said was Mr Oh’s on the evolving role of secretary and the need to be prepared in order to succeed in the new environment.

“Secretaries will cease to be. Their traditional tasks are fast disappearing, taken over technology. They are no longer tele-gatekeeper, typists. They are the new Admin Professionals, increasingly self-directed, technically competent, particularly adept at managing professionals. To prepare for their evolving role secretaries need to have more depth and breadth, an open mind and attitude,” Mr Oh imparted to the secretaries.

That is why in this dynamic environment, there is a need for teamwork especially since the Organization is large with offices scattered across the island.

“There is a general misconception that all secretaries handle the same kind of jobs. But apart from a few basic administrative works, our job scope range as widely as the different kinds of bosses we serve – from TOP Executives to HODs, to senior managers and units and whole departments. That is why it is important for us to work as a team, to share information, to communicate, so that the work processes in the organisation run smoothly,” said Karen Chong, co-organiser of the conference, and secretary to Project Development Department.

“This conference was organised by the secretaries for the secretaries. The amount of teamwork in the organising and coordination that went into the event, as well as the participation during the event showed that the secretaries are a cohesive team. I believe the secretaries are capable of taking on more challenges,” said Kenneth Foong, Senior Manager, IT Department, and Chairman, Working Committee/ FEO Secretaries’ Conference 2005.

At this conference the secretaries expanded their roles and tried out new skills such as giving presentation.

Amoebas Work Improvement Teams (WITS) comprising Joanne Tan, Vivien Low and Jennifer Lee, in one team, and Karen Chong and Azlina Abas in the other, got down earlier to work out creative suggestions to improve on two work processes. At the conference they presented their recommendations for the Expenses Claim process, and Pre-Employment checklist to their fellow colleagues.

“WITS programme allows us to brainstorm and come up with suggestions to improve on our current workflow. This gives us a sense of empowerment, and a sense of comradeship as we worked through the challenges,” said Joanne, Sales & Regional Marketing and co-organiser of the conference.

This sense of comradeship was clearly marked and demonstrated in teambuilding activities. Mary Cher, CEO’s Office, was especially touched by the spontaneous cooperation between the three teams of secretaries as they played the two-plank ball game. “Each team consisting of about seven to eight members had to move in tandem on this huge plank-ski. It was very difficult to move around, picking up the scattered coloured balls of our team. After a while and without much discussion all the teams began to spontaneously pick up the coloured balls of the other teams as well, and exchanging them. We all managed to finish the game because we cooperated. This is the real win, where everybody won. One doesn’t truly win if one wins alone.”

Having attended such a fruitful and memorable conference, Alesxi Lim, Hotel Division suggested that if possible Secretaries’ Conference should be held twice a year. “One should be held like a table conference, where we could bring our common work challenges to the table for discussion to find a more effective solution.”