Team Spirit Shines Brightly
When Singapore’s Circuit Breaker forced the shutdown of hotels across the island, the team at The Grand Hyatt Singapore banded together to reimagine the guest experience and the future of events.
Joe Teh, Senior Event Planning Manager
Usually tucked away at her desk in the Sales and Marketing office, Joe is now supporting the hotel’s housekeeping and food & beverage departments while she waits for events to resume.
“When I first learnt that all events would be called off due to the pandemic, I felt a wave of worry and uncertainty, but saw a glimmer of hope when the hotel was the first to be awarded the SG Clean certification.,” Teh says.
With her eagerness to learn, she offered her assistance to help clean the rooms and during Circuit Breaker was deployed to the Food & Beverage department to assist with the online shop orders. “Through these experiences, what I found most rewarding was the strong family-like bond I have built with team members from different departments,” she said.
Akihiro Miwa, Event Services Manager
Miwa is always ready to serve and, despite the demands of his role, he is known to be composed and calm at every event. And this remains the case today. During the difficult season, Miwa took the initiative to lend a helping hand to the room service team while brainstorming future event experiences in order to cater to the evolving needs of event organisers.
“It is a chance to learn new skills and acquire knowledge, while using the time to review how we can do better to build confidence when events resume,” he says.
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Wendy Teo, Director of Sales
Resilience does not come new to Teo, who joined the hotel in 2017 equipped with 15 years of experience in fostering strong relationships with corporate clients — including during the SARS outbreak in 2003, where she was managing events in Beijing.
Now, as she leads her team of 15, she looks back at the experience and guides her team to remain positive and go beyond their role by extending care to the hotel’s clients during this difficult season. “Never waste a crisis, as this is a time to test our grit and strength,” she says.
As a leader, she’s always on the look-out for training opportunities for her team to acquire new skills and widen their knowledge. As a working mum, her multi-tasking skills were put to the test during Circuit Breaker, where she played the role of chef and teacher to her children, while juggling meetings and daily work tasks.
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Naidu Thanabal, Hygiene and Safety Manager
Thanabal has been safeguarding the hotel’s hygiene practices for more than six years and, even during this difficult time, he begins his day with his usual 6.30am walkthrough of the hotel, ensuring that hygiene procedures are carried out impeccably. “Hygiene is a priority regardless of the circumstances,” he says.
A constant source of positivity, Thanabal is a lighthouse to many team members, encouraging them to care for their wellbeing through exercise and regularly sharing inspiring quotes that bring a smile to both guests and team members alike.
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