Two weeks before Motorola Solutions Singapore’s 50th anniversary, CXpose.tech had a glimpse of what was happening behind-the-scenes in preparation of the company’s golden jubilee.
Motorola Solutions Singapore’s country president, Chang Kar Weng shared his feeling of anticipation as his team geared up for anniversary celebrations in the country. It all culminated in the anniversary gala on 8th November, an event reflecting Motorola Solutions’ standing as a strategic partner for the nation’s security, and more broadly, its integration into Singapore’s social landscape and communities, through employee volunteerism and CSR partnerships.
Community Impact and Employee Wellness
Kar Weng feels proud that Motorola Solutions Singapore is recognized as one of Singapore’s best employers, rising from 20th to 5th place in The Straits Times annual index within the past four years. For Kar Weng, it’s an achievement that stemmed from many employee engagement initiatives; monthly coffee chats, team bonding sessions, health checks, and mental health support among them.
But that is not all.
The Yellow Ribbon Project is a community cause that supports former inmates’ reintegration into society via uplifting them with skills and career development. When corporations like Motorola Solutions have staff and family members actively taking part in activities like the Yellow Ribbon Run, it also sets examples of good values like charity and giving back that contribute to long-term positive impact.
Yellow Ribbon’s Director (Aftercare), Salmiah Hamid, said, “It’s a showcase of a corporate organization taking action to support second chances. Moving forward, I hope that more corporates model themselves after Motorola Solutions as we increase our work with the corporate segment.”
With vulnerable communities facing the continuing risk of scams in Singapore, Motorola Solutions’ employees have been trained as cyber crime prevention ambassadors through a collaboration with the National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC) and the Singapore Police Force (SPF).
Kar Weng says it’s a responsibility its employees don’t take lightly. Employee volunteers are vetted with background checks and high levels of scrutiny before they can be appointed as ambassadors. “It’s a big deal that 15 of us have been officially trained!”
During a media interview, NCPC council member, Dan Yock Hau, discussed the important role that crime prevention ambassadors play.
”Motorola Solutions started the ball rolling with NCPC, with a key group of around 15 people. One advantage is that being a technology organization, its people are technically inclined; they know about technology and the issues, and they can engage and educate the public more effectively about how to prevent crime and protect themselves.
“The company’s staff are personally committed to the cause and we hope their example will build momentum to get more organizations onboard.”
Partnering Singapore’s critical infrastructure providers
As country president, Kar Weng oversees sales and operations for Singapore, Brunei, and Indonesia, and his role also encompasses three critical areas: customer relationship management, employee engagement, and stakeholder collaboration. “The customer relationship piece is about ensuring our customers know that Motorola Solutions have their best interest at heart and can support them in achieving their safety, security and performance goals. For some that’s about leveraging reliable communications, for others, it’s having access to video security, software services, and command and control technology to support their operations.”
“It’s easy to forget where you’ve come from after such a long time, but this exercise reminded us how closely aligned Motorola Solutions’ technologies and values are with Singapore, one of the safest and most innovative countries in the world.”
Long-term partnerships with government agencies, including the Ministry of Home Affairs, and enterprise clients like the Port of Singapore Authority (PSA) have helped to embed the company’s critical communication and video technologies deep within the nation’s critical infrastructure.
One example of this is Motorola Solutions’ Singapore office now not only facing one of the busiest ports in the world; it serves the Port of Singapore Authority (PSA) in helping to provide safety for all containers and workers via use of TETRA radio communications as well as AI-powered video security technologies at the port.
Kar Weng said that engaging with business and government agencies, like the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA), American Chamber of Commerce Singapore (AmChamSG) as well as learning institutions like Nanyang Technological University (NTU) and National University of Singapore (NUS), helps the company to build relationships at levels deeper than purely providing technology.
Recently, public transport operator SBS Transit had inked a 15-year service support contract with Motorola Solutions to maintain and support critical radio communications using TETRA radio communications. Soon after that SMRT, another public transportation operator, also extended their 25 year collaboration with Motorola Solutions, with a 15-year long-term service support contract.
“Within every cabin of a passenger train, you’ll find a passenger emergency call button connected directly to the nearest train station operator or command control center,” Kar Weng added that this enables rapid response to emergencies and resource allocation for efficient management.
Motorola Solutions Singapore: Celebrating 50 Years
The guest list for the anniversary gala in November read like a who’s who of Singapore’s business and government elite with the Minister of Home Affairs and other senior government officials among attendees. Kar Weng reflected on a centerpiece for the event, an immersive narrative of the company’s evolution and growth in the country. It was a task that required the organizing team to scour through Motorola’s and Singapore’s historical archives.
Kar Weng said, “It’s easy to forget where you’ve come from after such a long time, but this exercise reminded us how closely aligned Motorola Solutions’ technologies and values are with Singapore, one of the safest and most innovative countries in the world.
“Whatever the future may hold, I want our customers to know that Motorola Singapore will continue to provide the support they need for all critical infrastructure and operations. As our company continually develops and evolves its solutions, we can also provide a great set of technologies to help them.”
Motorola Solutions’ 50 year journey has involved providing these technologies that enable Singapore’s security and resilience, a partnership that will continue to benefit both company and country in the future.