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TomoWork's A.B.L.E. Webinar Series

At TomoWork, we believe that Abilities, Belonging, Leadership, Empowerment (A.B.L.E) are the key success factors in achieving the goal of an inclusive workplace. We embarked on the TomoWork A.B.L.E. Webinar series at the height of COVID-19, when we were seeking stability in a time of uncertainty. We felt that this was a crucial time to foreground the importance of Diversity & Inclusion by opening up a dialogue on how Persons with Disabilities & Corporates can work in tandem to build inclusive ecosystems.

Going forward, we want to ensure that we uplift everyone as we recover, rebuild, and reach new heights.

Abilities: Crafting a Successful Digital Career
Date: Monday, 27 July 2020
Time: 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm (GMT+8)
Photo of Joshua Ong with Moderator label in yellow
Mr. Joshua Ong
Advisor for Communications & Culture, Hide & Seek
Photo of Alister Ong with panellist label in pink
Mr. Alister Ong
Community Tribe Lead
Photo of Jerome Syed with panellist label in pink
Mr. Jerome Syed
Digital Marketing Advocate
Photo of Se Jessen with panellist label in pink
Mr. Se Jessen
Executive, Kinetic Learning Development Centre
Photo of Teo Zi Lin with panellist label in pink
Ms. Teo Zi Lin
Business & Integration Arch Analyst
Photo of Joshua Ong with Moderator label in yellow
Mr. Joshua Ong
Advisor for Communications & Culture, Hide & Seek
Photo of Alister Ong with panellist label in pink
Mr. Alister Ong
Community Tribe Lead
Photo of Jerome Syed with panellist label in pink
Mr. Jerome Syed
Digital Marketing Advocate
Photo of Se Jessen with panellist label in pink
Mr. Se Jessen
Executive, Kinetic Learning Development Centre
Photo of Teo Zi Lin with panellist label in pink
Ms. Teo Zi Lin
Business & Integration Arch Analyst

For the first instalment in our series, we dove into employment success stories & learned how PWDs can better showcase one’s abilities during their job search. This webinar gave insights into how our panellists with disabilities took steps to be career-ready & secured their dream digital jobs.

We picked up how PWDs could pitch themselves at interviews to highlight their strengths while effectively communicating their needs to potential employers.

Ms. Teo Zi Lin shared that mentioning one’s disability at the interview’s end helps retain the spotlight on one’s abilities & how one can value-add to the organisation. Knowing how and when to mention one’s disability are among the many strategies to better advocate for oneself.

Find out more by clicking on our highlights video!

Belonging: The Key to Maximising Potential
Date: Monday, 24 August 2020
Time: 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm (GMT+8)
Photo of Cindy Chng with Moderator label in pink
Ms. Cindy Chng
Co-Founder, Partnerships
Hide & Seek
Photo of Aaron Wong with Panellist label in purple
Mr. Aaron Wong
Specialist, Apple
Photo of Adrian Yap with Panellist label in purple
Dr. Adrian Yap
Data Analytics Manager, Deloitte
Photo of YuRong Cheng with Panellist label in purple
Ms. YuRong Cheng
Product Designer, Facebook
Photo of Cindy Chng with Moderator label in pink
Ms. Cindy Chng
Co-Founder, Partnerships
Hide & Seek
Photo of Aaron Wong with Panellist label in purple
Mr. Aaron Wong
Specialist, Apple
Photo of Adrian Yap with Panellist label in purple
Dr. Adrian Yap
Data Analytics Manager, Deloitte
Photo of YuRong Cheng with Panellist label in purple
Ms. YuRong Cheng
Product Designer, Facebook

In the second webinar, our panellists from Facebook, Apple & Deloitte delved into what a ‘sense of belonging’ in the workplace means to them & how they undertook efforts to contribute to an inclusive ecosystem in their organisations. From finding common topics to better connect with colleagues, being open about their accessibility needs & being proactive about championing disability awareness, these panellists gave us an insight into how we can all play our part to create an inclusive environment in the workplace.

Leadership: Inclusive Growth for All
Date: Monday, 31 August 2020
Time: 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm (GMT+8)
Photo of Yvonne Huang with Moderator label in purple
Ms. Yvonne Huang
Regional Director - Asia
Insights Learning & Development
Mr. Hosea Lai
Head of Social Impact (CSR),
APAC, LinkedIn
Photo of Sophie Guerin with Panellist label in yellow
Ms. Sophie Guerin
Head of Diversity & Inclusion,
APAC, Johnson & Johnson

During this webinar, Mr. Hosea Lai, Head of Social Impact (CSR), APAC at LinkedIn & Ms. Sophie Guerin, Head of Diversity & Inclusion, APAC from Johnson & Johnson explored ways companies can pursue inclusive growth given the current global pandemic. With the unprecedented disruption brought about by COVID-19, our panellists emphasised the need for creative solutions to ensure that we pursue economic growth while uplifting everyone, including Persons with Disabilities & other marginalised communities, in the process.

Ms Sophie Guerin, for instance, learns about what motivates her senior management team & pitches her D&I strategies according to their approach.  Similarly, Mr Hosea Lai has taken concrete steps at LinkedIn to narrow the network gap for individuals from less privileged backgrounds to level the playing field.  They also agreed that inclusive growth requires a two-pronged approach, where ground-up Employee Resource Groups & top management have to work together to create a culture where individuals are able to bring their authentic selves to the organisation. To them, this creates a win-win situation as employees & employers can all contribute effectively to the company’s progress.

The Power of Building an Inclusive Brand & Empowering the Differently Abled Community
Date: Wednesday, 23 September 2020
Time: 4:00 pm - 5:15 pm (GMT+8)
Photo of Marcus Loh with moderator title
Mr. Marcus Loh
Senior Director of WE Communications
President of Institute of Public Relations of Singapore (IPRS)
Photo of Catherine Flynn with panellist title
Ms. Catherine Flynn
Global Director of Gaming & Audiences Marketing, Facebook
Photo of Mariane Waiter with panellist title
Ms. Marianne Waite
Director of Inclusive Brands,
The Valuable 500, UK
Photo of Winnie Lewis with panellist title
Ms. Winnie Lewis
Head, Disability Inclusion, Employment & Employability, SG Enable
Photo of Marcus Loh with moderator title
Mr. Marcus Loh
Senior Director of WE Communications
President of Institute of Public Relations of Singapore (IPRS)
Photo of Catherine Flynn with panellist title
Ms. Catherine Flynn
Global Director of Gaming & Audiences Marketing, Facebook
Photo of Mariane Waiter with panellist title
Ms. Marianne Waite
Director of Inclusive Brands,
The Valuable 500, UK
Photo of Winnie Lewis with panellist title
Ms. Winnie Lewis
Head, Disability Inclusion, Employment & Employability, SG Enable

We were proud to conclude the A.B.L.E. Webinar Series with our fourth webinar, ‘The Power of Building an Inclusive Brand & Empowering the Differently Abled Community. ’ Co-hosted with Facebook, this event provided us with inside scoops on inclusive branding from Diversity & Inclusion thought leaders at Facebook, The Valuable 500 & SG Enable. 

Ms. Catherine Flynn, Global Director of Gaming & Audiences Marketing, Facebook, emphasised that in order to be genuine when engaging your target audience, it’s very crucial for business to have a clear direction on their brand purpose & values before branding themselves as “inclusive”. Further, Ms. Marianne Waite, Director of Inclusive Brands at The Valuable 500, reminded us the importance of empowering individuals, including Differently Abled communities, to address the underlying issues and maintain business sustainability.

Together, our panellists made a strong case for inclusive branding as a useful tool to create unique brand experiences for a diverse consumer base, including PWDs. Further, they came equipped with facts & numbers to show that inclusive branding & representing PWDs in corporate products & services are good for business & the bottom line!

We will continue this discussion on inclusive employment & employability with our wide range of partners. Stay updated on our upcoming events & programmes!