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These values are more than words, Catherine Ong, Senior Manager, Human Resources, shares. "They shape how we listen, make decisions, and lead. We focus on clarity, fairness, and opportunities for growth."
What does employee experience mean to the team at London School of Business and Finance (LSBF) Singapore?
As we learn in this interview with Catherine Ong, Senior Manager, Human Resources, London School of Business and Finance (LSBF) Singapore, it encompasses the entire journey of a staff member – from onboarding and development to career progression or transition. What matters most to them is creating an environment where people feel connected: to their work, their team, and the school’s purpose.
Guided by its core values – 'We Are One Team' and 'We Care' – LSBF integrates these principles into how it listens, makes decisions, and leads. The focus remains on providing clarity, fairness, and meaningful opportunities for growth, ensuring that its approach to employee experience is closely aligned with business objectives, recognising that a supported and engaged team directly influences student outcomes and organisational resilience.
LSBF took home the following bronze awards at the Employee Experience Awards 2025, Singapore:
- Best Remote Work Strategy, and
- Best Organisational Change Leadership.
Commemorating the team's recent victory, HRO catches up with Ong to learn more about how the institution drives performance through its a culture of care.
Q How does your team define "employee experience", and what aspects do you prioritise most?
At LSBF, we see employee experience as the entire journey of a staff member — from onboarding to development, and eventually, progression or transition. What we prioritise most is creating an environment where people feel connected to their work, their team, and the school’s purpose. Our values — We Are One Team and We Care — are more than words; they shape how we listen, make decisions, and lead. We focus on clarity, fairness, and opportunities for growth.
Under the leadership of our CEO, LSBF Global, Mr. Rathakrishnan Govind, we align employee experience closely with business needs – knowing that a supported, engaged team directly impacts student outcomes and organisational resilience.
Q Can you walk us through your most high-impact EX initiative that led to your success at the awards this year? What business need did it solve, and how was success measured?
Our most high-impact initiative was the restructuring of our Student Success Office (SSO). It was driven by a simple but powerful goal: to serve our students better. We consolidated roles across schools, clarified responsibilities, and built a stronger, unified team focused on service excellence. Change is never easy, but by involving team leads in shaping the process, and anchoring every decision on student outcomes, we earned our staff’s buy-in and strengthened internal collaboration.
On the remote work front, we took a practical approach — leveraging talent from our existing global network while building a culture of accountability and communication.
We didn't get it perfect overnight, but we focused on trust, clear deliverables, and regular check-ins.
The bronze wins for both change leadership and remote work reflect not just the strategy, but the people who brought it to life with humility, resilience, and heart.
Q How do you balance personalised employee needs with scalable EX programmes?
At LSBF, we believe that supporting employees meaningfully starts with recognising that people are at different life stages and have different responsibilities. While we maintain consistent structures across the board, we’ve built in flexibility where it matters. Beyond annual leave, we offer examination leave, women’s healthcare leave, and family care leave — all designed to reflect real-life needs, not just policy on paper.
During Ramadan, for example, our Muslim colleagues are given the option to leave earlier or work from home more often to accommodate fasting and prayers. These gestures may seem small, but they reflect a culture of care backed by practical execution.
"Under Mr. Rathakrishnan Govind’s leadership, we’re reminded that empathy and operational sense can co-exist — and when they do, the employee experience becomes both inclusive and sustainable."
Q What are some underappreciated drivers of employee engagement that you think deserve more attention?
One key driver we’ve found is the dignity of everyday work — making sure each employee feels respected, not just for their output but for who they are and what they bring. It’s easy to talk about engagement through KPIs or grand programmes, but often it’s the smaller, consistent human practices that shape trust. Things like acknowledging long service without fail, checking in personally during tough times, or giving people space when they need it.
At LSBF, we also value honest conversations — even when they’re difficult — because they create room for clarity and connection. Our CEO, LSBF Global, Mr. Rathakrishnan Govind, often reminds us: it’s not always about doing more, but doing what matters, and doing it with sincerity.
Q Finally, what is the most important message that you'd like to share with your team as you plan ahead?
To every member of the LSBF family — thank you for your resilience, your willingness to adapt, and for staying committed through all the changes we’ve experienced. The road ahead will have its own challenges, but if we continue to move with honesty, mutual respect, and a shared sense of purpose, we’ll get there stronger together.
Our CEO, LSBF Global, Mr. Rathakrishnan Govind, always reminds us: we’re not just building systems, we’re building people. Let’s keep supporting one another, growing with intention, and making LSBF a place where good work and good people meet.
Read more interviews on why organisations have won trophies for their HR practices - head over to our Winning Secrets section!
Photos: Provided
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