Customers First

Putting our customers and residents first remained our focus during the FY. To serve the growing number of flats in Bukit Panjang and Choa Chu Kang, a new Bukit Panjang Branch was set up. The first to be built without physical counters, the new Branch features an e-lobby that is open round the clock, providing residents with convenient access to HDB’s services via self-help machines. Customer service officers are on hand to guide residents on the use of these e-services during the Branch’s operation hours. Bukit Panjang Branch represents the beginning of a new way of operation for HDB Branches, as we continue to explore new ways to improve our service delivery with the use of technology, to bring about greater convenience for residents.

Leveraging technology, we have also introduced the use of mobile CCTV to enhance the effectiveness of our parking enforcement. Using video analytics, the system helps to deter illegal parking at hotspots. As at 31 March 2019, a total of 387 mobile CCTVs have been deployed island-wide.

Our customer service transformation efforts were driven by insights gleaned from regular research, surveys and data analytics, conducted in a bid to understand and anticipate the needs of HDB’s customers. Results of key surveys such as the Customer Experience Survey and the Customer Satisfaction Index showed that satisfaction and trust in HDB’s services have improved over the last few years, with frontline counter services recording a higher level of satisfaction. Notwithstanding the encouraging results, we continued to train our officers to engage different segments of customers more effectively, including through the HDB Experience programme so that all staff are aligned with the organisation’s service ethos.

Building a Future-Ready and Innovative Workforce

Staff training remained a key focus in developing and strengthening HDB’s capabilities to meet current and future needs. The training programmes were aimed at building horizontal capabilities such as leadership, innovation, and data analytics, as well as technical capabilities such as planning, engineering research, and information technology, aligning with HDB’s digital transformation journey to build a bold and innovative HDB.

HDB continued to attract new talents through its scholarship programmes. A total of 555 applications were received in the 2018 Scholarship exercise, with 17 scholarships awarded for a wide range of disciplines, including Architecture, Engineering, Urban Planning, Sociology, and Computer Science.

To promote healthy lifestyles and enhance staff well-being in the workplace, various work health programmes were organised. The HDB Health mobile app, introduced in 2017, enabled staff to track their individual health statistics and access health initiatives and other wellness information. To encourage staff to be more active and take at least 10,000 steps daily, HDB also organised 2 seasons of the HDB Steps Challenge in 2018. In the last season, 1,786 staff took part in the Challenge.

Promoting the HDB Brand to an International Audience

Singapore’s public housing journey is rich with stories. It has spanned almost 6 decades of meticulous planning, innovation and creativity in building communities and homes that have housed a nation. This FY, HDB hosted over 160 delegations from various countries, sharing HDB’s public housing story with over 3,400 international and local visitors. Visitors included distinguished foreign dignitaries such as the CEO of World Bank, the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan and mayors from major cities around the world.

To better tell our story, we revamped our visitors’ gallery located at HDB Hub. Complete with multimedia and interactive exhibits, the LIVINGSPACE gallery showcases HDB’s efforts in providing well-designed, sustainable and community-centric homes. Since its opening in September 2018, the gallery has received 140,000 visitors, and regularly attracts some 20,000 visitors a month.

Accolades

HDB received several international and local awards in the FY, a continued reflection of its commitment to excellence. Among them was the prestigious Singapore Quality Award 2018 with Special Commendation, awarded to HDB in recognition of the high standards we have achieved in delivering our products and services. HDB is one of only 2 organisations that has successfully achieved re-certification at this Special Commendation level.

Kampung Admiralty was conferred the World Building of the Year at the World Architecture Festival (WAF) 2018. The project was lauded by the WAF judges for the development’s mixed-purpose design, combining a variety of commercial, residential and health spaces topped by lush green terraces and supported by a sustainable built-in water ecosystem.

Adventure Playground @ Canberra, Kampung Admiralty and Waterway Ridges at Punggol received the International Federation of Landscape Architects Africa, Asia Pacific, Middle East (IFLA AAPME) Resilience by Design Outstanding Awards. Another 2 projects, Yishun Nature Park and Senja Parc View, were also conferred the Excellence and Honourable Awards, respectively. These awards recognise excellent landscape strategies that have achieved positive outcomes like good water management and the promotion of social and community health.

HDB clinched the International Green Apple Award 2018 for Environmental Best Practice Asia (Silver), which recognises companies that promote environmental best practices in the world. For achieving excellent safety performance at our worksites, HDB was conferred the Royal Society for Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) Gold Award in 2018.