Challenge - February 2008

	About Challenge \| Contact Us \| PS21 \| Sitemap \| Archives

Different Faces in the Public Service

If you were given the choice between a high-paying job and the public sector, which one would it be? In this issue, two of our foreign talents, Ms Gabrielle Kim and DSP Kenneth Kavanagh share with Challenge, how the intrinsic benefits of working in the public sector outweigh the lucrative private sector careers they could have chosen.

PDF (4.06MB)

Picture This!

How do you communicate a complex message to your staff and hope they won't need a dictionary to understand it? By using pictures. Read about how agencies are sprucing up their internal communications materials with clear and concise illustrations.

Cycle of Success

What does it take for Singapore to be the leading research & development (R&D) centre of the world? What kind of impact will it create for us? Learn about the achievements thus far and the next phase that will bring Singapore closer to its goal.

Catalyst for Creativity

MDA has been applauded by the foreign media for their unconventional approach of showcasing the agency. Dr Christopher Chia provides more insights on how MDA strives to take the Singapore media industry to the global level.

A New Year, A New Way How does one pick up a lost skill? Why, through YouTube of course! If you're thinking "what??", that's exactly what Rachel our editor did. Learn more on how you can employ YouTube to be your teacher without having to pay a fee (internet fees not included)!	I Say For those of us who have made New Year resolutions as part of our annual ritual, how many of them are work-related? What sort of resolutions have you made to improve your working situation or environment?

Short Takes Get updates on a disaster relief simulation exercise led by SCDF. Find out what our ITE student innovators have come up with. Discover the latest well-equipped sports centre from SSC and a new map portal introduced by SLA.	No Risk, No Return Sounds like another Jack Neo movie? Not really, but this is a saying which he abides by. As his films are often about the heartlanders, it's no wonder Singaporeans put it on their "must watch" list when his movies are released. We talk to Jack Neo about what he loves doing - making films, and his take on the Singapore Public Service.

The MOP Report Our Member of Public files the latest report on customer service at the agencies.	New Ideas, New Perspectives The next time you complain about foreign workers, remember that diversity allows creative juices to start flowing with input from people whose life experiences differ from our own. Jimmy Yap stresses how Singapore depends on foreign talent in more ways than we realise.

Guilt-Free Desserts For people who are born with a sweet tooth, temptation in the form of a dessert is hard to resist. Good news for those who love desserts but are concerned about your waistlines. You will enjoy these healthier recommendations without any guilt!	Double Bill Shopping, eating, nightlife. Hong Kong and Singapore no doubt share many similarities. How similar are the two countries' public sectors? Find out from Mr Alan Au, Assistant Secretary with the Hong Kong Financial Services and Treasury Bureau, who was on a work attachment at MICA & Ms Charlene Chang, Deputy Director of the Foreign Workforce Policy Department at MOM, who was at the same bureau in Hong Kong.

Surviving Stressful Times Most of us learn to give ourselves a break when the stress becomes too much. Shopping, video games, meditation, food, whatever works to take our mind off for awhile. Coming back refreshed allows us to manage work and life. What other de-stressing techniques can you use?