Caring Together For Staff Wellness

First came the email sign-offs. Then the wellness events. Before long, staff across CGH were noticing something different about how the hospital felt. Behind these changes were two unlikely partners: Dr Ian Loh from Otorhinolaryngology and Gabriela Marissa Benjamin from HR.

The CGH Office of Staff Wellness had emerged from the realities of the COVID-19 pandemic. Like healthcare workers everywhere, the CGH care team had forged through the pandemic with characteristic resilience, working hard to care for the different groups within the community.

"We just kept going because many of us thought of this work as something sacred, that it was important to safeguard the health and well-being of our community," Dr Ian explains, "But the pandemic really put us at a breaking point."

“During the pandemic, there were ad hoc efforts – mental wellness talks, care packages, and informal check-ins. But it felt like the support was just not enough,” Gabriela adds.

The Staff Wellness Committee at the inaugural retreat in 2023

The Office of Staff Wellness was thus set up to advance staff wellbeing as a key priority at CGH, with Dr Ian as CGH’s first Institution Wellness Officer. The initial team comprised 20 members drawn from departments across the hospital, reflecting their commitment to a comprehensive approach to staff wellness.

What surprised the pair when they began their work was a heartwarming discovery.

"There were already various wellness initiatives in place, with so many people doing so much. Every professional arm had committees and activities going on to better support their teams. It was quite humbling because this was without any formal organisation, and purely because people cared.”

– Dr Ian Loh,
Head and Senior Consultant,
Otorhinolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery

“CGH has always been a very homely place with a real sense of community — there's a lot of kampung spirit here,” he adds.

Their mission became clear: to better synergise, harmonise and bring people together on a common platform to do greater good.

Gabriela credits Dr Ian's influence and camaraderie with colleagues, "The way Dr Ian delivers messages helps convince people, which makes things move more smoothly."

At the same time, Dr Ian insists, "Having a capable executive makes the work a lot easier. I don't think I could have done it without Gabriela."

The team put this into practice with carefully chosen efforts, including a CHAS card drive to help colleagues get subsidised referrals.

Emails were sent to staff to inform them that CHAS cards were accepted at the staff clinic

“We listened to what our colleagues were saying – they needed healthcare too.”

– Gabriella Benjamin,
Senior Assistant Manager,
HR Worklife & Health

The team realised that staff with CHAS cards could get subsidised consultations at participating clinics – including at the staff clinic at St. Andrew’s Community Hospital next door.

“It was a simple solution hiding in plain sight – all we needed was to share this information with colleagues, and encourage them to apply for the card, which really helped,” says Gabriela.

Another thoughtful initiative that has become commonplace in the inbox — email signatures with disclaimers highlighting that emails received outside of work hours do not need to be responded to immediately. This addition was championed by Dr Ian, who encouraged senior leaders to add these disclaimers to their email signatures, to “flatten the hierarchy and show their respect for work hours”.

"Now it's become the cultural norm," he explains. "We've seen emails sent after office hours drop dramatically. People tend to wait for the next working day, and even when staff receive emails after office hours, they know they don't have to answer immediately."

For Gabriela, the daily appreciation from colleagues fuels her passion.

Emails were sent to staff to inform them that CHAS cards were accepted at the staff clinic

“Colleagues do appreciate what we do. We receive feedback thanking us for everything — whether small or big — they do recognise and acknowledge it.”

– Gabriella Benjamin,
Senior Assistant Manager,
HR Worklife & Health

Emails were sent to staff to inform them that CHAS cards were accepted at the staff clinic

“It made me realise that we are extended family working here, and all the things we do matter to different people. While it may be difficult to find something that matters equally to everybody, all these efforts are part of trying to gel this ecosystem together.”

– Dr Ian Loh,
Head and Senior Consultant,
Otorhinolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery

In CGH, where caring for others is at the heart of everything we do, the Office of Staff Wellness reflects a fundamental truth: we cannot pour from an empty cup. Their work demonstrates that supporting mental health is not just about formal programmes – it is about creating a culture where everyone feels seen, valued and supported. Whether you’re seeing patients or keeping the hospital running, one thing remains constant: the most effective medicine often starts with simple human connection.

Read more about how Dr Ian leads with compassion at CGH here.