Setting Singapore’s Olympic stage

It’s the biggest event to hit the Singapore sporting calendar since Formula One first came to town. The inaugural Youth Olympic Games, where athletes aged 14 to 18 compete in a range of 26 Summer Olympic sports, will host 3600 athletes from around the world (as well as 1400 sporting officials and over 1200 international media representatives) for a two-week sporting extravaganza.

But such an integrated event takes plenty of hard work behind the scenes. The Singapore Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee (SYOGOC) is responsible for all aspects of the Games, from precise logistics for each of the different sports and spectator ticketing, to athlete transport and accommodation and media relations. At the helm is Goh Kee Nguan, a retired Brigadier General of the Singapore Armed Forces. The CEO says the event is heavily reliant on professional working talent and organisational skills, something all 550 of his staff display every day. “I am very fortunate to be working with a team of enthusiastic, passionate and competent people who put their heart and soul into their work,” he tells HRM.

Starting out

Putting together an event of such Olympic proportions requires a great deal of scarce resources. Talent and investment money are certainly important, but one of the most valuable commodities for SYOGOC has been time. Singapore’s winning bid was announced in early 2008, giving the committee only a short window with which to prepare. “We had a little over two years to organise the Games (compared to four years for Nanjing, China, which will host the 2014 Youth Olympic Games),” Goh says. “This means we had a very short time to get the team up and running.

“One of the first things that we did was to recruit the senior management and set up the core team – some of whom were involved during the bidding phase – to identify specific functional requirements.”

In those early days, there were just 25 full-time staff on the SYOGOC books. “Our strategy was to increase staff strength by phases, according to the manpower needs of each functional area at each phase.”

Larger-scale recruitment

As those phases drew closer, the recruitment faced a number of both challenges and opportunities, Goh recalls. Importantly, the short-term nature of the event and the work involved meant it was harder than usual to attract good quality candidates from outside the sporting industry. The economic downturn further discouraged potential staff from taking on the risk of short-term employment.

“One of the key challenges was finding the right people with relevant experience and qualifications, who were willing to take up a contract appointment,” Goh says. “(But) it helped that the market started to pick-up in 2009 and the Olympic brand name is one that is internationally recognised. The Youth Olympic Games is also a significant event in the sports fraternity and we have had many people making ‘cold calls’ and sending in their résumés (on speculation).”

SYOGOC used the full range of channels available to it during its major recruitment drives. These included the Singapore Government online recruitment portal, print advertising and networking contacts. “During our peak recruitment period, we were able to bring in one person every two days,” Goh says.

That has built up the numbers at the SYOGOC headquarters as it moved from the earlier planning stages to its present operational phase – it now boasts peak employment of around 550 full-time staff. Goh says the team has been working hard to bring its dream of a world-class sporting and educational event to reality. “Many of our staff see working on the first-ever Youth Olympic Games as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” he notes. “It is also a chance to be able to co-create the Games with the International Olympic Committee and make a lasting impact on the youth of the world.”

A unique working culture

With a new team in place, brought together through recruitment and secondments from other Government agencies, and a single short-term goal in mind, SYOGOC necessarily boasts a unique working culture. Goh says without the keen sense of commitment and teamwork, the fast-approaching deadlines would be impossible to meet.

“Commitment is very important on a short-term, intense project like Singapore 2010,” he tells HRM. “I think what keeps all of us going is the belief that the Youth Olympic Games is a meaningful event for young athletes and the youth of the world.”

Still, the grand nature of the event cannot be the only motivation for staff. It’s up to the CEO and leadership group to also keep that spirit high, particularly as the opening ceremony draws ever-nearer. Goh says the organisation is based on regular and comprehensive feedback – with monthly town hall-like sessions providing updates on all areas of SYOGOC’s work. “(Each) division gets to brief the entire SYOGOC family about upcoming major events; employees can ask questions and interact with one another.”

Then there are the more light-hearted forms of motivation. “We work hard but it is also important to play hard, and take time to build the camaraderie,” Goh says. For this, there are the monthly “Happy Hour” events, hosted by each division, where the entire organisation gets together to play games and bond over food and drinks.

Perhaps unsuprisingly, the Olympic theme gets a strong workout. “I remember one particular ‘Office Olympic Games’ event where groups of people swiveled around in their work chairs to music for a ‘synchronised chair dancing’ event,” Goh recalls.

Not everyone gets paid

Of course, staffing an international event such as this requires much more than those 550 full-timers. Volunteer workers, from all walks of life, are an essential cost-saving resource and also help to ensure that the Youth Olympic Games remains something that everyone is able to participate in. With this in mind, SYOGOC has created as many volunteer positions as possible.

“We did not recruit the volunteers just to meet our operational needs,” Goh says. “Our philosophy is to give as many people as possible the chance to be involved in this once in a lifetime opportunity.”

In all, there were at least 20,000 opportunities identified in some 195 different job roles. These ranged from sport support (coordinating presentations, for example) to spectator services (such as guiding visitors at competition venues) and media operations. There are even roles for volunteers in ensuring adherence to the Olympic movement’s strict anti-doping regulations.

While the total volunteer count has exceeded expectations – many of the 20,000 pledges have already begun training – there are some areas that still need more hands on deck. “The biggest single area is in language services, where we hope to have more volunteers who are fluent in languages such as French, Spanish, German, Russian, Arabic and Portuguese,” Goh says.

Turning out the lights

Come what may, the Singapore Youth Olympic Games will close on August 26 – and within a few months of that, most of SYOGOC will also be dissolved. There will be some important winding-up jobs that will require ongoing staff, but work within the committee is expected to dry up as quickly as it was created during the planning phases.

Goh says that is the reality that everyone is working with – but the organisation has been keen to help staff through the inevitable transition. “As this is also a short project where staff are expected to work at a very fast pace till the very end, we feel that the right thing to do for our people is to also help them exit smoothly and transit to their next job,” he says.

As part of this exit process, SYOGOC has been hosting career workshops and fairs for its staff – and also offering expert advice and assistance on résumés and interviews. The unique programme (not many employers would actively invite rival bids for their staff on their own premises) has resulted in many SYOGOC staff landing new positions months ahead of their expected contract end dates. Goh says the remainder are also enjoying good prospects, thanks to a number of employers who have been keen to take advantage of the unique skills and experiences staff are developing through the event.

Goh says that ensuring a smooth transition means staff are better able to complete their work as the Games draw near. “This way, our people can then concentrate fully on their jobs as we enter Games-time.”

That date is rapidly drawing near, giving everyone involved something to look forward to. “I’m looking forward to seeing how the hard work of my colleagues comes into fruition.” The 2010 Singapore Youth Olympic Games kicks off with the Opening Ceremony at Marina Bay on August 14.