● 120 members from the hospitality sector were recognised for their outstanding service during their course of work
● 7 gracious guests were also honored to reinforce the message that appreciation of kindness plays an important part in encouraging and motivating service
● 7 award winners were present at the award ceremony, and received the award from Guest-of-Honour, Minister of State, Ministry for Trade and Industry and Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, Mr Alvin Tan
● Minister Tan highlighted the acts of kindness and graciousness from our service professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic, and thanked winners for their hard work and resilience.
● Dr William Wan, General Secretary of Singapore Kindness Movement, highlighted that the cumulative efforts of the hospitality service providers and guests will make Singapore a more gracious society Service
SINGAPORE – 10 Mar 2021 ━ The 26th edition of the National Kindness Awards – Service Gold 2020 ceremony was held at Furama Riverfront Hotel today, honouring 120 heroes in our hospitality industry and 7 ‘gracious guests’. Jointly organised by Singapore Kindness Movement (SKM) and the Singapore Hotel Association (SHA), the Awards honour service professionals who make extraordinary efforts to provide exceptional service to their guests, as well as hotel guests who treat service staff with exceptional graciousness and respect.
7 winners were physically presented with the awards by the Guest of Honour, Minister of State, Ministry for Trade and Industry and Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, Mr Alvin Tan. Due to Safe Management Measures, the remaining winners tuned in online to join in the celebration. With the hospitality industry heavily impacted by travel restrictions, it is especially important to acknowledge the tireless dedication to service excellence, despite the limitations of the global pandemic.
Recipients were selected by a panel consisting of representatives from the local hotel industry and SKM, based on nominations from fellow colleagues, supervisors and guests. The Gracious Guest award winners were nominated by hotel staff and serves as a reminder that kindness and graciousness go both ways. This reinforces the message that appreciation of kindness plays an important part in encouraging and motivating service
A discussion between a panel of esteemed guests was also held during the event. The panel discussed how hotels have pivoted during the pandemic and how they had changed their operations to suit the local tourism industry while maintaining service excellence. They also posited on how hotels can continue to foster a more gracious service experience given the challenges of the pandemic and its economic impact.
Among this year’s award recipients is Chan Kin Chong Jason, Assistant Operations Manager at Hard Rock Hotel Singapore, Resorts World Sentosa. Jason has regularly earned warm praises from guests, for his personable demeanor and willingness to go the extra mile to assist those around him whether guests or even team members at Resorts World Sentosa. When the circuit breaker first started, Jason was one of the resort’s pioneer team members who volunteered to help out. He was posted to the Community Care Facility (CCF) at Singapore EXPO and MAX Atria where Resorts World Sentosa was the managing agent. Despite the risk of infection, he volunteered to help take care of the COVID-19 positive patients during their recovery phase last April.
Another award recipient is Mohamed Faizal bin Hamzah, Assistant Security Manager at Hotel G Singapore. Always bubbly and positive, Faizal is an integral member of his team and consistently showcases professionalism and skill with guest relations. In one instance, the Security team was alerted about a member of the public, who had collapsed on the street just outside the hotel. Faizal swiftly picked up the Automated External Defibrillator (AED) and ran to the person’s aid, reviving him and waiting on him until the ambulance arrived.
Hotel guests recognised under the Gracious Guest category included Andrea Goh who served her Stay Home Notice (SHN) at Shangri-La’s Rasa Sentosa Resort & Spa. Among the first to be on SHN, Andrea was a source of information and encouragement to many. She participated actively in the resort’s SHN programmes with fellow SHN guests, and was integral in creating camaraderie amongst the guests. She vlogged daily and continued to participate in the SHN group sessions providing tips to new SHN guests, even after she checked-out. Her gift of hand-drawn watercolours of the resort to the hotel team provided affirmation that their efforts were appreciated, lifting their spirits and spurred them on as they cared for more SHN guests.
“COVID-19 brought about disruptions globally, including travel restrictions and border closures. Despite this, the hotel industry stepped up to play its part in the fight against COVID-19. Some hotels pivoted to cater to new demands while others took the chance to upskill and cross-train their staff during the lull period. However, we do not forget that it is the human touch that matters. This is the kind of society that we want to be – centred upon kindness regardless of where you are from.” said Minister of State, Ministry for Trade and Industry and Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, Mr Alvin Tan.
Dr. William Wan, General Secretary of the Singapore Kindness Movement, said, “For the past 26 years, the Service Gold Award has consistently recognised the extraordinary effort and professionalism displayed in our tourism industry. These members of the service staff are true ambassadors of kindness as they have gone beyond their duty to provide gracious service.”
He added, “Undeterred by the COVID-19 pandemic, these frontline heroes have done all they can to maintain service excellence and find more ways they can provide gracious service. It warms my heart to see such acts of kindness and it proves that we have taken another step towards being a more hospitable society. Let us all continue to do our best to create a greater Singapore that embraces everyone with kindness and graciousness.”
Ms Margaret Heng, Executive Director of Singapore Hotel Association commented, “Our service staff have done an admirable job of providing gracious service despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. They are indeed shining role models of how we can remain a kind and gracious society even during trying times. Let their wonderful heart-warming stories inspire us to be kind to one another.”
Click here for the speeches of the Minister of State, Ministry of Trade and Industry and Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth, Mr Alvin Tan, General Secretary, Singapore Kindness Movement, Dr. William Wan and President, Singapore Hotel Association, Ms Kwee Wei-Lin, and Fact Sheet .