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Embedding inclusion into everyday operations takes more than good intentions. In this interview, Lesli Seow, People Director, shares how the team removed barriers to employment while building a stronger employee experience.
Inclusion is most effective when it moves beyond standalone initiatives and becomes part of how a business operates. For Watsons Singapore, this has meant taking a closer look at the barriers that can limit access to employment, particularly in a fast-moving retail environment.
Rather than simply introducing more programmes, the team focused on making practical changes to hiring processes, workforce models and education-to-employment pathways. Working closely with store managers, operations teams and frontline colleagues, it refined job scopes, deployment arrangements and on-the-ground support to make inclusion sustainable in stores.
Following the team's bronze win for 'Best Diversity and Inclusion Strategy' at the Employee Experience Awards 2026, Singapore, Lesli Seow, People Director, reflects on why inclusive employment must be both people-centred and operationally sound. He also shares why, as workplaces become increasingly digital and AI-driven, HR must continue to put empathy, trust, and human connection at the centre of the employee experience.
Q Tell us about the biggest insight or lesson that influenced your EX approach this past year.
One of the biggest insights we gained is that diversity and inclusion cannot be treated as standalone initiatives. They must be intentionally built into the way the business operates every day.
In a fast-paced retail environment, inclusion has to be practical, sustainable, and relevant to store operations. This shaped the way we reviewed our employee experience approach. Instead of simply introducing more programmes, we focused on removing barriers and creating better access to employment.
This included simplifying hiring processes, introducing more flexible workforce models, and building stronger education-to-employment pathways. Through this journey, we saw that when inclusion is embedded into business processes, it strengthens not only our culture, but also workforce stability, team engagement, and our ability to serve customers better.
Q How did you bring leaders, managers, and employees together to support the execution and success of the initiative?
To make the initiative successful, we focused on ensuring that it was practical and could work effectively in our day-to-day store environment.
The overall approach was shaped with input from different stakeholders, with a common objective of widening access to talent while addressing real workforce needs. Store managers and operations teams played an important role in helping us refine job scope design, deployment arrangements, and on-the-ground support.
At the same time, we strengthened feedback channels so that frontline colleagues could share their experiences and highlight areas for improvement. This helped us build a more continuous feedback loop between HR, operations, Support Office and store teams.
As teams began to see stronger workforce stability and better team dynamics, support grew naturally, with increasing ownership from the stores.
Q What challenge behind the scenes tested your team the most, and what did it teach you about building stronger employee experience programmes?
One of the biggest challenges was managing the initial uncertainty from operational teams. Their concerns were understandable, especially when stores were already operating in a demanding retail environment.
There were questions around how colleagues from non-traditional talent pools, including persons with disabilities and students from specialised institutions, could be integrated meaningfully into store teams.
"This taught us that inclusion cannot rely on good intention alone. It requires proper planning, role clarity, and close support."
We worked with store teams to review job scopes, clarify expectations, and pilot selected arrangements before scaling them further. Through this, we learnt that stronger employee experience programmes must be both people-centred and operationally sound. When teams are properly supported, uncertainty can gradually turn into confidence and advocacy.
Q As you reflect on the journey, what this recognition at the Employee Experience Awards 2026 mean to you and your team?
This recognition is meaningful because it affirms the direction we have taken to make diversity, inclusion, and employee experience part of our business strategy, rather than treating them as separate HR initiatives.
More importantly, it reflects the collective effort across Watsons Singapore. The progress we made would not have been possible without the support of our leaders, store managers, frontline colleagues, Support Office colleagues, and HR team, who worked together to create more inclusive and practical ways of working.
For us, this recognition is also a reminder that building an inclusive and supportive workplace is a continuous journey. Colleague expectations will continue to evolve, and we must continue listening, learning, and improving so that our people can grow with the business.
Q Finally, as employee expectations continue to evolve, what is one area of EX you believe HR teams will need to rethink in the year ahead?
One key area HR teams will need to rethink is how employee experience evolves in an increasingly digital and AI-driven workplace.
As technology changes the way work is done, HR must go beyond traditional programme design and take a more active role in workforce transformation. This includes reviewing job roles, future skills, and how colleagues and technology can work together more effectively.
At the same time, HR can use technology and AI to improve employee experience, such as through better workforce insights, more personalised communication, and faster support for colleagues and managers.
"However, the key is balance. As we adopt new tools and improve efficiency, we must continue to keep empathy, trust, and the human connection at the centre of the employee experience."
Read more interviews on why organisations have won trophies for their HR practices - head over to our Winning Secrets section!
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