{
  "id": 16988715,
  "title": "How inclusive hiring can strengthen teams and improve workplace practices",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/29/how-inclusive-hiring-can-strengthen-teams-and-improve-workplace",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-29T01:13:49.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Channel News Asia",
    "slug": "channel-news-asia",
    "url": "https://www.channelnewsasia.com/brand-studio/how-inclusive-hiring-can-strengthen-teams-and-improve-workplace-practices-6498526"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "OCBC Bank and Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium have found success in hiring employees with disabilities, tapping into their unique strengths to improve communication and leadership within their teams.\n\nLionel Lee, a 30-year-old with autism, was hired by OCBC as a junior blockchain engineer despite not having an exact match for the position. The bank redesigned the role to focus on his strengths, such as attention to detail and problem-solving skills, with the help of a job coach from the Autism Resource Centre. Lee's future teammates were briefed on autism and how to support him, and he was assigned a colleague to guide him in applying his analytical skills. His keen eye for detail led to the detection of a critical bug during a critical project phase, earning him praise from his manager.\n\nSimilarly, Mr Thng Kai Bin, a bellman at Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium with a mild intellectual disability, has been a valued employee for 15 years. His creative and caring nature has shaped the way he interacts with guests, and his dedication has strengthened the hotel's team dynamics. Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium has been hiring PWDs since 2010, aiming to reflect the diverse communities their guests represent and to tap into an often-overlooked talent pool. The hotel has adapted its training and management practices to better support employees with disabilities, with benefits extending to their colleagues and the overall workplace culture.",
  "summary": "At OCBC and Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium, adapting roles for employees with disabilities has helped businesses tap overlooked strengths, improve communication and develop more effective leaders.",
  "key_points": [
    "OCBC Bank hired Lionel Lee, autistic junior blockchain engineer, redesigning role for his strengths",
    "Holiday Inn Singapore Atrium employs PWDs since 2010, reflecting diverse guest communities",
    "Inclusive hiring improves communication, leadership, and team dynamics in both organizations"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}