Submitted by Navleen Kaur the 2024 Spring program in Singapore, Republic of Singapore…
This weekend I spent the majority of my time indoors, catching up on my homework and assignments. The only time I went outside was to go get lunch at my favorite restaurant – The Boneless Kitchen. This restaurant serves vegetarian Korean food, so I am taking full advantage and going whenever I have a day off from work. I love that I have been able to learn about and try so many different cuisines in Singapore. I never knew Asian cuisines were so different and extensive! My favorite discovery has been sticky rice with mango and condensed milk – a Thai specialty. From Monday to Friday, I work at Allianz Trade. I thought this week I should spend time talking about my observations regarding the work culture in Singapore. The timings at my office are 9 am – 6 pm. Something different about my office is the flexibility that employees have. Employees do not need to check in or out. Employees can show up whenever they do their due diligence and work for eight hours. I never realized how much I value this flexibility! I think this trust that a company develops with its employees is crucial. Employees at Allianz Trade seem very dedicated to the company because they know that their company does a lot for them. My managers and other colleagues have mentioned that Allianz Trade likes to keep its employees and allows them international work opportunities as well as the ability to move freely across departments if employees are looking for a change. Additionally, the culture at Allianz Trade is very kind and respectful. I have heard horror stories about corporate culture, so I had prepared myself beforehand. However, I was pleasantly surprised by the kindness and respect which I have been shown by everyone. I feel safe and encouraged to ask questions and give my perspective when I think it is appropriate. It warms my heart how everyone speaks so respectfully to one another. I am very happy I have gotten this opportunity, because it has opened my eyes to what can be and the treatment I deserve from my workplace. Something else I love about my company is the diversity. At any given time, people are conversing in Mandarin, French, English, and other languages. There are people from all over the world working in the Singapore office. On top of this, my colleagues travel a lot and are often away on business trips to Hong Kong, Malaysia, Japan, and other markets. I really like that travel has not completely stopped, especially after COVID. I think Zoom and Microsoft teams are great platforms to utilize, but encouraging employees to travel is important so they can experience the culture first hand. Altogether, this internship has been one of the most rewarding experiences I have had in college, and I have developed new dreams for myself. I hope to establish an international career one day! (Submitted on April 18,2024)