Ng Boon Thiam is the Group CEO of Biomed Global – one of the most respected channels in the biomedical and life sciences industry in Malaysia and Singapore. Recognizing the need to improve the standards of healthcare in Malaysia, he started Biomarketing Services (now known as Biomed Global) in 1994 together with his business partner, Chen Keng Hoong. Over the years, Biomed Global has performed strongly in Malaysia and Singapore and has expanded regionally to a number of ASEAN countries. Now, the company has grown to be a significant total solution provider for Clinical Diagnostics and Life Science.

In an exclusive interaction with us, Ng Boon Thiam shares with us how Biomed Global is navigating the second wave and how it is bolstering employee support systems and work policies to support the workforce.

The toughest time is looming as companies have to ensure business continuity and productive output while supporting their workers amid the resurgence of the virus. How is Biomed Global ensuring that? 

Biomed Global is in the Clinical Diagnostics Industry which is a critical piece of the country’s healthcare infrastructure. As such, the whole team has been working extremely hard to ensure continuous supply lines, installations, commissioning, trainings and subsequent support to keep the operation going. This pandemic has further empowered our team members to live to our mission of raising the quality of healthcare standards and live to our tag line of Enriching Partners, Enriching Lives.

Biomed formed a Business Continuity Plan (BCP) committee right before the country implemented (Movement Control Order) MCO 1.0 to ensure compliance to the necessary SOPs and take extra care of our team’s wellbeing. The company has granted MCO meal allowances under special circumstances, maintained annual increments and additional remuneration to recognize the various team members who had to take on risks to carry out their tasks professionally. The various events such as making an extra effort for a shipment, special delivery for installation, and training and repairs were communicated and highlighted to all team members so that the efforts are well recognized. The overall morale during this pandemic remains high.

How should organizations rethink talent management amid all this uncertainty? What is Biomed Global’s focus here?

First and foremost, organizations need to be filled with talent that is in sync with the company's Mission and Values. Talent that is agile and adaptable in this new norm, with a skill set in digitalization, a strong mindset to face any eventuality is greatly valued now. Biomed operates on a performance-based talent strategy, as such our focus is on retaining our highest performing talents and developing our talents to be high-achievers. 

How should organizations level up their employee support systems and work policies? What has Biomed Global done in this regard?

Organizations should constantly improve their talent acquisition and retention framework, review workflows to improve processes, build up financial standing with external stakeholders and adopt automation technology to reduce burden where possible.

Biomed has since recruited experienced and strategic team members in Talent Management, Finance, and Supply Chain to support these initiatives. Biomed also constantly reviews our employee support systems and work policies to ensure they are forward-thinking and in line with the best in the industry, if not better.  

How are you planning for the future amid predictions of phase three of the virus?

Biomed plans to ensure all team members are protected against COVID-19 by procuring the vaccine for our own workforce if the right vaccine is available commercially. Biomed is also investing to move the remainder of our internal operations onto a cloud-based environment. We have also invested in mobile devices to ensure working from home is possible. As our business is a critical piece of the healthcare infrastructure, we do not expect phase three to have a drastic effect on our business. However, some of our growth plans will be delayed due to uncertainty. 

What is the strategy and focus for the leadership to tackle challenges posed by the continuing waves of the virus? Could you shed light on the contingency plan for 2021 and Biomed’s industry outlook for FY 2021-2022?

Biomed is fortunate to be in an essential industry during the COVID-19 pandemic and involved in COVID-19 supplies. Biomed’s leadership will continue to ensure everyone’s safety, to ensure the team can continue to operate without interruption. Biomed will continue to engage with team members regularly via monthly operation meetings, and quarterly town halls.

On the business front, we plan to continue our growth initiatives as well, identify products that will complement our current product portfolio. On COVID-19, Biomed has a total solution platform on COVID-19 diagnosis and will focus on possible automation. Post-vaccination stage, Biomed will very much be focused on immunity monitoring and R&D-related supplies for COVID-19. Biomed is optimistic and the outlook for FY 21-22 will continue to be strong for the group.