Since the onset, every day at Transcelestial is an opportunity to be more equal, inclusive and to embrace a diversity of voices, views and ideas. Providing everyone – not just women – the opportunity and platform to grow and thrive is central to the Transcelestial ethos, and something we take great pride in. This International Women’s Day, we spotlight five women who generously share their struggles, joys and how they’ve benefitted from a culture of inclusivity.
Anna Bell, Head of Operations
I moved to Singapore in June 2018 as a stay-at-home mum with my one year old. After a few months, I was keen to rejoin the workforce because I wanted to show my daughter that ambition, determination and hard work is what leads to a successful and rewarding career.
By year’s end, I started my first day at Transcelestial. The office was a ‘man cave’ – where nocturnal tech engineers worked, ate, gamed and slept to get the job done – not a woman in sight. I was the first and only female at the company, but it never struck me as bothersome. My voice was heard, my ideas considered, and the changes I introduced, accepted. I was very proud to be part of this culture. Transcelestial didn’t need a gender equality policy or rule book because even back then, without consciously thinking about it, equality was an integral part of the culture, as it is today.
I started in general operations, but Transcelestial quickly nurtured my entrepreneurial self, allowing it to surface without restriction or judgement. I’ve since relocated to Dubai (I work remotely), had my second daughter and continued to progress in my career. Four years on, I am proudly the Head of Operations for Transcelestial – now a 60 strong team of exceptional professionals, including 12 amazing women.
June Loo, User Experience & Product Designer
Being at Transcelestial for over a year, our culture is what I fell in love with. The people here are so passionate about what they do, and they’re collaborative, helpful and extremely inclusive, regardless of function. When they found out that I follow a Ketogenic diet, the pantry was stocked up with Keto-friendly beers and snacks, even though I’m the only person here on the diet. From my 18 years of work experience, I’ve learnt that very few companies would go out of their way like this to ensure I feel included.
Because of Transcelestial’s culture and people, I’ve never felt that gender was an issue, even when there are much fewer women than men on our team. My opinions, ideas and suggestions are always heard. And when disagreements do arise, it’s never personal, nor gender-specific. Everyone is focused on the same end goal and has different views on getting there. I’m not ashamed to say that I don’t play an active role in fostering equality for women at Transcelestial because, in my opinion, there’s no need for it.
Simran Pant, Sales Operations Specialist
When I was interviewing for my role, the company assured me that there would be more than one employee resource group to address the various intersections of diversity, and that colleagues here embodied the values of the company by being supportive and approachable. I remember once, when I was a new joiner, and the team was flat out preparing for an event. Despite having lots to do and a heavy schedule, my seniors made sure to address all of my concerns and questions. I’m sure it was this simple and kind act that boosted my confidence, sense of belonging and accelerated my learning curve incredibly.
These values are something that I adopted and practise myself, as I feel that this supportive nature is what allows our team members to gain a sense of belonging, where questions and opinions can be put on the table and valued, all contributing to a healthy work environment.
Adeline Wang, Head of Quality
Having spent many years in manufacturing, I’ve seen how a male-dominated environment can impact female colleagues, including myself. Simply put, it can be difficult.
I am grateful that Transcelestial embraces gender equality and an inclusive approach. Not only does everyone have an opportunity to voice out, but our opinions are also heard and taken into consideration. This fosters trust and indirectly boosts the desire to contribute more. When I first joined, a quality issue was brought to our team’s attention. As a newcomer, it is only normal that I would be the last person people would notice or ask to share their opinion. But our team lead – a man – surprisingly paused and asked for my opinion on the matter. I really appreciated him for doing that because it showed me that he shares and lives by the same values as the company’s.
Melissa Chin, Talent Acquisition Partner
As part of the Talent Acquisition, Employee Relations and Learning & Development team, I am inevitably at the forefront of cultivating a diverse and inclusive workforce and culture at Transcelestial. I’m especially passionate about inequitable pay and unconscious bias in hiring – not because it’s my job, but because I’ve seen my fair share of these challenges in past roles.
At Transcelestial, we are constantly working with hiring managers to source and increase diversity in our talent pipelines, while providing candidates with equal opportunities that are based on skill and capabilities. We also support different colleagues’ needs with hybrid work arrangements so employees can balance working from home and coming to the office. This flexibility gives everyone ownership of their schedules, because ultimately, #EmbraceEquity means that everyone – not just women – are equally empowered to show up as their best selves.
