Digital Transformation for Improved Employee Retention

Location:

Singapore

BACKGROUND

Lonza is a leading global provider of integrated healthcare solutions. Headquartered in Switzerland, its Singapore biopharmaceutical products manufacturing site is situated in Tuas Biomedical Park. The facility operates 24x7 across multiple shifts and houses a mix of over 800 office and production personnel.

Working with SWAT Mobility has allowed us to tailor a transportation service that really reflects our employee needs. I enjoy seeing our buses come into our facility - orderly and on-time every day. It is easier to monitor and manage the transport service and we now have data that was previously unavailable, which we use to improve our employees’ commuting experience.

_{- Andrew Morgan, General Manager}

‍THE CHALLENGE

Lonza’s facility in Tuas Biomedical Park is located more than 30km from the center of Singapore. On public transport, the journey can take over 90 minutes. For Lonza to attract and retain the skilled employees it needs for its operations, great employee transport is crucial. Lonza previously operated its transport service with fixed timing and routes, to and from 10 MRT Stations in Singapore. The company was looking to improve the service and make commuting more convenient for over 700 employees who take the transport daily.

The company approached SWAT Mobility to develop a more dynamic, yet cost-effective, transport model that caters to both regular and variable shift patterns. Some of their key goals include reducing commuting times and increasing the number of pick-up and drop-off points within the service. In addition, the company wanted to track ridership to ensure employee accountability and provide opportunities for ongoing optimisation.

THE SOLUTION

SWAT Mobility provides a tech-driven transport service, with mobile apps for employees, and a transport management system for HR and safety administrators.

The employees use the SWATBiz mobile app to book, track and manage their rides to work, subscribing to a Commute Pass that covers their rides bi-monthly. The booking system is configured to allow employees to book rides based on their work patterns, for both regular and rotating shift patterns. They can also make last-minute changes to their bookings through their application to accommodate for flexible work arrangements.

The ride bookings are collated and SWAT Mobility’s vehicle routing algorithm generates an optimised set of routes with convenient stop points that are closer to employees’ homes. The result is an expansion of 10 stop points to 60 stop points islandwide, and more efficient routes monthly that reduce journey time for the employees. Employees are picked up and dropped off nearer to their homes with reduced overall travelling times, giving them more time to rest before and after work. The app also allows them to view bus arrival timings and real-time locations, and comes with a passenger verification feature that acts as a contact tracing mechanism for the company.

The service is running smoothly, with employees now enjoying safe and convenient commutes. SWAT Mobility provides regular service reports and analysis to improve service levels for the company. The company also has access to a backend system monitoring operations and service health. SWAT also conducts passenger feedback exercises to gather insights on the passenger experience, to design a transport service that makes employees happier, helping Lonza to achieve their HR goals.