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Opening Address at Launch Of Touchpoint@Capital Tower

Minister of State for Manpower, Mr Foo Cexiang, Capital Tower

Mr James Tan, CEO of TOUCH Community Services

Mr Ervin Yeo, CEO of Commercial Management at CapitaLand Investment

Mr Tony Tan, Chief Corporate Officer of CapitaLand Development and Executive Director of CapitaLand Hope Foundation

Distinguished guests

Ladies and Gentlemen, 

 

 

  1. I am delighted to join you today for the launch of TOUCHpoint@Capital Tower, Singapore's first integrated workplace wellness centre in the CBD. It is my first official event as the Minister of State for Manpower, and I could not have thought of a more meaningful one. So thank you, everyone, for being here today with us.

     

  2. Today is more than the opening of the first new centre of its kind in the CBD. To me, it reflects a deeper conversation that Singapore has been having about how we support our people through the different responsibilities and pressures of life.

     

    A Workforce under Pressure

     

  3. At this year's National Day Rally, much attention was placed on how we strengthen support for parents, and we want Singaporeans to feel confident about starting and raising families. But when we speak about family life, we must also speak honestly about the realities that many working adults, like all of us, face every day.

     

  4. For some, it is the challenge of balancing work deadlines while caring for a young child. For others, it is supporting an ageing parent through illness or frailty. Increasingly, many working Singaporeans find themselves in both roles at the same time, caring for children and also caring for elderly parents. These responsibilities are deeply meaningful – but they can also be highly demanding, and also stressful.

     

  5. In this context, workplace well-being matters greatly. In fact, MOM's 2026 Report on Employees' Working Conditions found that workers who have access to employee support schemes report significantly lower rates of burnout. This is an important finding. It reminds us that well-being is not simply an individual responsibility. The environment around us, including our workplaces, can play an important role in helping people stay resilient, healthy and engaged.

     

  6. This is also why MOM has been working closely with our tripartite partners to strengthen workplace well-being – including through the Tripartite Advisory on Mental Health and Well-being at Workplaces, as well as the Well-being Champions Network, which seeks to bring companies together to build stronger support systems and share good practices.

     

    A Bold Step Forward to Build Healthy Workplaces: Supporting the Whole Person

     

  7. Today’s collaboration between CapitaLand and TOUCH Community Services takes workplace support and well-being a bold new step forward.

     

  8. CapitaLand has brought wellness support directly into its commercial workplace environment, while TOUCH will be able to contribute decades of experience supporting individuals, families and communities. Together, they have created a model that makes help easier to access before challenges become crises.

     

  9. But that is only scratching the surface. The underlying shift that is more important is the message that these  collaborations send to all of us working adults.

     

  10. What is this message? One, these organisations recognise the stresses that our workers face at work and at home. They acknowledge that workers are also parents, children, spouses, caregivers and members of a wider community. Two, they not only acknowledge this; the organisations are invested in the well-being of their workers as whole persons with multiple roles, not just merely as employees or workers. Three, the organisations believe in the value a community-based groups and expertise to be able to provide support to their workers.

     

  11. And if you think about it, this realisation, this message in itself is actually quite stress-releasing. Why do I say that? Many workers are worried about being judged for bringing their stress at home to work. Many workers are worried about the potential stigma of receiving support from community-based groups as well.

     

  12. Now, we all no longer need to worry. We can bring our full selves to work – engage fully and confidently at work, while also receiving all-round support for our well-being needs beyond the workplace. Because the organisations that we are working for, the community groups that are within our workplace, are telling us that it is alright to do so.

     

  13. And what will this mean for our workers?

     

  14. Imagine a young executive in her late twenties. She is managing a demanding job while thinking about starting a family. She wants to perform well at work, but is also dealing with stress and uncertainty about the future. She will now have access to mindfulness programmes, counselling support and wellness resources nearby that can help her build resilience, but also provide support early should she need it.

     

  15. Or consider a father of three young children, like myself. Juggling school runs every morning, some caregiving duties and a lot of work commitments. The pressures do not always show on the surface, but access to counselling, family-oriented programmes and in particular, something that caught my ears earlier – bonding sessions with our children, drawing or other activities. These provide a very powerful space to recharge and build stronger bonds within the family.

     

  16. Amongst us, there will also be middle-aged professional caring for an elderly parents. Those of us who are caregivers know that this is a very heavy emotional burden, and sometimes it is challenging to keep up that fire at work. A wellness centre like this offers a reminder that no one needs to shoulder these burdens alone. Support is available. Support is right at the doorstep of the workers.

     

  17. And finally, this strongly resonated with me - the office worker who has been ignoring persistent neck, back or joint pain because there never seems to be enough time. Integrated physiotherapy and musculoskeletal care is right at the doorstep as well.

     

    Conclusion

     

  18. All the examples I described are everyday Singaporeans. But behind each story is a common aspiration: to thrive at work while also caring for the people who matter most to us.

     

  19. We want to be able to support every Singaporean in this endeavour. As Singapore continues to evolve, I hope we will see more partnerships like the one we are witnessing today. Partnerships where employers, community organisations and service providers work together to make well-being a part of everyday life and not just an afterthought.

     

  20. Today, we celebrate not just a new centre, but a new possibility: a future where workplaces become active partners in helping people live healthier, more balanced and fulfilling lives. I am convinced that when we support the whole person, we will create healthier workplaces, stronger families and ultimately a more resilient Singapore.

     

  21. My congratulations to TOUCH Community Services, CapitaLand and all partners involved in bringing this vision to life, and making TOUCHpoint a possibility. I wish TOUCHpoint@Capital Tower every success in serving working adults and families across Singapore.

     

  22. Thank you.