WHILE the Covid-19 pandemic forced many companies in Singapore to either shutter or settle for slower growth, TS Group instead became busier as it found opportunities to support “underserved communities” such as migrant workers and the elderly.
The company has four business segments, including dormitory management for foreign workers.
Chief operating officer Tome Oh told The Business Times that demand for its services surged so much during the coronavirus outbreak in 2020, that it had to treble its headcount for the dorm segment.
At that time, the company set up a total of more than 10,000 beds to house essential workers in facilities ranging from cruise ships to primary schools.
Founded in 2009, TS Group currently has seven purpose-built dormitory projects, including Tuas View Dormitory, Acacia Lodge and Jalan Buroh Dormitory. Additionally, it operates other supporting facilities for them, such as government quarantine facilities, community care facilities and self-swabbing centres.
The company also offers induction programmes focusing on “local social norms” for migrant workers whom Oh said come from diverse cultures.
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“When the migrant workers come (to Singapore), they have some form of anxiety in them because they don’t know what to expect from the employer,” he said, adding that the company’s induction or mentoring programmes help to keep the workers occupied and engaged.
TS Group’s broad aim, said Oh, is to “serve the underserved”. “The neglected aspect of the underserved must be given some sort of attention,” he said, adding that these communities should have a facility to either “fill in the gaps” or help them improve themselves.
A challenging year
While TS Group’s operations grew during the pandemic, the year was not an easy one, said Oh.
He recalled that when the pandemic first hit Singapore, people – including employees – were worried about catching the virus and how it would affect their families. The company was concerned about overall economic growth prospects during the virus outbreak. The group was also pushed to look at introducing a more structured training programme for employees in the area of infection control.
This led the group to revamp certain processes and improve the efficiency of operations, particularly through the use of technology and artificial intelligence, said Oh.
For instance, the company developed a digital resource platform called TS Connect, which allows employees of the company to keep up with the latest announcements and news. It also deployed a human resource management system and a cloud-based solution to improve accounting management both internally and externally.
Apart from technology, the company is focusing on continuous learning and upskilling.
Last year, TS Group inked a collaboration with the Institute of Adult Learning and the Singapore University of Social Sciences to establish a workplace learning framework for operations executives working in dormitories.
The group is also conducting courses for dormitory staff through a “formalised structured training programme” that Oh said would improve their employability and remuneration.
The training equips them with skills to handle situations including public order issues and medical incidents. Furthermore, there is training for digitalising processes, for example note-taking and reporting for repair works.
Diversification
Beyond facilities for migrant workers, TS Group is also pursuing opportunities in co-working and co-living spaces, and eldercare is its latest target segment.
During the pandemic, it saw an opening in eldercare, when hospitals were quickly getting filled up and elderly patients were shifted to other facilities to free up hospital beds.
At the same time, as the population ages, healthcare costs are likely to rise. Oh believes this will push people to look for personalised care outside of hospitals, even as Singapore’s growing affluence means people can better afford patient care services and are likely to have higher expectations.
The company also found, through its own research, that the elderly face several common issues, including social isolation, mobility issues, and mental and physical disabilities. Hence, it came up with the concept of “independent care facilities” that act as “intermediaries” for elderly patients who do not require urgent medical attention but still need “some form of assistance”.
To be rolled out in December, these facilities will have trained healthcare specialists who are able to look after elderly patients and provide them with a personalised treatment plan.
Oh explained TS Group’s care facilities differ from conventional nursing homes in that there would be healthcare specialists in each room to cater to the different needs of patients, allowing for customised care.
As for its co-working and co-living projects, Oh said the company aims to develop a modern form of shared housing for residents with common interests. As the concept of co-living gains popularity, he believes this is an area that presents a viable growth opportunity.
One of its co-living projects is Cooliv Waterfront in Pasir Panjang, which has fully serviced apartments and rooms combined with co-working spaces.
Expanding beyond Singapore
While TS Group currently only has a presence in Singapore, Oh said plans are underway to expand regionally in terms of dormitory operations and healthcare services once the brand has “gained traction, visibility and credibility”.
The company is looking to expand into Malaysia next, and work has started on the conceptualisation, design, construction and operations of dormitories in Penang, said Oh.
The project is slated for completion in the last quarter of 2023, and will have a total of 16,000 beds.
By 2025, Oh said TS Group will be managing 50,000 beds in Malaysia, and is eyeing expansion into other states like Malacca and Johor.
He added that the company has been invited by overseas companies – in East Malaysia in 2012 and Penang in 2021 and 2022 – to provide consultancy and management services for dormitories. Oh said the company will also look at providing eldercare expertise within the region and work with overseas training centres to provide training for caregivers.
In the near term, though, maintaining its competitiveness in the dormitory operations segment remains a key priority for Oh. To do this, TS Group will have to focus on market outreach and risk management to ensure that business is “viable and sustainable”, he said.
He believes TS Group’s capabilities in knowledge management systems and well-defined operating procedures will give the company a leg up over its competitors.
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