Mutual Support

In the male-dominated field of property development, qingjian realty deputy general manager yen chong believes the path to gender equality should be paved with support and encouragement between all women.

- Oliver Featherston

Last year, Singapore ranked last place among the world’s “top gender-equal nations”, due to its substantial wage gap. In the experience of Yen Chong, Deputy General Manager of Qingjian Realty, Singapore’s real estate industry continues to reflect this inequality. The typically male-dominated environment has led to a tendency for women to shy away from speaking up in board meetings, for example. Yen believes that other women across the industry need encouragement and support to voice their opinions.

“As a woman, don’t be afraid to stand up. Don’t be afraid to face the music. Be decisive,” she advises. “You are a role model, not only to other women, but also to the next generation, to your kids; you’re a role model to everybody. I feel that as a woman I want my kids to look upon me as a successful person who’s able to balance work, life and kids. But other than that, I think we need to encourage each other.

“No-one in the world is perfect. There are times that you falter and become discouraged. That’s normal, but how are we going to get out of it? How are we going to encourage each other? How can we be there for the women who need us most?”

For her part, Yen’s answer to this question is simple yet uplifting. “I encourage them to live their life to the fullest, whether they’re a homemaker, an entrepreneur or a career woman. Do something that they will not regret, you know?”