It’s 8.30am. The projector is warmed up, pencils are sharpened and the inviting aroma of coffee fills the meeting room. These are the work of support staff who organise the ins and outs of the office so it runs like a well-oiled machine.

Ms Goh Lai Lin, Management Support Officer for the Ministry of Education’s Educational Technology Division, performs daily checks of the office building, manages claims and coordinates overseas travel for her colleagues. Ms Goh, who has been at the ministry for 29 years, says: “When renovations, payments and travel plans are completed on time, I feel satisfied that I’ve done my job well.”

Mr Mohamed Ali, Administrative Assistant for the Public Service Division (PSD), feels the same way. He provides logistics support for 400 staff and maintains the operations of 20 meeting rooms. As PSD often hosts foreign delegates and ministers, Mr Ali has to accommodate many different working styles and requests. Fortunately, he enjoys the challenge, which is why he has been doing this for 18 years.

He and Ms Goh agree that working under tight timelines is the toughest part. “It’s common for people to come to us with their laptops [or printers] not working just before an important meeting,” says Mr Ali.

Soothing frazzled nerves is also an integral part of their job. Sometimes Ms Goh has to process travel requests quickly while managing anxious colleagues. “I always remind myself to put myself in others’ shoes and stay calm.”

“At the end of the day,” says Mr Ali, “it’s just nice to be recognised for the work I do.”