With the
implementation of the Tripartite Standard on Grievance Handling scheme that was
launched by the Manpower Minister and supported by 220 employers, our workers
can be assured of better working conditions (New scheme guides firms in
handling staff grievances; October 20, 2017, The Straits Times).
Friendly
ageing hiring, recruitment practices and retrenchments processes are important
issues that needs to be addressed quickly as companies restructure with cost
savings in mind. To this end, it is
comforting to know that these matters are being looked into by the unions and
the manpower ministry. All workers – whether they are union members or not,
need better working conditions and fair HR practices.
It was also
mentioned in the ST report that supervisors have to be trained in managing
employee feedback and unhappiness. With the government encouraging Singaporeans
to upgrade themselves through continuous training, it is just as important for
managers to be flexible and open to ideas from trainees and not stick to rigid
procedures. Bottom line: Both managers
and bosses need to ‘think out of the box’.
Employees and all Singaporeans alike want to be
listened to and feel that their concerns are taken seriously.
Some of the issues that cause unhappiness at the
work place that sometimes leads to high turnover rates and much unhappiness
include the following:
Lack of
recognition: Staff will feel unappreciated when their superiors or bosses do not
recognise the effort/s they put in to carry out any task. It’s amazing how far a simple pat on the
back, or ‘thank you’ note for a job well done can motivate staff.
Good ideas
thrown out: Creative ideas and suggestions that can improve the well-being of the
organisations or our nation should be embraced and not tossed out of the window
just because it may entail extra work.
Lack of remuneration: Employees who have not been promoted or given
pay rises for several years will sure to feel dissatisfied, resulting in their
not wanting to give their very best. They bottle up their unhappiness and dare
not approach the boss as they are afraid of being ‘marked.’ In some cases, depression sets in, where work
life and home life cause big problems as relationships sour – both on the home
front as well as in the office.
No clear career path ahead: When employees are not given clear career paths, they are not likely to
give their 100 percent effort, but carry out the tasks at hand grudgingly
because there is no motivation for them to push the limits.
Favoritism: Employer-employee
relations can be tricky and at times, subordinates who lose out on promotions
can be de-motivated, what more with office politics not being uncommon, and
some bosses, regrettably, tending to favour certain staff. For as human
beings, we all have our ‘little favorites’ This was one of the issues I raised
in my article to a local media company entitled “Supportive Bosses raise Productivity”
For more details, do take time to read
the full article by clicking onto the link below
Uneven spared of workload: It often happens:
The dynamic worker who can get the job done almost immediately and efficiently
will be given a much heavier workload most of the time, while those who are not
that productive will get a much lighter workload. Then there will be much
unhappiness when the less productive worker gets pay increases or promotions
while his/her colleague who has been very productive gets little or
nothing.
There have also
been instances when the staff appraisal is used as a ‘weapon’ against an
employee who falls out of the favour of the boss or the supervisor. With this new scheme in place by
the union in collaboration with the manpower ministry, workers can be given a
fair chance to air their grievances so that if they are weak in certain areas,
they can be counselled and given a chance to improve their performance within a
given time frame.
This is why
it is absolutely necessary to have a two-way staff appraisal in place, and this
was a suggestion I made in the Straits Times some time back. I believe Mindef
has such a system in place, but in the interest of all workers, unionised or
otherwise, all government agencies and private companies need to adopt such a
good HR practice.
Older Singaporeans with vast experience can mentor younger
workers
Older
Singaporeans who possess years of invaluable work and life experiences ought to
be given the opportunity to mentor younger workers as they are well positioned
to inspire and motivate inexperienced workers. There should be no obstacles or road blocks put
in the way of experienced elderly Singaporeans in reaching out to the middle
age and younger workers. We must do away with the civil service mentality of
‘going by the book.’ There must be flexibility to adapt to different settings.
Layoffs should be the last resort
Unfortunately,
when it comes to layoffs, usually the first workers that are asked to leave are
those who command high salaries and have stayed loyal to the company for
decades. We need to value such loyal employees – just as the Japanese style
management does. They view such workers
as an asset, not a liability.
With this
new scheme put in place, a productive worker who has contributed to the
well-being of the company and enhanced its image, through useful contributions,
but not given fair recognition can raise the matter up in an amicable manner
through the proper channels.
As
companies restructure and downsize, it is inevitable that some unproductive
workers may have to go. Layoffs are of
course painful as it can create behavioural and cost, hurt everyone in the
company; with staff morale taking a beating.
No one
likes unpleasant surprises. Instead of rushing off to carry out layoffs across
the board, dedicated workers could be asked to take a few months of unpaid leave
and still remain gainfully employed. This
will not only help the company to cut some costs, but will also allow the
affected workers to either attend skills upgrading courses or look for other
jobs. Those on unpaid leave can also
seize the opportunity to spend more quality time with their families.
It takes a leader to lead by example
Strong
leadership must come from management who desire not to just save costs, but to
save hearts and jobs as they display compassion for their loyal staff.
Undoubtedly,
Raffles Hotel fits the bill as they embark on seconding staff who worry about
losing their jobs, to their sister hotels for employment opportunities as the
hotel will lose revenue with an 18-month restoration project that is taking
place.
Raymond Anthony Fernando
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