Over the new year, I met up with a good friend for a chat. He told me about the above story with regards to his close friend who is a boss of a SME.
Here was his friend - the boss's story. This is a true story. However, please take note that it does not represent other employers. You can treat is as a exclusive case. This is not about bashing FTs thread, just sharing with you on the insight story about a local SME.
Some time ago, the boss who is a Singaporean, believing that Singaporeans should be given the first chance to be employed. With this mindset, he recruited a few years old experience Singaporean who is a diploma holder for a position in operations. He was paid $3,800 monthly salary. In order to fulfill the job, this new guy needed to go for 3 months training which was sponsored by the company. Unfortunately, the company's payoff was not harvesting any result. Upon completion of the 3 months training, this diploma holder guy with the acquired new skills and knowledge tendered his resignation, citing better offer from other companies. The boss felt rejected but it was ok since people come and go. With the first setback, he still believes in employing Singaporean first.
Later on, he managed to recruit a Singaporean fresh graduate with no experience, paying him $3,300 monthly salary. Again, this new guy went for the 3 months training, fully sponsored by the company. It was very unfortunate that this new guy also resigned shortly after completed the training. The reason cited was because another company offered him a slightly higher salary.
With these 2 setbacks, the boss began to think whether his original ideology is realistic. It seems to him that many Singaporeans are ungrateful, no company loyalty, want less work but high salary.
Finally, he decided to employ foreign talents - 2 Filipinos to see if there is any difference. There is a great difference according to him. Not only the cost is lesser to the company but the working attitudes are much better than those 2 Singaporeans. They come to work at 7am (official start time is 8am); very on the ball. They are also very polite and courteous; they will greet you when they see you. They even prepare coffee for the boss. Their working attitudes are very positive simply because they know that if they under performed, their employment pass will be invoked and they will have to go back to their own country. Most of these FTs want to come to Singapore to work because of strong Sing dollar, employment ability based on meritocracy, etc. They stand a very high chance competing with the locals. This is very unique to Singapore.
Here was his friend - the boss's story. This is a true story. However, please take note that it does not represent other employers. You can treat is as a exclusive case. This is not about bashing FTs thread, just sharing with you on the insight story about a local SME.
Some time ago, the boss who is a Singaporean, believing that Singaporeans should be given the first chance to be employed. With this mindset, he recruited a few years old experience Singaporean who is a diploma holder for a position in operations. He was paid $3,800 monthly salary. In order to fulfill the job, this new guy needed to go for 3 months training which was sponsored by the company. Unfortunately, the company's payoff was not harvesting any result. Upon completion of the 3 months training, this diploma holder guy with the acquired new skills and knowledge tendered his resignation, citing better offer from other companies. The boss felt rejected but it was ok since people come and go. With the first setback, he still believes in employing Singaporean first.
Later on, he managed to recruit a Singaporean fresh graduate with no experience, paying him $3,300 monthly salary. Again, this new guy went for the 3 months training, fully sponsored by the company. It was very unfortunate that this new guy also resigned shortly after completed the training. The reason cited was because another company offered him a slightly higher salary.
With these 2 setbacks, the boss began to think whether his original ideology is realistic. It seems to him that many Singaporeans are ungrateful, no company loyalty, want less work but high salary.
Finally, he decided to employ foreign talents - 2 Filipinos to see if there is any difference. There is a great difference according to him. Not only the cost is lesser to the company but the working attitudes are much better than those 2 Singaporeans. They come to work at 7am (official start time is 8am); very on the ball. They are also very polite and courteous; they will greet you when they see you. They even prepare coffee for the boss. Their working attitudes are very positive simply because they know that if they under performed, their employment pass will be invoked and they will have to go back to their own country. Most of these FTs want to come to Singapore to work because of strong Sing dollar, employment ability based on meritocracy, etc. They stand a very high chance competing with the locals. This is very unique to Singapore.