By Joanna Seow, The Straits Times, 28 Jan 2015
![]()
LOW pay and a long work week, with shift hours to boot.
These are the main reasons why Singaporeans are not filling a rising number of job vacancies here.
The number of vacancies climbed 8.9 per cent to 67,400 in September last year, the highest in six years, according to a Manpower Ministry (MOM) report released yesterday.
Across occupations, sales assistants, security guards, waiters and office cleaners were the most sought after, accounting for 10,030 openings.
These were also the jobs which had the most vacancies that employers struggled to fill with citizens and permanent residents.
Among the top reasons cited by the MOM for the high numbers of vacancies: unattractive pay, a long work week and physically tough work.
For instance, for shop sales assistant positions, which had 3,730 vacancies, the median pay was just $1,741. Employers also struggled to hire security guards, a job for which the median pay was just $1,678.
CIMB economist Song Seng Wun noted: "There's very low incentive for Singaporeans to work in those sectors because they can get better pay doing something else."
Four in five vacancies last year were in the services industry, especially community, social and personal services. This reflected "the expansion of childcare and pre-schools, health care and tertiary institutes", said the MOM.
New malls also boosted hiring in wholesale and retail trade, accommodation and food services, and administrative and support services, said the ministry.
Another reason for the climb in vacancies is that companies are unable to get foreign workers to fill the gap, said Singapore Retailers Association vice-president R. Dhinakaran.
"Companies are adjusting to the quota. They're still losing workers whose contracts have expired," said Mr Dhinakaran.
"Companies are adjusting to the quota. They're still losing workers whose contracts have expired," said Mr Dhinakaran.
The problem is exacerbated by the constant churn in the industry, with workers jumping for small pay rises, said recruitment firm ManpowerGroup Singapore's country manager Linda Teo.
"Employers end up poaching each other's employees in order to meet their respective manpower requirements, a vicious circle unless the supply of qualified manpower increases," she said.
The MOM report also showed that the biggest surge in vacancies was for associate professionals and technicians, including registered nurses and enrolled or assistant nurses.
This group saw 2,450 more vacancies last year than in the year before.
But the shortage should start to ease as the economy continues to cool, reducing demand for workers, said economists.
Barclays economist Leong Wai Ho said: "As the property cycle starts to weaken further and tourism grows less quickly than last year, we can expect some moderation of the tightness in the services economy."
Empty tables? Sorry, restaurant is 'full'
Eateries are turning away diners at times due to growing labour crunch
By Jessica Lim, Consumer Correspondent, The Straits Times, 27 Jan 2015
Eateries are turning away diners at times due to growing labour crunch
By Jessica Lim, Consumer Correspondent, The Straits Times, 27 Jan 2015
THE restaurant may have been busy, but Mr Leonard Cheong and his two friends were confident of getting seats when they arrived for a Saturday brunch at Orchard fusion restaurant Kilo.
"We could see empty tables right in front of us, but the service staff told us we couldn't sit there," said the 31-year-old marketing manager. "It was frustrating."
The trio were told by staff at the Japanese-Italian eatery that they would have to dine elsewhere as the restaurant was too short on manpower to serve them.
It is a story that is becoming increasingly familiar here at restaurants, which are being forced to turn away customers as they scramble to maintain service levels amid the labour crunch.
Kilo manager Rubi Pandey told The Straits Times that the eatery has to turn customers away around twice a month, as it does not want to offer them a "half-hearted experience". She said: "We try not to do it. But the restaurant has to keep running and we manage the best we can."
Most restaurants say they do it on an ad hoc basis, such as when a chef goes on medical leave or when a waiter quits.
Old Hong Kong Kitchen in Novena turns away diners at least once a week. It even started a home delivery service six months ago to cut demand for staff."When a staff member doesn't show up for work, we do it. We have no choice," said owner Victoria Li, who is then forced to make 10 of her 24 tables at the Chinese restaurant off-limits. This means estimated losses of about 70 customers and $2,000 in revenue each time. She currently has 25 staff - but needs twice that number to operate smoothly.
Diners are also being turned away at Relish, Wild Rocket and Wild Oats - restaurants owned by chef Willin Low.
"Managers all have the authority to tell customers, at any one point, that we are full - even though we are not - because we have no manpower."
Mr Low estimates that he loses 20 per cent of business each time this happens. "We are so short," he admitted. "Once one person is missing, it's like a quarter of our workforce is gone."
It is the same story at Fika Swedish Cafe and Bistro when its part-timers go back to school or someone quits. "Singaporeans can be quite particular and we don't want to run the risk of the customer having a bad experience," said owner Tasneem Noor, who faces this problem once a month at her three outlets.
Tim Palace in Toa Payoh and Next Door Deli in Ang Mo Kio also resort to such measures.
Job vacancies in the food and beverage service sector stood at 6,400 at the end of last September, up from 4,200 three years earlier, latest Ministry of Manpower statistics show.
The Straits Times understands that the Restaurant Association of Singapore (RAS) met Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) officials on Jan 20 to discuss rising business and manpower costs, in addition to the labour crunch.
Turning customers away, said RAS president Andrew Tjioe, is "an acute measure that no one would adopt unless there was no other way".
"It's becoming more widespread now, but it started when the manpower crunch became bad. Restaurants are forced to do this. It's a pity, saying 'no' to business," he said.
Mr Tjioe advised restaurants against closing off sections that are visible to customers.
But for Mr Cheong, the damage has been done. "It shouldn't be a customer's problem. We went all the way to the restaurant. We felt really slighted that it didn't want our business," he said. "It left a really bad impression."
Take pride in F&B work
THE article ("Empty tables? Sorry, restaurant is 'full'"; Tuesday) reported on eateries turning away diners because of the growing labour crunch.
THE article ("Empty tables? Sorry, restaurant is 'full'"; Tuesday) reported on eateries turning away diners because of the growing labour crunch.
Previously, I worked as a sales manager for a few food suppliers, and my former customers included restaurants, hotels, cafes and even foodcourt stalls. Their staff shared with me grievances that included their difficulty in hiring front- and back-end workers.
Many resorted to hiring housewives and tertiary students as part-time workers. A few restaurants turned to institutions such as Shatec to arrange working attachments for their students.
The long working hours, poor staff benefits and low wages made it difficult to attract locals to the food and beverage industry.
Singaporeans also tend to look down on jobs in this sector, and parents discourage their children from taking up such work.
We should change our mindsets and be proud of our waiters, cooks, cashiers and foodstall helpers. We should not look down on any work, as long as one is able to make an honest living out of it.
Muhammad Dzul Azhan Haji Sahban
ST Forum, 29 Jan 2015
Muhammad Dzul Azhan Haji Sahban
ST Forum, 29 Jan 2015
Architecture profession facing same problem
THE architecture profession empathises with the dilemma faced by eateries due to the labour crunch ("Empty tables? Sorry, restaurant is 'full'"; Tuesday).
THE architecture profession empathises with the dilemma faced by eateries due to the labour crunch ("Empty tables? Sorry, restaurant is 'full'"; Tuesday).
The Building and Construction Authority projected that the value of construction deals here will reach $29 billion to $36 billion this year, following an exceptionally strong performance last year.
There is record construction demand, yet available manpower is at its lowest, caused by the strict hiring quotas on foreign architectural technicians imposed by the authorities.
The industry is stretched to its limit as the supply of such technicians among locals and permanent residents (PRs) is almost non-existent. It is interesting to note that, unlike the banking and IT sectors, no local or PR jobs have been compromised on account of foreign staff in the architecture profession.
This is because our profession has been experiencing extreme difficulty in recruiting locals as the available numbers are insufficient to meet demand, even before the labour crunch.
While it is possible for other sectors in the construction industry to adopt new technologies to raise productivity, the work of architects cannot be done by a tablet PC or an app.
Architecture is about lovingly crafting and designing buildings and ensuring they comply fully with the myriad of statutory requirements, for the safety and well-being of the public.
To maintain quality amid the labour crunch, many practices have been forced to turn away work. This is a chronic problem and a wasted opportunity to explore architectural innovations and enhancements.
To circumvent this, some firms have set up production offices overseas, resulting in a brain drain and resources being spent overseas instead of locally for the country's benefit.
Unless something is done to review the quota on foreign hires in our profession and other industries where the local workforce is virtually non-existent, delays in delivery, growth retardation and, possibly, closure of businesses will be inevitable.
Theodore Chan
President
Singapore Institute of Architects
ST Forum, 29 Jan 2015
Theodore Chan
President
Singapore Institute of Architects
ST Forum, 29 Jan 2015