Uniqlo Operations Management Trainee, Singapore
August 15, 2011
Being a fresh graduate …..I was all excited to be part of their huge team as its goals and believes were very much in line with mine.
Despite, the contract and labor law stating the maximum working hours being 44 per week, we were not told it was a 50 work hour week, alternate single-double weekend shifts, hence clocking a 11.5 hour shift daily inclusive of 1.5 hour break...….Morning shifts ran from 0800-1930, while closing shifts ran from 1200-2330, with the usual expected delays...……
By the time I get off work, my own two legs can barely get me home. …….and broke down into tears from the exhuastion. By then I was losing sleep from the discomfort of my leg muscles, bruised knee caps, and loss of appetite from the depressing work day. I had not seen the world, and life had officially become a work-cry-sleep-work cycle.
By day 3, I tendered my resignation alongside 2 other trainees ……...I was limping and was completely drained physically, so it was only a matter of how I mentally held up...…....……..
The store were mainly made up of foreign full-time staff earning five times what they can get back home, or part time local students working for extra pocket money. ...…. And speaking to a senior full-time staff from the philipines, according to him, their turnover rate was exceptionally high, however, because most of them actually paid $6000 to come to Singapore, and thus, cannot afford to give up. By 9PM, I had done 3 hours of fitting room duty, probably burnt more calories than a 10-mile sprint (my heart of literally racing as if I had just finished a 2.4km jog), and usual shop floor duties. And eventually mentally cracked, broke down, and requested to quit with immediate effect and had no qualms about paying back the salary for notice period.
Note: In Japan, a worker is only allowed a maximum 8 hours of work a day. So how come that part of the japanese culture isn’t brought to Singapore but the greet-every-5-seconds is?
With such long hours at a physically exhuasting job, the company still expects top efficiency and customer service. Go figure...……….
……….. stay the fuck away.
This article is just my personal review of the experience
https://onesundaymorning.wordpress.com/2011/08/15/uniqlo-operations-management-trainee-singapore-2/
Your first reaction -Why do I post a 2011 blog?
Because it seems that things have not changed and may even be worse-now that they have opened more stores and are understaffed.
They have gone to all the local universities to recruit and kindly highlight to your friends the working conditions there before they accept a job from Uniqlo.
They will call selected "selected candidates" on the phone and only give them half a day to accept the job offer.
Those who agree to accept the job offer will have to go to their HQ to sign the offer letter where a clause will state that if they do not turn up for work on the first day , they will have to pay the company $2,400! .(is it ethical to do such a thing without informing employees first)
Those who have worked in Uniqlo ,share your experience here so readers can make an informed decision
August 15, 2011
Being a fresh graduate …..I was all excited to be part of their huge team as its goals and believes were very much in line with mine.
Despite, the contract and labor law stating the maximum working hours being 44 per week, we were not told it was a 50 work hour week, alternate single-double weekend shifts, hence clocking a 11.5 hour shift daily inclusive of 1.5 hour break...….Morning shifts ran from 0800-1930, while closing shifts ran from 1200-2330, with the usual expected delays...……
By the time I get off work, my own two legs can barely get me home. …….and broke down into tears from the exhuastion. By then I was losing sleep from the discomfort of my leg muscles, bruised knee caps, and loss of appetite from the depressing work day. I had not seen the world, and life had officially become a work-cry-sleep-work cycle.
By day 3, I tendered my resignation alongside 2 other trainees ……...I was limping and was completely drained physically, so it was only a matter of how I mentally held up...…....……..
The store were mainly made up of foreign full-time staff earning five times what they can get back home, or part time local students working for extra pocket money. ...…. And speaking to a senior full-time staff from the philipines, according to him, their turnover rate was exceptionally high, however, because most of them actually paid $6000 to come to Singapore, and thus, cannot afford to give up. By 9PM, I had done 3 hours of fitting room duty, probably burnt more calories than a 10-mile sprint (my heart of literally racing as if I had just finished a 2.4km jog), and usual shop floor duties. And eventually mentally cracked, broke down, and requested to quit with immediate effect and had no qualms about paying back the salary for notice period.
Note: In Japan, a worker is only allowed a maximum 8 hours of work a day. So how come that part of the japanese culture isn’t brought to Singapore but the greet-every-5-seconds is?
With such long hours at a physically exhuasting job, the company still expects top efficiency and customer service. Go figure...……….
……….. stay the fuck away.
This article is just my personal review of the experience
https://onesundaymorning.wordpress.com/2011/08/15/uniqlo-operations-management-trainee-singapore-2/
Your first reaction -Why do I post a 2011 blog?
Because it seems that things have not changed and may even be worse-now that they have opened more stores and are understaffed.
They have gone to all the local universities to recruit and kindly highlight to your friends the working conditions there before they accept a job from Uniqlo.
They will call selected "selected candidates" on the phone and only give them half a day to accept the job offer.
Those who agree to accept the job offer will have to go to their HQ to sign the offer letter where a clause will state that if they do not turn up for work on the first day , they will have to pay the company $2,400! .(is it ethical to do such a thing without informing employees first)
Those who have worked in Uniqlo ,share your experience here so readers can make an informed decision
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