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Jul 2, 2010
Help SMEs facing a labour crunch
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I COMMEND government efforts in Monday's report ('More perks for low-wage workers to get trained'), which highlighted initiatives aimed at improving the lives of low-wage citizens.
However, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) could also do with better labour supply initiatives.
After participating in the Workfare Training Support scheme, workers expect higher wages. They assume that they should be paid more after having attended upgrading courses, even though their performance may not have improved significantly.
Inevitably, the movement of this group of workers leaves a vacuum for simpler but time-consuming jobs.
This unhappy cycle worsens when the Government curbs the entry of foreign workers to fill the void; the opening of the integrated resorts has also sucked up the available labour.
As a result, many SMEs and smaller businesses are facing a hiring crunch that the Government should help relieve.
Chan Wei
Help SMEs facing a labour crunch
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<!-- end left side bar --><!-- story content : start -->
I COMMEND government efforts in Monday's report ('More perks for low-wage workers to get trained'), which highlighted initiatives aimed at improving the lives of low-wage citizens.
However, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) could also do with better labour supply initiatives.
After participating in the Workfare Training Support scheme, workers expect higher wages. They assume that they should be paid more after having attended upgrading courses, even though their performance may not have improved significantly.
Inevitably, the movement of this group of workers leaves a vacuum for simpler but time-consuming jobs.
This unhappy cycle worsens when the Government curbs the entry of foreign workers to fill the void; the opening of the integrated resorts has also sucked up the available labour.
As a result, many SMEs and smaller businesses are facing a hiring crunch that the Government should help relieve.
Chan Wei
