BEING a venerated doyen in the hospitality business, Mr Ho Kwon Ping is obviously qualified to expound his views on the sector ("Minimum wage 'may aid hospitality sector' "; Tuesday).
Yet the imposition of a minimum wage in whatever guise or whatever sector will not act as a panacea to manpower woes for the employer, or address service deficiencies for the consumer.
Multiple studies have proven that a minimum wage does not decrease poverty, for how can it when, once implemented, salary scales rise for almost all workers, resulting in an inflationary spiral with the lowest-paid still remaining at the bottom rung of the wage ladder?
Also, as Mr Ho concedes, wage increases can come only with a rise in productivity.
In the Singapore context, productivity seems preternaturally stuck in the doldrums for reasons mentioned earlier by other Forum writers.
As such, wage increases can lead only to businesses employing fewer workers, who then have to work doubly hard with the usual consequence of burnout giving rise to callous attitudes and indifferent service.
Where retrenched "aunties" and "uncles" are employed in positions far below their level of expertise, where our "strawberry generation" of young people is employed in positions deemed to have no promising prospects, and where passion and aptitude for service are rare commodities, wage increases alone will just not cut it.
If the long-term benefits of working in an organisation are not tangible, a financial incentive that may help a little, if at all, is a tipping policy to replace the service charge. This may spur better rapport and empathy between customers and service staff.
Unfortunately, Singaporeans are, by nature, parsimonious and good service rendered will be taken as a right rather than a privilege deserving of financial reward.
It is a conundrum that leads to a vicious - or at least a non-virtuous - circle.
Yik Keng Yeong (Dr)
- See more at: http://www.straitstimes.com/premium...tor-not-panacea-20150115#sthash.M12KQQOx.dpuf
Yet the imposition of a minimum wage in whatever guise or whatever sector will not act as a panacea to manpower woes for the employer, or address service deficiencies for the consumer.
Multiple studies have proven that a minimum wage does not decrease poverty, for how can it when, once implemented, salary scales rise for almost all workers, resulting in an inflationary spiral with the lowest-paid still remaining at the bottom rung of the wage ladder?
Also, as Mr Ho concedes, wage increases can come only with a rise in productivity.
In the Singapore context, productivity seems preternaturally stuck in the doldrums for reasons mentioned earlier by other Forum writers.
As such, wage increases can lead only to businesses employing fewer workers, who then have to work doubly hard with the usual consequence of burnout giving rise to callous attitudes and indifferent service.
Where retrenched "aunties" and "uncles" are employed in positions far below their level of expertise, where our "strawberry generation" of young people is employed in positions deemed to have no promising prospects, and where passion and aptitude for service are rare commodities, wage increases alone will just not cut it.
If the long-term benefits of working in an organisation are not tangible, a financial incentive that may help a little, if at all, is a tipping policy to replace the service charge. This may spur better rapport and empathy between customers and service staff.
Unfortunately, Singaporeans are, by nature, parsimonious and good service rendered will be taken as a right rather than a privilege deserving of financial reward.
It is a conundrum that leads to a vicious - or at least a non-virtuous - circle.
Yik Keng Yeong (Dr)
- See more at: http://www.straitstimes.com/premium...tor-not-panacea-20150115#sthash.M12KQQOx.dpuf
