S11 Was Once The Darling Of Foreign Work Hostel

[OrhKiam]

Fresh ideas to improve the lives of foreign workers

S11's novel approach in managing dormitories has paid off, says Mr Cheah, as it has generated good word-of-mouth from residents.
PHOTO: LAURA NG

 

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[OrhKiam]

Through working for his family, Jonathan Cheah, managing director of S11 Capital Investments, realised that there was a lot more that dormitory operators can do to make the lives of foreign workers here more comfortable. "Living standards were something that particularly struck me, and being in the business of recruitment, my parents did mention to me that a lot of work and improvement can be done for the dormitories in Singapore," says Mr Cheah in an interview with The Business Times.

 

[OrhKiam]

There, foreign workers can work out in a fully-equipped gym and unwind in a games room that comes with a foosball table and PlayStation and Xbox gaming consoles.

 

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Their efforts at improving the conditions of foreign workers living in their dormitories and turning this into a financially viable operation won them a spot on the Enterprise 50 list for the first time this year.

 

[OrhKiam]

The management also conducted monthly focus group discussions to find out from the residents how it can make things better at the dormitory.

 

[OrhKiam]

These measures helped to fine-tune S11's approach in providing a living environment for the workers that goes beyond basic requirements, hence the well-equipped gym and games room.

 

[OrhKiam]

Now, Changi Lodge 2 generates an annual turnover of S$15 million.

 

[OrhKiam]

A quick look at the amenities at PPT Lodge 1B shows a dormitory that places great emphasis on the welfare of the foreign workers who live there - perhaps to a greater degree than at Changi Lodge 2. PPT Lodge 1B has a food court, supermarket, clinic, remittance outlet and even a cinema.

 

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[OrhKiam]

The brightly-painted dormitory, which can accommodate up to 14,000 workers in 13 four-storey blocks, sits opposite the Marina Country Club in Punggol. The $50 million facility includes a well- equipped gym, games room with pool tables and video game consoles, and a commercial cinema.

 

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Is that @ginfreely on the right?