ED 49: May-June 2013

EntrEprEnEurs’ DigEst May | Ju n 2013 ISSUE 49 

A PUBLICATION BY ASME 

Yang Kee 

We Move Together 

Cover Story | Pg 30 

The Alternative 

Workforce 

Tackling the labour crunch 

Special | Pg 10 

$6.90 (+GST) 

MICA (P)104/03/2012 

ISSN NO. 1793-0286 

may | jun 2013 

Building a Culture 

of Respect 

Commentary | Pg 24 

The Transition to 

SME Centres 

SME Centre @ ASME | Pg 40 

ISSUE 49

The AlTernATive 

Workforce 

hiring expecTed 

To SloW doWn 

in Q2 

p10 

Special 

p30 

BuSineSS 

expAnSion 

p17 p28 inTo MAlAYSiA p60 

10 | The AlTernATive Workforce 

In light of a tightened labour market and prevailing market conditions, 

tapping into unconventional sources of manpower might be able to give 

businesses some much-needed respite. Find out more about the alternative 

workforce in Singapore, and read about two programmes that are able to 

help SMEs fill in the gaps within their operational headcount. 

cover Story 

30 | YAng kee – We Move TogeTher 

Mr Koh Yang Kee and Mr Ken Koh of Yang Kee Logistics Pte Ltd prove that 

both young and old can come together to accomplish greatness. 

in thiS iSSue 

15 | SMeS coMe To TerMS WiTh MAnpoWer crunch 

Negative SME sentiments on the manpower front have largely abated, as 

evidenced from the recent Post-Budget 2013 Convention organised by 

ASME. 

YAng kee – We Move TogeTher 

24 | Building A culTure of reSpecT 

Find out how to increase productivity and profitability, and reduce staff 

turnover rate by fostering a company-wide culture based on mutual 

respect. 

40 | The TrAnSiTion To SMe cenTreS 

The current Enterprise Development Centres (EDCs) have been upgraded 

to one-stop SME Centres in April 2013. Read more about their expanded 

scope towards a more holistic business advisory service. 

42 | The M-STrATegY 

Read about how SMEs can maximise and monetise the mobile movement in 

the modern age of lightning-fast information dissemination and consumption. 

regularS 

3 | MeSSAge froM ed 

4 | neWS & evenTS 

9 | cAlendAr of evenTS 

36 | MoneYSMArT 

38 | properTY 

MeeTingS AT 

oASiA hoTel 

SingApore 

40 | SMe cenTre @ ASMe 

42 | MArkeT inTelligence 

60 | lifeSTYle 

66 | clASSifiedS 

67 | Top 5 

May | Ju n 2013 

En t r E p r E n E u r s’ Di g E s t 

May - June 2013 

1

As we enter the month of May and as Singapore’s economy goes 

through intensified restructuring, many SMEs will continue to 

feel the pinch. Budget 2013 has been announced, and some of 

its new and enhanced schemes are still in the pipeline of being 

fully rolled out. In this month’s issue, we strive to help SMEs think out of 

the box and tackle the current situation with alternative means, on top of 

the existing and/or new government schemes and programmes that have 

been introduced. 

Productivity is the big buzzword used most often nowadays, yet the 

common misconceptions about productivity are still not fully addressed 

and dispelled amongst the local SMEs. Improving productivity comes in 

various forms and it is indeed crucial for SMEs to relook at their operations 

and business models. Restructuring might be painful for most, but it is a 

necessary jab in the ribs for enterprises to cope with a changing business 

landscape. For the most part, the effects from the restructuring process 

will positively impact the company’s sustainability and growth for some 

time to come. 

In terms of manpower, some alternative solutions would be for SMEs 

to tap on a ready and available pool of unconventional labour – e.g. the 

disabled, the silver generation and individuals with dependents who are 

more than willing to work but require flexible work timings, etc. In terms of 

cost savings, we hope SMEs are able to enhance their current business 

structures to streamline and adopt modernised practices that will help take 

the company to the next level. 

Many SMEs are starting to look at creative and innovative solutions 

to overcome the current challenges, and we hope to see more SMEs 

following the footsteps of their peers and themselves be an encouragement 

and example to the rest of the community. 

Turn adversity into opportunity and take your business to new heights! 

Yours through service, 

terence Wee 

Executive Director 

Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (ASME) 

Message FroM 

The execuTive 

DirecTor 

When the going 

gets tough, 

the tough get 

going 

A PUBLICATION BY ASME 

EDITORIAL TEAM 

executive Director 

Terence Wee 

editor 

James Tan 

[corpcomms@asme.org.sg] 

Sub-editor 

Eunice Choy 

advertising 

Celine Sim 

Luann Leong 

Shaun Yeo 

[sales@asme.org.sg] 

Design 

Wen Ye 

SL Financial Press 

publisher 

Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (ASME) 

advisor 

Thomas Fernandez 

contributors 

John Henderson 

Koh Eng Kiong 

Keith Martin 

Jeffrey Koh 

Adam Bogsch 

M Ravindran 

Angela Leong 

V Vijaykumar 

Anupam Sen Gupta 

Celine Goh 

Oasia Hotel 

MTI-PEP Secretariat 

MOM-CEP Secretariat 

Disclaimer 

The comments and views expressed in Entrepreneur’s 

Digest do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher. 

This publication is intended to encourage, motivate 

and assist the readers in regards to entrepreneurship. 

It is however, not a substitute for and should not 

be relied on as if it were professional advice on 

entrepreneurship, law, accounting or any aspect of 

business. The Publisher expressly disclaims all liability 

for loss, damage or expense suffered or sustained by 

any person, body or corporation arising directly or 

indirectly from action as a result of the material in this 

publication. Any reliance on material therein shall be at 

the readers’ own risk. 

Copyright 

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be 

reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, 

in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, 

photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior 

permission of the copyright owner of publisher © 

Association of Small and Medium Enterprises, 167 

Jalan Bukit Merah, Tower 4, #03-13, Singapore 

150167. Tel: (65) 65130388 Fax: (65) 65130399. 

MICA (P) No 104/03/2012. ISSN: 1793-0286. Printed 

by SL Financial Press Pte Ltd. 



3

4 

nE w s & Ev E n t s 

pMetS becoMing More SuSceptible 

to reDunDancy 

The latest report from the Ministry of Manpower revealed that 54 per cent of 

total workers made redundant were Professionals, Managers, Executives and 

Technicians (PMETs) 

in 2012, the number of workers laid off rose to 11,010, a 10 per cent increase from 9,990 in 2011. PMETs have 

also become more vulnerable to redundancy, with 7.4 for every 1000 PMETs made redundant in 2012, up from 5.5 

per 1000 in 2011. This stems from the latest Redundancy and Re-entry into Employment, 2012 report released 

by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), which goes beyond quarterly reporting and provides additional analysis on 

elements such as incidence of redundancy, reasons for redundancy and shifts in industry amongst those who entered 

re-employment, among others. 

According to the report, the incidence of PMET redundancy increased slightly but still remained at the lower end of 

the range, and this could be due to globalisation and the increasing proliferation of technological innovations. Hitherto 

affecting mainly blue-collared manufacturing workers, this has steadily impacted more mid-level white-collared workers, 

primarily PMETs. 

Forming a majority of workers laid off in 2012, PMETs made up 54 per cent of the total number of workers made 

redundant last year. This number has increased from 42 per cent in 2011. Layoffs in the services sector (wholesale & 

retail trade, financial, information & communications, professional services) formed the bulk of redundancies in 2012, 

more than the manufacturing and construction sectors. The report also mentioned that PMETs had a higher incidence 

of being made redundant than production & related workers as well as clerical, sales & service workers. 

Some of the reasons for redundancy included restructuring business processes for greater efficiency, poor business, 

high operating costs in a sluggish economy, labour costs as well as industry downturn. Redundancy is expected to 

increase in 2013 as businesses restructure for increased productivity to cope with a tightening of the labour market. 

The rate of re-entry has dipped slightly in 2012 after seeing a spike in 2011, but still remained above recessionary 

levels. 68 per cent of workers made redundant in the first three quarters of 2012 landed jobs again by December 

2012, a slightly lower number than 2011’s 70 per cent. This could be due to a growing supply of tertiary graduates 

competing for the same jobs as PMETs, or that some PMETs with savings prefer to divest more time and effort to look 

for jobs that commensurate with their skillsets, qualifications and salary expectations. E 

*Information sourced from the Redundancy And Re-Entry Into Employment, 2012 report, published by the Manpower Research and Statistics 

Department Singapore, April 2013. 


En t r E p r E n E u r s’ Di g E s t


branDing – the Way forWarD 

Companies are placing more emphasis on branding to 

hone their competitive edge 

branding has always been a key component in any product or service’s 

marketing mix, regardless of the nature of the product or the scope of 

its promotion efforts. Small businesses conduct branding in the less 

literal sense, relying on consistent reliable quality that keeps customers 

coming back while the bigger players engage in full-scale branding exercises that 

seek to change mindsets and perceptions. In any case, branding seems to be 

picking up. 

The 12 th edition of the Singapore Prestige Brand Award, or SPBA, was officially 

launched on 5 April 2013 at the SPH Auditorium. Co-organised by the Association 

of Small and Medium Enterprises (ASME) and local Chinese-language daily 

Lianhe Zaobao, the Award seek to recognise and elevate local brands that have 

excelled in their branding initiatives. Apart from the officious opening for Award 

submissions, the launch event featured an interactive question-and-answer 

session with a panel consisting of the Award Co-Chairmen, past Award Winners 

and members of the Co-Organising Committee. Participants fielded specific 

questions about the Award, querying their company’s eligibility for the Award 

amongst other pertinent questions. 

Ms Audrey Yap, SPBA 2013 Organising Committee Co-Chairman from ASME, 

said that small and medium enterprises have some misconceptions on the subject 

of branding but are now investing more money on this business facet as they 

increasingly recognise its value in growing the business. E 

ignite your branDing Spirit 

in conjunction with the Award, the SPBA 2013 Branding Seminar was held on 

12 April 2013 at the SPH Auditorium to help potential Award participants and 

SMEs alike to learn more about branding. Apart from the conventional forms 

of branding that appeal to consumers and partners, the Seminar also touched 

on branding to attract and retain staff, a key undertaking in the contemporary 

business environment where businesses have to cope with a tightened job market. 

Mr Peter Ong, SPBA 2013 Organising Committee Co-Chairman from Lianhe 

Zaobao, mentioned that companies with a strong brand presence find it easier to 

draw in and keep required talent. 

Driving home this point, Mr Ken Koh, Deputy Managing Director of integrated 

logistics solutions company Yang Kee Logistics, spoke on internal branding, 

elaborating on the specific examples his company undertakes to both attract and 

then to hold staff in Yang Kee’s employment. A prime illustration of this staff policy 

is the construction of a full-scale childcare centre right on Yang Kee’s premises, 

allowing working employees to have peace of mind knowing that their offspring 

are in safe hands merely meters away from them. Other speakers also spoke on 

the importance of branding, and that it is a continuous, “never-ending” journey. E 



5

6 


unDerStanD intellectual 

property, protect your rightS! 

autoMechanika kuala luMpur 2013 



a 

seminar jointly organised by 

ASME and the Intellectual 

Property Office of Singapore 

(IPOS) was conducted on 25 April 

2013. Key intellectual property 

topics and issues such as patents and 

registered designs, trademarks, copyrights, 

confidential information, etc., were addressed 

at the seminar. SMEs looking at branding or 

protecting their exclusive rights and solutions 

were able to gain more insights from the 

respective industry experts. 

In order to cater to the specific needs of each 

SME, an IP clinic was held after the seminar, 

where SMEs were able to further consult the 

experts on the subject matter. E 

automechanika Kuala Lumpur 2013, 

Malaysia’s leading International 

Trade Fair for the Automotive 

Industry targeting trade visitors from 

ASEAN regions concluded on 9 March 2013. 

Held from 7 to 9 March 2013 at the Kuala 

Lumpur Convention Centre, the fair drew 

participation by 166 exhibitors from 18 

countries. This year, there were a total of 10 

companies under the Singapore Pavilion led 

by the Association of Small and Medium 

Enterprises (ASME) and the exhibitors were 

pleased with the quality of the trade visitors 

at the fair. 

Automechanika Kuala Lumpur 2015 will take 

place from 19 to 21 March 2015, at the Kuala 

Lumpur Convention Centre. E


inDuStrial autoMation 2013 

industrial Automation 2013 is the 7th international 

exhibition on industrial automation, manufacturing 

process, control, measurement equipment and 

technology. 

Exhibitors from across the Asian Region have participated 

and displayed the latest state-of-the-art technologies and 

inventions. The major machine builders, renowned systems 

integrators and professionals from the industrial automation 

systems integrators were part of the pool of exhibitors at the 

exhibition. 

Held alongside the ASEAN Elenex 2013 (AE 2013) from 20 

to 23 March 2013 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, 

the fair drew participation from more than 600 exhibitors 

worldwide. This year, there were a total of five companies 

under the Singapore Pavilion led by the Association of Small 

and Medium Enterprises (ASME). 

The next edition of the fair- IA 2015: The 8th International 

Exhibition on Industrial Automation, Manufacturing Process, 

Control & Measurement Equipment & Technology fair will 

take place from 25 to 28 March 2015, at the Kuala Lumpur 

Convention Centre. E 

propak vietnaM 2013 

proPak Vietnam 2013 is the 8th edition of the 

international leading processing, filling and 

packaging exhibition for Vietnam’s rapidly 

expanding manufacturing sectors for food, 

pharmaceutical, beverage, cosmetic, industrial and general 

consumer products. 

Held from 20 to 22 March 2013 at the Saigon Exhibition & 

Convention Center (SECC), Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, the 

fair drew participation by 309 exhibitors from 29 countries. 

This year, there were a total of 8 companies under the 

Singapore Pavilion led by the Association of Small and 

Medium Enterprises (ASME). 

The show statistics revealed that the fair attracted 7,556 

visitors from 36 countries worldwide during the three-day 

trade fair. The next edition of ProPak Vietnam 2014 will 

take place from 4 to 6 March 2014, at Saigon Exhibition & 

Convention Center. E 



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8 


beauty profeSSional 2013 

autoMechanika iStanbul 2013 



held from 25 to 28 March 2013 at the 

Putra World Trade Centre, Kuala Lumpur, 

Malaysia, the fair drew participation from 

120 exhibitors. Coming together to form 

a Country Pavilion for the first time, the Singapore 

Pavilion led by ASME attracted 19 companies. 

Beauty Professional 2013 was poised to bring 

complementary beauty businesses from across the 

market channels together in order to explore business 

relationships and tap into increasing market demand in 

wellness products and services. 

The exhibitors ranged from product distributors, 

pharmaceutical companies, research and development 

institutions, ingredient and product packaging 

suppliers, salon and retail shop owners as well as 

beauty professionals, amongst others. 

The next edition of Beauty Professional 2014 will take 

place in March 2014, at Putra World Trade Centre. E 

automechanika Istanbul 2013, the leading 

trade fair for Automotive Manufacturing, 

Distribution and Repair in Turkey and in the 

Eurasian region, took place from 11 – 14 April 

2013 in Istanbul. 

With its 7th edition in 2013, the fair takes an important 

position in Turkey’s dynamic automotive market. 

It gathers automotive industry professionals at the 

crossroads of Europe, the Middle East and the Central 

Asian region. 

This year, a total of six companies participated under 

the Singapore Pavilion led by ASME. The trade fair 

closed with record numbers – 1,245 exhibitors met 

with 43,812 visitors from all around the world. The next 

edition of the show will be held from 10 – 13 April 2014 

at the TUYAP Fair, Convention and Congress Center. 

E

aSMe-iraS Seminar 

Date: 22 May 2013 

Ev E n t s 

A collaboration between ASME and the Inland Revenue 

Authority of Singapore (IRAS), find out more about 

the assistance grants outlined in Budget 2013 at this 

informative event. The speakers will share insightful 

and relevant information on the components within the 

3-Year Transition Support Package mapped out by the 

Government to help businesses restructure and adjust 

to the new manpower rules. Learn more about the Wage 

Credit Scheme (WCS), Productivity & Innovation Credit 

Bonus as well as the Corporate Tax Rebate. 

inter-association networking night 2013 

Date: 21 June 2013 

Ca l E n D a r OF Ev E n t s 

An annual flagship networking event organised by 

ASME, join us and network with like-minded individuals 

from the various trade associations and business 

chambers! Enjoy an evening of revelry and mingle with 

members of participating organisations as you reach out 

to a wider pool of potential collaborative partners and 

investors in an informal and relaxed setting. A buffet 

dinner and free-flow of drinks will be provided to truly 

create a night to remember! 

tr a D E Fa i r s 

automechanika Dubai 2013 

Date: 11 – 13 June 2013 

The Middle East’s leading international trade fair for 

the automotive industry targeting trade visitors from 

Western Asia, Eastern Europe, the CIS and Africa. 

Celebrating its 11th year anniversary, Automechanika 

Dubai for automobile, truck and bus parts, equipment, 

components, accessories, tools, and services 

continues to bring world renowned manufacturers, 

suppliers, and service providers in touch with one of 

the most important markets in the world. 

propak asia 2013 


Growing over 26 per cent in size last year, ProPak 

Asia is Asia’s complete Food, Drink & Pharmaceutical 

Processing & Packaging trade event with over 20 

years of industry growth. This reaffirms ProPak Asia’s 

position as Asia’s No. 1 processing & packaging event, 

and mirrors Thailand and the region’s strong growth 

due to increasing domestic demand, rising exports, 

intra-Asian trade, and the opening up of Myanmar 

and preparation for the ASEAN Economic Community 

(AEC) 2015. 

global engineering Myanmar 2013 


Global Engineering Myanmar 2013 is a platform for 

the entire spectrum of the Building, Construction and 

Oil & Gas engineering industry. It comprises broadly 

of six industry segments co-located under one roof 

with products ranging from construction materials 

and equipment, air-conditioning systems, green 

and alternative energy, pumps & valves and waste 

management. 

propak china 2013 

Date: 17 – 19 July 2013 

ProPak China 2013, the 19th edition of the largest 

and only truly international integrated trade event 

for the processing and packaging industry provides 

exhibitors with an unparalleled entry point into China’s 

thriving market. Being the longest running and most 

international event with strong official national pavilions, 

ProPak China delivers a high quality audience for both 

new to market companies as well as established 

suppliers. 

For event enquiries, please call 6513 0388 or visit www.asme.org.sg. 



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10 

sp E C i a l 

hiring out of 

To ease the contemporary manpower 

the 

box 



crunch in Singapore, business owners 

can look into leveraging on a ready and 

experienced alternative workforce 

the local business community is no stranger to the manpower 

crunch that has been affecting enterprises – especially the 

small and medium ones (SMEs) – to varying degrees: some 

find it difficult to hire new local staff while others face difficulty in 

retaining trained workers. With the further tightening of foreign 

manpower quotas outlined in Budget 2013, this labour clamp is expected 

to have continued impact on businesses and their hiring policies. 

So what can SME owners do to alleviate this pressing concern? 

Manpower is a crucial element in any business, regardless of its nature, 

scope or scale. Even with automation, physical staff are still needed to 

man service counters, process paychecks and bring prepared food to the 

customers. Robots and machines can only replace part of the workflow; 

the rest will have to be handled by the “human touch”. Therefore, the 

onus is on companies to at once retain their current trained staff, while 

simultaneously looking for new personnel to bolster the ranks. With the 

intense competition for conventional workers like professionals, managers 

and executives (PMEs), SMEs can perhaps look towards a lesser-utilised 

pool of labour, one that consists of experienced individuals willing to 

perform often-shunned tasks, to lighten their manpower woes. 

In its Budget recommendations to the Ministry of Finance (MOF), the 

Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (ASME) raised concerns 

about manpower and staffing, one of them being making use of the 

alternative workforce in Singapore to complement the conventional labour 

pool. A discussion held by the Singapore National Employers Federation 

(SNEF) also echoed the need to encourage older workers and women 

back into the dwindling workforce by developing more age-friendly and 

family-friendly workplaces. The discussion also highlighted the need for 

a shift in employer mindset and weighty changes to the workplace in 

order to create a pro-family environment which will retain parents in the 

workforce. 

Apart from parents and the silver generation, the alternative workforce in 

Singapore also encompasses individuals who are economically inactive 

(stay-home mothers, retirees, etc.) or persons with physical disabilities (the 

visually, aurally, physically handicapped, etc.). These are local people with 

a wealth of experience from previous job stints who are unable to hold 

conventional full-time positions in companies due to family commitments 

or disabilities. However, this potential pool of labour will be able to add 

substantial value to any company or enterprise, with the right blend of 

operational arrangements and management of course.

The Singapore Government has 

recognised the need to integrate this 

pool of alternative labour with the 

conventional workers to create a core 

Singaporean workforce, and has either 

enhanced or launched new initiatives 

to help companies in adopting this 

group of workers. The WorkPro 

programme, a three-year initiative 

jointly developed by the Ministry of 

Manpower (MOM) and the Singapore 

Workforce Development Agency (WDA), 

is set to boost local manpower, foster 

progressive workplaces and strengthen 

the Singaporean core. The programme 

is designed in consultation with SNEF 

as well as the National Trades Union 

Congress (NTUC), and both will 

manage and administer WorkPro from 

1 April 2013 to 31 March 2016. This 

programme will consist of the WorkPro 

funding support initiatives to encourage 

employers as well as employers to 

implement work-life strategies and the 

WorkPro Ambassadors pilot initiative 

aimed to actively reach out to women 

seeking a return to the workforce. 

funding Support initiatives 

Under WorkPro, companies can benefit 

from $170 million in funding support, 

and about 70 per cent of these 

companies are expected to be SMEs. 

WorkPro aims to achieve its objectives 

via a two-pronged approach: WorkPro 

for Employers and WorkPro for Workers. 

For the employers, WorkPro provides 

funding support through two key 

strategies: 

1. 

Workpro – creating More 

progressive Workplaces 

Support the recruitment, training 

and retention of mature workers, the 

economically inactive and individuals 

who have been unemployed for 

2. 

three months or more. This will be 

done by equipping companies with 

the capabilities to implement good 

age management practices and job 

redesign. 

Enhance work-life harmony by 

defraying costs of implementing 

work-life strategies, flexible work 

arrangements (FWAs) and motivating 

companies to supporting a higher 

number of employees on FWAs. 

This support comes in the form of 

Workplace Improvement and Job- 

Redesign assistance schemes like the 

Work-Life Grant and Job Redesign 

Grant, as well as Recruitment and 

Retention Incentives that encourage 

employers to train and then retain newly 

hired back-to-work locals. 

For the workers, WorkPro will help 

them benefit from work-life practices. It 

also aims to improve the employability 

of mature workers, the economically 

inactive and individuals out of work for 

three months or more. WorkPro will 

assist this group to become more jobready, 

encourage them to return to work 

as well as stay on the job through Job 

Preparation Support to improve their job 

readiness before they are employed and 

providing incentives like the Retention 

Bonus and Transport Allowance for 

workers recruited via WorkPro. 

To date, 14 companies have committed 

to hire locals under the WorkPro 

programme and will receive support 

for age management initiatives, 

job redesign, on-the-job training, 

recruitment and retention efforts. Dr 

Abdul Rashid (EdD), General Manager 

of the Singapore Recreation Club (SRC), 

one of the first companies to come 

sp E C i a l 

onboard WorkPro, is positive about the 

programme, “In this tight labour market 

situation, WorkPro is an excellent 

integrated scheme which we can tap 

on to attract the local workforce to meet 

our manpower and business needs.” 

Workpro ambassadors 

In addition, 12 WorkPro Ambassadors 

have been appointed and trained by 

WDA to encourage women who have 

left the workforce to return to work. 

This is in collaboration with the People’s 

Association (PA) Women’s Integration 

Network (WIN) Council and Women’s 

Executive Committees (WECs) and aims 

to improve community outreach and 

support to encourage more women to 

return to work by providing them with 

information about job opportunities 

as well as how they can prepare 

themselves to rejoin the workforce. 

At the “Weaving Family and Work” Job 

Fair and Carnival organised by PA and 

WDA on 7 April 2013, Acting Minister 

for Manpower Mr Tan Chuan Jin said: 

“WorkPro will help employers create 

more progressive and work-life friendly 

workplaces. This will make it easier for 

working women to strike a balance 

between work and family, as well as 

create more flexible jobs for women who 

want to return to work.” 

The WorkPro Ambassadors initiative 

is currently a pilot project in the South 

West District, and it targets to appoint 

100 Ambassadors by mid-2014 to 

actively reach out to job seekers at the 

district job fairs, the first of which will be 

held in July 2013. 

For more information on WorkPro, 

please visit http://www.mom.gov.sg/ 

aboutus/cos-2013/Pages/workpro.aspx 



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sp E C i a l 



Step fWD 

Companies are in need of both PME and 

non-PME labour sources to augment or 

staff their operations, but with the recent 

foreign worker levy hikes and tightening of 

restrictions, it has become tough to find 

workers to take on semi-skilled or unskilled 

jobs. These jobs are typically shunned by 

the local labour pool, and smaller set-ups 

are fighting an increasingly uphill battle to 

secure workers from a constrained labour 

market. Yet, the alternative workforce may 

be able to open some doors of opportunity 

in this manpower crunch. 

An initiative by the Boon Lay Grassroots 

Organisation (BLGRO) supported by the 

Boon Lay Merchants’ Association and 

the Boon Lay Youth Executive Committee 

(BLYEC), Step FWD (Families with 

Dependents) aims to find jobs for adult 

members of low-income families who are 

unable to perform typical office hour jobs 

due to dependents (young, elderly, people 

with disabilities or major illnesses, etc.) at 

home. These workers have employable 

skillsets, but are only able to leave the 

house to work during certain hours of the 

day due to their caregiving commitments. 

Step FWD hopes to link such workers with 

SMEs through flexible work arrangements 

or FWAs, a mutually-beneficial 

arrangement. On the one hand, SMEs can 

alleviate their manpower woes while also 

exercise corporate social responsibility 

by employing such workers with familyoriented 

schedules. On the other hand, 

these workers are able to obtain gainful 

employment and receive income to 

augment their living expenses. These 

caregivers are also less selective of jobs, 

as long as these jobs allow them to take 

adequate care of their dependents. 

To this end, FWAs remain the core of the 

Step FWD project. These arrangements 

will allow the caregivers a certain degree 

of flexibility while remaining in the SMEs’ 

employ. For example, the workers can

e arranged to take up peak-hour 

shifts during the periods where their 

dependents are under supervision. A 

mother can take the lunch-hour shift 

at an F&B outlet while her child is at 

school, or a son can take the evening 

shift at a retail store while his parent is 

at the dialysis centre. This will also allow 

SMEs to save certain costs in wages, 

as the workers are paid hourly and only 

for certain hours of the day when their 

services are most needed. 

Another arrangement is the provision of 

flexi-time: the SME will decide the total 

number of hours and total number of 

days to work for the week, but allows 

variation in when to start/end work. A 

mother can choose to begin her shift at 

10.00AM and end at 12.00PM to bring 

her child to and fro school, while a son 

can start work at 11.00PM after making 

sure that his parent is safely tucked 

into bed for the night. This will be most 

beneficial to companies engaged in 

shift work or enterprises with atypical 

working hours. 

SMEs can also identify and employ 

jobseekers who are able to provide 

the needed services from their own 

homes. These include skilled services 

like website management, marketing, 

data management to less skilled ones 

like word processing, data entry and 

secretarial functions. This will allow 

SMEs to shift backend work out of the 

office, freeing conventional employees 

from these more mundane tasks. 

Additionally, products that require 

individual attention and hands-on 

work can be created from home, like 

sp E C i a l 

the assembly of small products or 

handicraft. 

The project is currently being piloted 

within shops in the Boon Lay Shopping 

Centre. With support from BLYEC, a list 

detailing the jobseeker’s employment 

history, skills and preferences has been 

compiled. Merchants or businesses 

looking to hire can refer to this list and 

see if any of the jobseekers fit their 

bills. Step FWD is also expanding 

its prospective employer base to 

businesses located around the Boon 

Lay area, and is also currently in 

talks with a few positive SMEs on the 

possibilities to provide home-based and 

flexi-work jobs. E 

For more information on Step FWD, 

please email teamstepfwd@gmail.com 



13

14 

CO M M E n ta r y 

the Silver 

generation – a golD 

Mine of experience 

tapping into the silver 

generation as an alternative 

source of labour brings about 

numerous benefits: senior 

workers oftentimes possess 

relevant skillsets that are backed with 

almost a lifetime of practical experience, 

allowing them to add value to any team 

or business function. 

ProGuide is a social enterprise formed 

by the Retired & Senior Volunteer 

Programme, Singapore (RSVP). 

Focusing on business consultancy 

and training services, ProGuide draws 

its resources from RSVP members, 

who are mostly seniors who possess 

vast working experience across 

multiple disciplines. On average, these 

members have at least 25 years of 

practical working experience as heads 

of companies, senior positions in areas 

such as corporate communications, 

marketing, operations, public relations, 

administration, supply chain and human 



ProGuide leverages on the vast knowledge of senior 

workers to help companies solve business challenges 

resources management. They also 

come from a broad range of industries 

including IT, chemicals, law, health care 

and logistics management. 

With this strong base of professionals, 

ProGuide helps voluntary welfare 

organisations (VWOs), non-governmental 

organisations (NGOs) as well as small 

and medium enterprises (SMEs) to 

achieve higher productivity and growth 

through a tailored, hands-on approach. 

Tapping on the immense experience 

brought by the RSVP members, 

ProGuide devises a comprehensive 

solution to any business need through 

a framework of understanding, 

evaluation and close cooperation 

with the enterprise. As a not-forprofit 

organisation, all proceeds from 

ProGuide’s activities are channeled back 

to RSVP Singapore, to support their 10 

community-based initiatives including 

mentoring in schools and computer 

literacy. 

Far from being in their ivory towers, 

ProGuide resources work very closely 

with the businesses in need to evaluate, 

develop and then implement customised 

solutions to tackle pressing issues 

plaguing the company. These individuals 

have seen it, done it, felt it and touched 

it before, so they have every ability to 

help a company change its processes 

for the better. 

To illustrate, a micro-SME in the food 

manufacturing business had trouble 

upholding its factory’s less-critical 

maintenance processes and 5-S 

housekeeping chores due to a shortage 

in foreign manpower and a cut in labour 

support. ProGuide was engaged to 

assist the owner with strategic review, 

come up with business solutions and 

improvement ideas for implementation 

to address these issues and for the SME 

to cope with the increasing demand. 

Instead of merely providing the solutions 

and implementation ideas for the SME 

client, ProGuide was able to stretch out 

further by providing consultants and 

resources from its large resource pool, 

many whom are seniors and semiretired 

professionals, whom are more 

willing to help, roll up their sleeves and 

work on the actual details for the SME 

due to the latter’s shortage of support 

manpower. In the end, the SME was 

able to circumvent its challenges and 

set its sights for the future. 

Tapping into the gold mine that is the 

silver generation, ProGuide is able to 

bring great value to SMEs, enabling 

them to achieve greater growth, best 

practice and increased productivity to 

better tackle an increasingly competitive 

market. E

SMes coMe 

to terMS With 

ManpoWer 

crunch 

Points raised during the recent Post-Budget 2013 

Convention suggested that companies may have accepted 

the reality of a tightened labour market 

it seems like business owners in 

Singapore have accepted the 

fact that the manpower crunch 

is here to stay, as concerns 

brought up during the Post- 

Budget 2013 Convention organised by 

the Association of Small and Medium 

Enterprises (ASME) centered around 

specific programmes designed to help 

small and medium enterprises (SMEs), 

rather than the usual gripes about 

labour shortage. 

Held at the NTUC Auditorium, more 

than 400 SME owners, key decisionmakers 

and senior management 

personnel attended the Post-Budget 

2013 Convention on 18 March 2013. 

Featuring Ministry Representatives 

from the various government bodies 

and agencies, the attendees received 

relevant and useful information about 

the various grants and initiatives 

outlined in the recent Budget 2013. The 

Convention was made possible with the 

generous contributions from Citibank, 

Visa, Global Capital & Development 

(GCD), Rajah & Tann, Blue Ocean 

Systems, Jobstreet.com, SAP Asia and 

cxSurbana. 

“Year 2013 will continue to be a 

challenging year ahead as Singapore 

goes through major economic 

restructuring,” emphasised Mr Chan 

Chong Beng, President of ASME, in his 

welcome address for the Convention. 

“The existing business challenges 

such as rising costs and the painful 

manpower crunch for many of us are 

nothing new.” He also urged his fellow 

SME owners and entrepreneurs to 

make full use of the Convention to 

skirt contemporary business concerns 

by learning more about the assistance 

schemes available. 

The programme was split into two 

sessions divided by a networking 

lunch break, and the first half of the 

Convention focused on educating 

participants on the myriad of new 

schemes and enhanced initiatives 

that were outlined in the Budget 

Announcement by the Ministry of 

Finance (MOF). 

Representatives from MOF opened the 

Convention with an overview of Budget 


2013 before diving into specifics, with 

a presentation on the new Wage Credit 

Scheme or WCS, one of the new 

programmes for Budget 2013 and one 

which garnered significant attention. The 

Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore 

(IRAS) gave a comprehensive insight on 

the Productivity and Innovation Credit 

(PIC) Scheme and its enhancements, 

particularly the PIC Bonus component. 

The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) 

spoke on the issue of foreign workforce 

policies, outlining the key changes in 

levies, quotas and dependency ratio 

ceilings (DRCs). SPRING Singapore 

then elaborated on the initiatives that 

SMEs can leverage upon to build up 

their capabilities before the Singapore 

Workforce Development Agency (WDA) 

closed the morning session with its 

talk on assistance schemes for helping 

SMEs tide through the labour crunch. 

The panel discussion held after lunch 

was the highlight of the Convention. 

With senior representatives from MOF, 

MOM, WDA, and IRAS on the panel, 

the participants made full use of such 

an opportunity to field their burning 

questions. Moderated and facilitated by 



15

16 


Mr Thomas Fernandez, Vice-President (Communications), 

ASME, the discussion was focused around the WCS and 

the PIC Scheme. 

The key concerns raised were: 

Wage Credit Scheme 

• Concerned with the sustainability of increased 

salaries paid to staff when the WCS ends after three 

years. 

• Concerned with the need to wait for the subsidy to 

be credited. 

PIC Scheme 

How to apply for the scheme and the specific 

• qualifying activities. 

Surprisingly, manpower queries were kept to a minimum. C 

Instead, the participants focused their questions tailored M 

to their businesses, with clear illustrations and examples of 

Y 

what they were going through in their day-to-day operations. 

“I think people are a little bit tired now of talking about 

MY 

manpower, they’re not bringing up issues about manpower 

now as they know it’s going to fall on deaf ears,” said Mr CY 

Fernandez at a media briefing held near the end of the CMY 

Convention. Rather than repeatedly complaining about 

K 

the same problems, many SMEs are now more proactive 

when it comes to seeking assistance for the survival of their 

businesses. “They are going to bite the bullet and have to 

look for ways to stay fit and they know that they have no 

choice – if they can’t shape up, they’ll have to ship out, 

reduce or even go out of business.” 

The second half of the Convention comprised presentations 

by private sector experts. Citibank Singapore gave a talk 

on the current Macro-Economic outlook, while Global 

Capital & Development showed participants what is in it 

for Singaporean SMEs to relocate to Iskandar, Malaysia. To 

round up the Convention, Rajah & Tann LLP gave a brief 

overview on recent tax developments. 

In all, the participants of the Post-Budget 2013 Convention 

got what they came for: useful information on the new 

Budget Initiatives, their queries answered by the people most 

qualified to answer them as well as receiving sound advice 

for the current situation. The challenging business climate 

will persist for some time, but SME owners have unilaterally 

agreed to either shape up, or ship out. 

“The sustainability and growth of SMEs will depend 

largely on our ability to continually adapt, and our ability 

to be resourceful and explore other alternatives of doing 

businesses,” Mr Chan finished. E 



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the first quarter of the year (Q1) saw a number of 

key issues that caused significant impact on the 

global economy. The Eurozone Crisis continues 

to plague the region, with Cyprus being the 

latest country to fall into the financial quagmire. 

North Korea’s provocative statements have stopped at 

being just that, but if those threats come to pass, the entire 

world economy will see a major upheaval. In Singapore, the 

economy is still undergoing modest recovery, and will continue 

on this path of stability and gradual growth. How then, does 

the employment picture look as 2013 enters its second 

quarter (Q2)? 

According to the Employment Outlook Quarter 2, 2013 

published by PrimeStaff Management Services, employers 

are still studying the implications of a weakened global market 

and the modest recovery rate of Singapore. There will not 

be any big surprises to the employment scene, but that is 

provided there be no major economic or political shocks to 

the established system. 

Expectedly, the various initiatives and measures announced 

in Budget 2013 that are directly related to hiring and 

employment will be one of the variables that could affect the 

employment outlook. Many employers are adopting a “waitand-see” 

attitude, hanging back to observe how the various 

initiatives will influence national and social issues, which will 

affect the movement of manpower. 

Generally, a slowdown in hiring in Q2 is expected, after the 

mass movement of manpower during the Chinese New Year 

period. The unemployment rate however, is expected to 

remain constant without much change from the first quarter. 

The industries that will see more hiring in Q2 includes 

healthcare, education, oil & gas, food & beverage, hospitality, 

insurance, real estate, technology (gaming/entertainment) and 

also the public sector. Certain industries will also exercise 

more caution when performing their hires, specifically the 


hiring expecteD to 

SloW DoWn in Q2 

Lesser hiring will take place as compared to the first quarter 

of the year, but unemployment rates are expected to remain 

the same 

construction and heavy manufacturing industries, which may 

also retrench staff. 

With regards to job functions, the following areas will see the 

strongest hiring action: 

- Sales 

- Information technology 

Human resources 

- Compliance/Risk Management 

- Customer Service 

- 

The Wage Credit Scheme (WCS) outlined in Budget 2013 

indicates that the government will co-fund 40 per cent of 

wage increases given to Singaporean employees with a gross 

monthly salary of $4000 and below for the next three years 

(2013 inclusive). The main aim for the WCS is to alleviate 

rising manpower costs and share productivity gains with 

workers. Although the WCS may ultimately have a net positive 

effect on employee retention, companies will need to work 

out the mechanics and evaluate its effectiveness in relation to 

their operations. 

The employment situation is expected to remain buoyant and 

positive, at least for the second quarter of 2013. E 



17

18 


the improving bilateral 

relations between Singapore 

and Malaysia have made 

Iskandar Malaysia an 

emerging sweet spot for 

businesses. 

Central to this interest is Medini, the 

flagship development of Iskandar 

Malaysia, located less than an hour 

away from Singapore’s Central Business 

District (CBD). 

Last year, cornerstone investors such 

as Marlborough College and Legoland 

Malaysia officially opened in Iskandar, 

Malaysia. This year, the Avira and Afiniti 

wellness projects were also launched in 

Medini during the Malaysia-Singapore 

Leaders’ Retreat in February 2013. 

The growing success of Medini in 

attracting key investors and property 

developers alike and its popularity with 

commercial and retail tenants can be 

attributed to three key factors. 

First, Medini offers small and mediumsized 

enterprises (SMEs) a cost-effective 

blended solution and dual platform for 

businesses - one in Singapore whereby 

high value-added business functions 

can be retained; and the other in 

Medini, where businesses can base 

their support services to take advantage 

of lower cost and tax incentives. This is 

a timely consideration when companies 

are concerned about rising business 

costs and the tightened foreign 

manpower policy in Singapore. 

Second, Global Capital & Development 

(GCD), the concessionary holder of 

Medini, is furthering conversations with 

business park operators on building 

a SME business park for businesses 

in sectors such as creative, finance, 

professional services, healthcare and 

wellness, leisure and tourism, shipping 

and oil and gas. Located within the 

351-acre Medini Business zone, it will 

meet demands for quality business 

space and an English-speaking 

educated workforce by Singapore SMEs. 



MeDini, 

a bright 

Spot for 

SMes 

Business opportunities in the flagship 

development region of Iskandar, Malaysia 

GCD’s vision for a Media Village @ 

Medini to provide services such as 

animation, video editing and sound 

effects to support Pinewood Studios 

was recently sealed in a landmark deal 

with Link (THM) Holdings Pte Ltd. Once 

completed in 2018, there will be more 

than 2,000 SOHO units (Small Office 

Home Office) and business suites of 1.2 

million square feet available. Pinewood’s 

parent company, headquartered in the 

UK, is the production studio behind 

works such as James Bond and 

Batman. Together with Singapore’s 

Mediapolis, one can see the full value 

chain of media services within a 

45-minute drive of each other. 

Finally, recognising that the macro 

and social infrastructure are key 

components in attracting businesses, 

employees and their families to a 

new township, GCD has built power 

substations, water supply facilities, 

street lighting and roads to ensure the 

basic essentials are provided for. One 

will find Educity in Medini, a cluster of 

world-class educational institutions such 

as the Newcastle University of Medicine, 

Raffles Institution and University of 

South Hampton, which will provide for 

education needs. The healthcare cluster 

comprising the Gleneagles Hospital and 

Colombo Hospital will provide general 

and specialist healthcare needs. Many 

up-and-coming facilities such as retail, 

entertainment and leisure are also 

starting to take shape for a complete 

living experience. 

This is an opportune time for SMEs 

to start considering the opportunities 

in Medini while educated and skilled 

manpower are available and property 

prices are affordable. Many associations 

now organise business trips to Medini 

and Iskandar Malaysia to explore such 

opportunities. 

In the next issue, learn about the real 

issues facing SMEs such as the tax 

incentives, security concerns and the 

upcoming developments in Iskandar 

Malaysia, post-general elections in 

Malaysia. E 

keith Martin 

ceo 

global capital & Development (gcD)

20 


the graSS iS 

greener on the 

other SiDe 

Stagnating markets are driving businesses to expand overseas 

increasing disposable incomes in 

developing countries coupled with 

stagnating markets in more mature 

economies are unsurprisingly 

leading more and more businesses 

to look at expanding overseas. 

Such action is actively encouraged by 

governments. For example, President 

of the United States of America Barack 

Obama has proposed a doubling of 

the country’s exports between 2010 

and 2015, while British Prime Minister 

David Cameron has urged businesses 

of all sizes to export in order to boost 

growth. Singapore has also jumped on 

the bandwagon with the implementation 

of a Market Readiness Assistance 

(MRA) Grant to help encourage more 

local SMEs to expand their business 

overseas. For the second consecutive 

year, research by Regus indicates that 

businesses trading internationally are 

more likely to be increasing profits and/ 

or revenues than those just trading in 

their domestic markets. 

In an effort to find out which territories 

were felt to offer the best prospects 

and to understand the challenges 

facing companies tempted to venture 

overseas, the survey questioned more 

than 20,000 senior business managers 

and owners in more than 90 countries. 

Globally, the findings indicate that 

companies are particularly drawn to the 

growing consumer markets in China, 

India and South America, but that North 

America and Europe continue to be 

attractive. Indeed, while nearly half of 

companies identify China as a target, 



nearly as many (41 per cent) have their 

sights on Europe, while the 36 per cent 

aiming to sell to North America is still 

ahead of the 31 per cent looking at 

each of India and South America. 

In keeping with its reputation as an 

exporting powerhouse, Germany is seen 

as a key seller to China, with 56 per cent 

of the country’s businesses believing 

that it would be the most profitable 

place into which to expand. However, a 

large proportion of Germany’s overseas 

sales are much closer to home, in the 

Eurozone. The problems there have 

led to falling orders, with the result 

that German industrial production has 

dropped sharply – by 2.6 per cent in 

October 2012 alone. Long considered 

a beacon of stability, Europe’s largest 

economy is proving itself not immune 

to the difficulties being experienced by 

its partners in the shared currency and 

the Bundesbank has slashed its growth 

forecast for 2013 from 1.6 per cent to 

just 0.4 per cent. It is, then, little wonder 

that so many German companies are 

looking longingly towards the Far East. 

In contrast, Singaporean companies 

are looking at expanding into markets 

much closer to home. More than three 

quarters (77 per cent) have their sights 

on South East Asia, while 66 per cent 

are keen on moving into China and 

India being third most favoured country 

for expansion at 36 per cent. The high 

number of businesses looking to step 

into markets closer to home could be 

fuelled by a drop in demand, by more 

than 50 per cent, in traditional key 

markets such as the European Union 

and the US as well as the cultural 

similarities with other Asian nations. 

Many Singaporean businesses are 

overlooking the opportunities present 

in economies such as Brazil and the 

United Arab Emirates (UAE) which only 

account for 0.03 per cent and 1.13 

per cent of Singapore’s total exports 

respectively. 

The UK has also adopted a somewhat 

narrow view. Historically, its main export 

markets have been the European Union 

and developed countries outside it. 

Exports to emerging economies, such 

as Brazil, Russia and China, have grown 

recently, but remain a relatively small 

proportion. Unsurprisingly, the UK’s main 

exports in 2011 were services, and it is 

expected that demand in developing 

countries for design, advertising, legal 

and business and related fields will grow 

in coming years. 

As to what holds back companies 

from making the leap into exporting or 

represents a challenge to those pressing 

ahead anyway, opinions vary. However, 

four main challenges emerge. Top of the 

list is property and paperwork, followed 

by risk management, local taxes and 

regulation as well as building an image 

overseas. The divergence of views is 

indicated by the fact that, while Indian, 


German and Singaporean companies 

regard property and paperwork issues 

as a particular challenge, Japanese 

and Chinese businesses are relatively 

unconcerned by such matters. But the 

Japanese and Chinese are especially 

worried about risk management – while 

Dutch and Singaporean enterprises are 

much less bothered about it. 

Perhaps unsurprisingly, smaller 

businesses tend to be less prepared 

to deal with the challenges posed by 

overseas expansion than their larger 

counterparts. The report even suggests 

that the finding of smaller businesses 

being less worried than large companies 

about risk management may have more 

to do with a lack of awareness of it than 

with better preparation. 

The truth is that while emerging markets 

may promise a solution to businesses 

seeking to boost flagging sales, 

overseas expansion can be daunting. 

For all the talk of the world seeming 

smaller and more accessible to even the 

smallest enterprises, there are still plenty 

of obstacles. Just as in the past, many 

companies have formed arrangements 

with local businesses as a way of 

taking early steps in a new territory so 

now they can use flexible workspace 

providers to deal with administrative 

and property-type issues. Without 

having to make the sort of long-term 

commitments that can be so off putting 

they can concentrate on making the 

most of new opportunities. E 

John henderson 

regional Director, asia pacific 

regus 



21

24 


builDing a 

culture of 

reSpect 

Foundations to an Engaged and Productive Workforce 

do I need to care 

about building a 

culture of respect 

“Why 

when there are 

more pressing problems to face?” This 

is a valid question, especially for SMEs, 

in light of the uncertain global economic 

outlook and the manpower shortage 

which companies are experiencing. But 

what if respect was the foundation to a 

solution that could increase productivity 

and profitability, and reduce staff 

turnover rate? 

people engagement impacts 

organisational outcomes 

Gallup’s Q 12 measure or The 12 

Elements of Great Managing (see 

Gallup’s Q 12 Items) are 12 core 

statements that predict employee 



and workgroup performance, and 

are therefore a predictor of critical 

business outcomes. In 2012, Gallup’s 

Q 12 meta-analysis* examined 1.4 million 

employees, over 49,928 business or 

work units, in 192 organisations across 

49 industries in 34 countries, to see if 

the effect of employee engagement on 

business outcomes changes in tough 

economic times. 

The study found that top-quartile 

business or work units have, amongst 

other things, 22 per cent higher 

profitability, 21 per cent higher 

productivity, 37 per cent lower 

absenteeism and up to 65 per cent 

lower turnover as compared to the 

bottom-most quartile surveyed. They 

proved that employee engagement is 

strongly related to key organisational 

gallup’s Q 12 items* 

Q01. I know what is expected of me 

at work. 

Q02. I have the materials and 

equipment I need to do my 

work right. 

Q03. At work, I have the opportunity 

to do what I do best every day. 

Q04. In the last seven days, I have 

received recognition or praise 

for doing good work. 

Q05. My supervisor, or someone at 

work, seems to care about me 

as a person. 

Q06. There is someone at work who 

encourages my development. 

Q07. At work, my opinions seem to 

count. 

Q08. The mission or purpose of my 

company makes me feel my job 

is important. 

Q09. My associates or fellow 

employees are committed to 

doing quality work. 

Q10. I have a best friend at work. 

Q11. In the last six months, someone 

at work has talked to me about 

my progress. 

Q12. This last year, I have had 

opportunities at work to learn 

and grow. 

outcomes in any economic climate, 

across organisations and situations. 

These numbers can be quite 

compelling, especially when the effects 

of Singapore’s manpower crunch may 

be sustained over a period of time, and 

thus retaining good employees becomes 

even more vital. 

culture of respect is fundamental 

to engagement 

Before you start devising ways to 

engage employees, consider Gallup’s 

Q 12 statements. Most of them cannot 

be achieved without first having a

asic culture of respect. Some items 

require colleagues and superiors 

to acknowledge and recognise the 

employee’s ability, performance, and 

opinions, then go on to give him praise 

or opportunities to further develop and 

improve. Have you heard supervisors 

praising low-skilled workers when they 

have done a good job? Such recognition 

will only occur if there is respect for 

others at the workplace. 

Other statements go even further, asking 

if supervisors or colleagues care for the 

employee as a person and consciously 

encourage his development. This goes 

beyond respect for each other as 

human beings, crossing into caring and 

nurturing those under your supervision. 

Still, respect is the indispensable 

foundation. 

Respect is something that people 

often take for granted. After all, most 

colleagues are ‘okay with each other’. 

But the goal is to achieve a work 

environment where people want to 

be, where their ideas and skills are 

recognised so that they are empowered 

to do better for the organisation – not to 

mention the beneficial effects in the nine 

performance outcomes Gallup found 

(listed in Key Findings from Gallup’s Q12 

Meta-analysis 2012). 

key findings from gallup’s 

Q12 Meta-analysis 2012* 

Employee engagement affects 9 

performance outcomes. Compared with 

bottom-quartile business/work units, 

top-quartile units have: 

37% lower absenteeism 

25% lower turnover (in high-turnover 

organisations) 

65% lower turnover (in low-turnover 

organisations) 

28% less shrinkage 

48% fewer safety incidents 

41% fewer patient safety incidents 

41% fewer quality incidents (defects) 

10% higher customer metrics 

21% higher productivity 

22% higher profitability 

Ways to cultivate a culture of 

respect 

Although counter-intuitive at times, 

respect at the workplace needs to be 

cultivated by putting it into practice. 

Happily, this can be done at little or no 

cost. 


Here are some suggestions: 

1. Make respect a company value. 

This makes it official, provides 

handles with which to steer the 

organisation and make respect a 

part of the company’s culture. If it 

is already part of your company’s 

values, think about how it could 

be emphasised and incorporated 

into daily operations. For example, 

intentionally putting together diverse 

work teams creates platforms for 

employees to learn about and 

respect people of different ages and 

backgrounds. 

2. reward those who display 

respect and other company 

values. 

Do this by appointing them team 

leader for a project, or recognising 

their good attitude in front of fellow 

colleagues. Take care to balance 

this with constructive feedback and 

encouragement for all employees. 

The point is to make known that 

company values are valued! 



25

26 


3. take into account the needs of 

different groups of employees 

when organising company 

activities. 

One common example is to cater 

Halal-certified food if you have 

Muslim colleagues during company 

events. Another way you can show 

respect to your colleagues is to 

avoid having meetings or company 

events during religious festivals. 

Team-building activities are also 

good opportunities to inculcate the 

value of respect for one another. 

Interior soft furnishings company 

Goodrich Global took this one step 

further. Last July, the company organised 



a two-day celebration of racial harmony 

in Singapore. Employees played games 

that included Q&A on the various 

cultures represented by employees of 

different races and nationalities, and 

a Malay dance competition after their 

Malay colleagues had taught them 

the steps. This was followed by a 

chak-tek competition, with Chinese 

colleagues taking the instructor’s role. 

The second day, employees from both 

Singapore and Indonesia joined in the 

fun, taking turns to teach each other 

a dance. “Promoting racial harmony 

within Goodrich Global is a shared 

responsibility amongst all Goodrich’s 

management and employees,” said 

Mr Chan Chong Beng, Chairman of 

Goodrich Global. Instead of a typical 

team-bonding event, Goodrich’s 

management and employees came 

together to learn about each others’ 

culture, so that they would respect each 

other more and work better together. 

Building a culture of respect is 

something you can start doing today, so 

why wait? Take the first step in reaping 

the benefits of an organisation with 

engaged employees. E 

This article was contributed by the Secretariat for 

Community Engagement @ Workplaces. 

To find out more about respect at the workplace, or 

would like more ideas on how your organisation can 

celebrate racial harmony, please visit www.mom.gov. 

sg/cep. 

*Source: The relationship between engagement at work and organizational outcomes: 2012 Q12® item-level meta-analysis. February 2013. http://www.gallup.com/ 

strategicconsulting/126806/Q12-Meta-Analysis.aspx 

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28 


buSineSS 

expanSion 

into MalaySia: 

for years, Singaporean 

companies have taken 

the comfortable stand of 

generating their wealth 

in Singapore. This has 

not been surprising given the strong 

support from the Government as well 

as the favourable and stable economic 

conditions. This complacency was 

however rocked last year with the 

tightening of foreign labour regulations 

and rising operation costs. 

All these come at a time when an 

opportunity is opening up just across 

the Causeway. There has been 

more traction to attract Singaporean 

businesses and investments to move 

over to Malaysia over the last few 

months. 

So what is a Singaporean company to 

do at this junction, where opportunity 

and risk meet? 

Many Singaporean companies have 

ventured onto this new ground, some 

with good stories while others have 

disappeared with regrets. Business 

expansion is never a path to be taken 

lightly. It is one that requires proper 

planning and a degree of risk-taking. 

Before making that big leap, what are 

some of the vital questions that business 

owners should be asking? 

What is the key Strategic thrust for 

Malaysia? 

There are many reasons for businesses 

to set up in Malaysia. However, business 

owners should keep a level head. They 



need to be clear about their goals and 

the reasons why they want to move 

their business northwards. 

Do you move to Malaysia to: 

Take advantage of the lower 

1. operating costs 

2. Tap into a larger customer market 

3. Develop a distribution centre with 

Singapore as a HQ? 

Identifying the main intention and not 

deviating from it helps you to plan all 

other arrangements around it. This 

includes decisions on locations of 

office premises or warehouses, talent 

attraction and remuneration, the 

administrative processes of settling in 

and other expansion requirements. 

expansion Strategy 

Once you have identified your Key 

Strategic Thrust, the next step is to 

select a Geographical Concentration 

Expansion strategy. 

1. 

concentric approach – kl-based 

Examining the Malaysian Peninsula 

and its history, it is easy to see 

why the capital Kuala Lumpur (KL) 

remains a top city for the setting 

up of business. A regional office 

here enables better administration 

and control. The city also boasts a 

healthy skilled workforce and ready 

infrastructure (telecommunications, 

roads, airports and sea ports) to 

allow for ease of movement for 

products. From KL, you will be able 

to monitor and exercise control of 

What 

Questions 

Should You 

Be Asking? 

your goods northwards to growing 

states like Penang, Perak, Kelantan 

and Pahang, or southwards to more 

established states like Malacca and 

Johor. 

upstream approach – Johor – 

2. based 

The opening up of the Iskandar 

Development Region, with five 

dedicated flagship zones of various 

development mixes, is attractive 

for Singaporean companies to 

springboard into Malaysia. Being 

the closest state to Singapore, 

companies can choose to move into 

the many industrial parks springing 

up in west Johor (Flagship C) where 

they are in close proximity to the 

Malaysian Port of Tanjung Pelepas 

(PTP) as well as within minutes 

of exiting Singapore’s Tuas CIQ 

Complex. Business owners and 

Singaporeans may already be familiar 

with these areas and the distance 

from Singapore make it easier for 

companies to produce goods and 

move them both northwards to the 

rest of Malaysia and southwards to 

Singapore. 

isolation concentration – east 

3. Malaysia 

With all the excitement happening in 

KL and Johor, companies should not 

turn away from the fast developing 

regions of East Malaysia, consisting 

of Sabah and Sarawak. With a 

population makeup of approximately 

20 per cent and a land area covering 

60 per cent of Malaysia, these states

present a large untapped market 

with exciting prospects. Whilst 

many investors agree that better 

infrastructure is needed to fully 

capitalise on the region’s potential, 

more stable businesses can begin to 

look into expanding here for a longer 

term gain. 

account for exigencies 

A business migration exercise can 

be a long, drawn-out process. 

Expanding your business into Malaysia 

needs careful planning and proper 

knowledge of the various administrative 

requirements (from taxation to labour 

laws). 

One of the two biggest factors facing 

business migration to Malaysia is the 

usage of Bahasa Melayu, or Malay, 

as the primary language. While many 

negotiations can be concluded in 

English, the submission of official 

documents is typically in the Malay 

language. A professional translation 

services company will be useful in this 

situation. 

The second factor that business owners 

should take note of is the time taken 

to move from one location to another. 

The dynamism in the cities of KL and 

Johor accounts for notorious traffic 

jams. In Singapore, where the distances 

are shorter, you can often predict the 

estimated time of arrival. The same 

cannot be said of Malaysia. In order 

to avoid such frustrations, do factor in 

additional time when travelling from one 

place to another. 

More opportunity than risk 

Despite the various crises happening 

around the world, Singaporean 

companies are currently being presented 

with a good opportunity in Malaysia. 

The country is located just across the 

Causeway, convenient enough for 

owners and staff who need to have 

a good overview of their business 

situation. Depending on the size of 

your company, capital backing and the 

risk appetite of the management team, 

there is always a good reason for you to 


seriously consider moving into Malaysia, 

if you have not already done so. 

While we share cultural similarities, from 

food to work style, proper planning is still 

essential for the expansion exercise. E 

Jeffrey koh 

Managing Director 

loyal reliance 



29

30 

CO v E r st O r y 

We Move 

together 

Mr Koh Yang Kee has successfully handed over the reins 

of his company's leadership to his son | By James Tan 

the divide between the older generation and the young 

can sometimes be wide: both groups bear different 

opinions on the same subject and often have varying 

opinions and attitudes toward issues that matter. 

Transpose this to a business setting where each 

decision made can dictate the future path of a company, and 

a touchy – sometimes incendiary – situation may erupt. If left 

unattended to, this seemingly small spark may develop into a fullfledged 

wildfire, with devastating consequences. 

Mr Koh Yang Kee, founder of Yang Kee Logistics Pte Ltd, and 

his son Mr Ken Koh, Deputy Managing Director of Yang Kee 

Logistics Pte Ltd, have managed to successfully bridge this divide, 

transforming the 23-year-old company of modest beginnings to 

one of Singapore’s foremost end-to-end logistics and warehousing 

enterprises with a robust staff strength of 200 and backed by 

state-of-the-art facilities and business infrastructure. 

However, the metamorphosis was not an easy one. Beginning as 

a small transportation enterprise in 1990, Yang Kee was a small 

company with limited business functions. However, it had the 

potential to grow, to achieve more, to accomplish even more. Even 

if the elder Mr Koh was content with Yang Kee being just a trucking 

company, Ken, however, had far loftier dreams for his father’s 

enterprise. 

The transportation business was doing well enough to keep the 

company afloat and running, but the fast-moving business climate 

necessitated diversification of the company’s core business. 

Joining Yang Kee alongside his father in 2001, Ken brought with 

him experience from his stint at Hewlett-Packard as well as fresh 

perspective and renewed motivation to Mr Koh’s business. 

“I realised that in order to stay relevant and competitive, changes 

to the business model would be required,” Ken recounted, “The 

expansion into the provision of complementary logistics services 

was started, and subsequent events vindicated my decision.” 

Indeed, Yang Kee started to offer accompanying logistics services 

such as freight forwarding and warehousing in addition to the 

transportation function to complete the supply chain, giving 

customers an integrated and seamless logistics solution. Alas, 

in every endeavour, problems will inevitably abound, but Mr Koh 

and Ken worked side-by-side to familiarize themselves with the 



CO v E r st O r y 

nuts and bolts of turning the transportation company into a onestop 

integrated logistics service provider. Slowly but surely, Yang 

Kee Logistics began to secure more and more high-profile clients, 

established a solid customer base and fortifying their position in 

the local logistics scene. The company today counts Keppel FELs, 

Mitsui Chemical, Shell and Pico as some of their customers. 

Being a service-oriented company, Ken believes greatly in the 

quality of Yang Kee’s staff: “Without the capable and dedicated 

team that we have today, we would have never been able to 

gain the trust and confidence of our customers required to grow 

to such a size today.” When the company was diversifying into 

logistics, Ken hired experienced individuals versed in the field to 

circumvent operational issues as well as to improve the business, 

culminating in a resilient management team that supervises every 

aspect of Yang Kee’s day-to-day operations. 

“Relationships are built over time and the longevity of our senior 

management within the company helps to keep those relationships 

with our customers strong,” he added. 

In the company, and the logistics industry for that matter, the hiring 

and retention of talent is key. With a constrained labour market 

tightened by a decrease in foreign worker quotas, getting the right 

people into the company is of paramount importance. On top of 

the usual incentives like career development and competitive 

remuneration, Yang Kee also offers something that is less tangible: 

sincerity. 

Even if the concept sounds a little farfetched and impractical for 

today’s fast-paced environment, Ken believes that it is sincerity 

which will best promote long term staff retention. To this end, 

Ken personally conducts orientation exercises for all new hires, 

introducing them and their roles within the company to all existing 

staff. This serves as an icebreaker and also allows for both new 

and current staff to be more readily approachable to one another, 

nurturing a sense of camaraderie and ownership in the company, 

which leads to improved intra-company relationships. The 

company is also planning to set up a fully-fledged childcare centre 

within Yang Kee’s premises to alleviate some of the caregiving 

woes faced by working parents. 

Moreover, Yang Kee actively engages in internal branding to further 

promote staff loyalty and boost morale. Workshops, retreats and 

sharing sessions are some of the activities conducted to foster 

staff inclusion. Marketing collaterals and promotional material 

also prominently feature Yang Kee staff, giving them a sense of 

belonging to the company. 

“Every employee is personally responsible for Yang Kee to fulfill its 

brand promise,” Ken emphasised, “making our staff the face of our 

company gives them a personal stake in the company, promoting 

loyalty, and recognition for good service boosts morale.” 

As the global economy soars on its projected trajectory into the 

future, Mr Koh and Ken will continue to update, upgrade and 

improve their business. Plans in the pipeline include regional 

expansion initiatives, first to neighbouring countries and perhaps to 

farther countries as the company advances. One thing is certain: 

both Mr Koh and Ken will continue to move together, with their 

staff, service providers and partners onward to excellence. E 



31

CELEBRATE WITH US IN THIS SILVER JUBILEE OF 

THE ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR AWARD 

2013 marks the 25 th year of Singapore’s oldest award, the Entrepreneur of the Year Award (EYA) that 

recognises and honours leading entrepreneurs in Singapore since 1989. Since its incepon, the award 

organisers, the Associaon of Small and Medium Enterprises (ASME) and Rotary Club of Singapore have 

awarded more than 100 entrepreneurs who were outstanding in their elds of enterprise and also for 

their contribuon to the society as part of their ecosystem. 

Every one of the past recipients were truly deserving individuals who displayed utmost courage, foresight 

and determinaon in starng up, growing and maturing their business enterprises, enduring ever 

changing climates, challenging obstacles and fast-paced technological advancements. 

Not only are the entrepreneurs coping with these challenges but so are the organisers of the EYA in order 

to keep the award relevant. Constant revisions to the award categories and judging criteria keep the EYA 

fresh and current. That is how the EYA in its Silver Jubilee year remains the most presgious and 

established business accolade in Singapore. 

Find out more about the Entrepreneur of the Year Award 2013 in May at www.eya.com.sg! 

For more informaon, please contact the Award Secretariat at: 

eya.secretariat@asme.org.sg 

6513 0361 / 0355 / 0371 

www.eya.com.sg

CO-ORGANISED BY OFFICIAL MAGAZINE 

SUPPORTED BY

34 

CO v E r FE at u r E 

Making a Mark 

Yang Kee Logistics Pte Ltd envisions itself to be not just a service-provider of quality 

service, but as a long-term strategic partner with the most effective logistical solutions. 

the business of logistics is 

not easy: managing a supply 

chain to ensure that all 

deliverables are safely and 

punctually sent to the stated 

address can be a daunting task. From 

the storing of products in secured 

warehouses to the physical moving of 

the items over air, land and sea, multiple 

factors exist between the point of origin 

all the way to the eventual hands of 

the end-user. In the modern global 

marketplace where the onus is on speed 

and reliability, the blend of warehousing 

facilities, distribution/forwarding centers, 

logistical equipment and other elements 

must be in tandem, consistent and 

seamless. 

Yang Kee Logistics Pte Ltd was first 

established in 1990 as a transportation 

company. It had a humble beginning, 

starting out with only two trucks as it 

began to make its mark on the industry. 

Over time, Yang Kee slowly expanded 

its business to include warehousing in 

1993 and then to one-stop, customised 

supply-chain solutions in 1997. As 

business picked up, the company 

started to slowly expand, eventually 

culminating into a global operation 

with three main business verticals 

and a network of reliable supply-chain 

partners. 

Today, Yang Kee is one of Singapore’s 

top end-to-end logistics and 

warehousing companies with a 

200-strong team of dedicated staff 

equipped with in-depth expertise 

and experience in a broad range of 

industries. 

all-in-one logistical Solutions 

As a complete logistics solutions 

provider, Yang Kee’s expertise lies in 

third party logistics such as Warehousing 

& Inventory Management, Distribution, 

LCL & FCL Transportation & Cross 

Border Transportation, Project Logistics, 

Chemical Handling & Storage as well as 

International Freight Forwarding. 



W i t h 

operations on a 

global scale, Yang Kee exercises 

complete control over all aspects of the 

logistical supply chain, giving customers 

peace of mind and ensuring timely 

delivery. In addition to operations in 

key commercial centers, the company 

is part of an extensive global network 

that encompasses Asia, South East 

Asia, the Middle East, North America, 

Oceania as well as Europe, and has 

partnerships forged with reputable sea 

and air freight carriers. Yang Kee is also 

connected to the most critical supply 

chain infrastructure and this translates 

to faster turnaround time and higher 

cost effectiveness for their clients. 

Rather than adopting a one-size-fits-all 

approach to varying business needs, 

Yang Kee aids customers in designing 

a logistical package tailored specifically 

to their unique requirements.Working 

closely with their clients, Yang Kee 

leverages on its robust pool of 

knowledge and practicable expertise to 

come up with a truly effective solution 

that streamlines the supply chain 

operation while maximising business 

performance. 

Advancing with the times, Yang Kee 

invests in the latest technology for 

systems, equipment and facilities 

which help them bring even more value 

to their supply chain. An integrated 

E-Logistics System has helped to 

push the company’s efficiency by 25 

per cent, while the one-stop Chemical 

Logistics Hub at Jurong Pier Road is 

outfitted with state-of-the-art facilities 

and a robust IT infrastructure for better 

handling of in-house logistics as well as 

to provide tailor-made turnkey logistics 

solutions. 

business verticals 

Yang Kee’s core competencies can be 

outlined in their three main business 

verticals: oil & gas, chemical logistics 

and fast moving consumer goods 

( F M C G ) . 

Well equipped to 

handle each, Yang Kee 

brings the required proficiency 

and capability to every logistical 

need. 

For the oil & gas industries, Yang Kee 

provides services including heavy lifting, 

conventional cargo transportation and 

traffic escort services in addition to 

storage solutions that will be catered to 

the amount of cargo. 

For chemical logistics, Yang Kee is 

licensed and its staff are well-trained to 

handle the storage and transportation of 

Hazardous Goods, Flammable Goods 

and Class Cargo. The aforementioned 

Chemical Logistics Hub at Jurong 

Pier Road is also strategically located 

outside Jurong Island and designed 

with advanced safety features and 

specialised chemical storage capabilities 

to ensure the safe storing of hazardous 

cargo. 

For FMCG, Yang Kee handles a widerange 

of products from cosmetics to 

imported electronics. Besides 1.5 million 

square feet of indoor and outdoor 

warehouse space to meet every storage 

need, Yang Kee also provides pick and 

pack, sorting, labelling, crating, shrink 

wrapping and kitting services along with 

round-the-clock island-wide trucking 

services. 

With such a diverse range of service 

offerings backed by solid infrastructure 

and a dedicated staff force, Yang Kee 

will be able to meet every logistical or 

storage need. Working hand-in-hand 

with every stage of the supply chain, 

the brand of Yang Kee assures quality 

service and timely delivery as they move 

together with their clients, network 

partners and service providers. E

CO v E r FE at u r E 



35

36 

MO n E ysM a r t 

onto 

the 

Web 

local companies have taken to using the internet as 

an added avenue to bolster their business growth, 

according to data released by online payment 

service PayPal. Singapore enjoys notable success 

and a lofty position in online trading with the rest 

of the world, and online exports have been identified as an 

effective channel for local SMEs to reach millions of overseas 

customers and sell to the global marketplace. 

In 2012, non-oil domestic exports (NODX) in Singapore rose 

marginally by 0.5 per cent while imports grew by 3.2 per 

cent. Trade volumes from traditional export channels are 

expected to remain low in 2013, pointing towards the need 

for businesses to explore new sources of business growth, 

namely cross-border trade via e-commerce. 

Cross-border trade through e-commerce has continued to see 

high growth rates in Singapore. This provides SMEs with new 

revenue streams in a wide range of online export categories. 

According to the data from PayPal, the figures showed that 

merchants in Singapore using the payment service grew 

their businesses significantly faster by using cross-border 

e-commerce to export to Asia Pacific markets in 2012. To 

illustrate better, local PayPal merchants increased their online 

export sales on average by 68 per cent to China and by 55 

per cent to Hong Kong, showing the growing importance of 

trade to the Greater China region. In addition, demand for 



Latest data indicates 

that online exports help 

boost business growth 

for small and medium 

enterprises (SMEs) in 

a tough economy 

Singapore-made goods remained strong in the larger Asia 

Pacific markets as online export sales via PayPal’s platform 

grew on average by 22 per cent to Japan and 20 per cent to 

Australia. 

The most popular online export categories for Singapore are 

travel products, computers & accessories, but other items 

like entertainment & media, vehicles & accessories, toys & 

hobbies are also gaining significant traction. This trend will 

allow for local SMEs to engage in online exporting, leveraging 

on the high demand of the global market. 

As shopping on mobile devices becomes more commonplace, 

items like fashion apparel and jewelry also rank at the top of 

the lists for overseas mobile shoppers, ahead of cameras, 

mobile phones and sports equipment. 

This meteoric growth of online exports in Singapore can 

be linked to tech-savvy local SMEs with relevant products 

and services priced competitively to take advantage of the 

high international demand. They also provide the added 

convenience of selling to global buyers, as long as they have 

secure payment transactions. As the Asian consumer slowly 

but surely consolidates and improves his/her purchasing 

power, local SMEs should leverage on these trends, dive into 

online exports and position Singapore as an e-commerce 

trading hub in Asia. E

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38 

pr O p E r t y 

gooD neWS for 

neighourhooD 

ShopS 



The Revitalisation of Shops (ROS) Scheme will 

benefit 3000 heartland enterprises 

$1.5 million has been set aside by the Housing & 

Development Board (HDB) to help 3000 neighbourhood 

shops located in 32 sites island-wide in a bid to improve 

their business vibrancy and competitiveness, according to 

a press release by HDB. These 3000 will form the fifth batch of 

shops to benefit under the ROS Scheme, which is implemented to 

address the numerous requests from the Merchants’ Associations 

(MAs). 

The ROS Scheme, first rolled out in November 2007, is part of the 

Government’s ongoing efforts to assist HDB retailers, especially in 

today’s challenging business climate. The Scheme has benefitted 

51 sites or 4500 shops since its inception, covering about 50 per 

cent of the nation’s Towns and Neighbourhood Centres. 

Under the Scheme, retailers and MAs can utilise the following 

measures: 

1. co-funding for upgrading of common area. 

This is to improve the overall shopping environment for 

residents. HDB will co-fund physical upgrading works to 

shopping complexes, town and neighbourhood centres 

covering shop directories, fixed awning, signage, façade 

improvements, landmark structures, etc. Shop owners will only 

need to fork out 50 per cent of the total costs, while HDB and 

the Town Councils will fund 100 per cent of the cost only for 

rental units. 

2. co-funding for promotional events. 

HDB will co-fund up to 50 per cent of the expenditure for 

promotional events organised by the MAs to draw consumers. 

The promotional events organised by the past four batches of 

the ROS Scheme saw a 30 per cent increase in the sales for 

retailers, and at least 60 events are slated for this fifth batch. 

These events will also be organised in conjunction with major 

festivals or holidays like the Lunar New Year and Mid-Autumn 

festival to better leverage on the crowd potential. 

3. rent-free periods for tenants to renovate shops. 

HDB will grant tenants a rent-free period of up to one month 

if they renovate their shops under the ROS Scheme. This is 

in recognition of the fact that revenue may suffer when the 

shops are under renovation. Tenants who are members of MAs 

and have rented the shop unit from HDB for at least six years 

qualify for this rent-free period. 

The retailers themselves and the MAs can take up all of the 

measures or a combination of the above according to their needs 

and preferences. For more information on batch five of the ROS 

Scheme, visit www.hdb.gov.sg. E

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40 

sMECE n t r E@asME 

the 

tranSition 

to SMe 

centreS 

Business owners seeking assistance can look 

forward to a more holistic advisory service at the 

new SME Centres 



from 1 April 2013 the current Enterprise 

Development Centres (EDCs) will be 

expanded to become SME Centres 

that will provide enhanced assistance 

for SMEs and build a more conducive 

environment for SMEs to thrive in. Officially 

announced at the 5th EDC Conference held in Max 

Atria of the Singapore Expo on 25 March 2013, 

the new one-stop SME Centres will encompass 

more detailed business advisory services as well as 

help SMEs and entrepreneurs receive assistance to 

circumvent challenges and improve productivity. 

Speaking at the Conference, Minister of State for 

Trade and Industry Mr Teo Ser Luck said “Since its 

inception, our EDCs have played an important role in 

helping our SMEs access government support and 

business advisory services. In today’s challenging 

economic environment, we have stepped up the 

support that we will provide for SMEs, and the SME 

Centres are a good example of this.” 

Mr Teo also affirmed that the assistance provided 

by these new SME Centres will be more robust 

than in the past. SMEs will be able to access more 

information and seek advice on a wider range of 

assistance programmes from the various government 

agencies and private sector partners. “These 

Centres will also provide more in-depth services than 

the current EDCs, including business needs and

productivity diagnosis, capability and awareness workshops, 

business leads facilitation, as well as guidance on tapping 

government grants,” he added. 

The SME Centres will provide the following services: 

• 

• 

• 

One-to-one advisory sessions on government schemes, 

guidance on grant application, business diagnosis and 

more in-depth advice in areas such as productivity, 

finance, human resources and overseas expansion 

Capability workshops to help SMEs improve productivity 

and financial knowledge 

Networking and business matching to connect SMEs with 

local and overseas partners 

To this end, the SME Centres will work closely with 

government agencies like SPRING Singapore, the Infocomm 

Development Authority of Singapore (IDA), the Inland Revenue 

Authority of Singapore (IRAS), International Enterprise 

Singapore (IE Singapore), and the Singapore Workforce 

Development Authority (WDA) to better educate, inform 

and assist SMEs with regard to the plethora of assistance 

schemes. 

Indeed, many SMEs have trouble identifying and then utilising 

the multitude of schemes and grants available to them. “The 

SME Centres would be a key pillar of support for SMEs, 

particularly smaller companies,” said Ms Chew Mok Lee, 

Assistant Chief Executive (Entrepreneurship & Innovation), 

SPRING Singapore, “They need handholding to upgrade and 

to understand the available government assistance.” 

To further assist and aid the micro and small enterprises, 

more satellite SME Centres like the SME Centre@NorthEast 

(previously EDC@Northeast) managed by the SME Centre 

at the Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (ASME) 

will be established to help such SMEs in the heartlands and 

industrial estates. These small companies make up 94 per 

cent of Singapore’s enterprises and employ about 39 per 

cent of the workforce, yet they face continual challenges in 

improving their productivity. Mr Teo is confident that there will 

be five more satellite centres set up this year. 

sMECE n t r E@asME 

Since their establishment in 2005, the EDCs have reached 

out to 70, 000 SMEs through face-to-face business advisory 

services. To ensure that the EDCs provide quality services 

in a consistent manner, all five EDCs were certified to ISO 

9001:2008 in February and March 2013. Over the next three 

years, all five expanded SME Centres and their satellites aim 

to reach out to about 60, 000 SMEs. 

The annual EDC Conference, jointly organised by all five 

EDCs, is a noted platform for SMEs to gain valuable insights 

into business management. It also serves as an excellent 

opportunity and networking and exchanging business 

contacts. The theme for 2013: Go, Grow and Globalise: Step 

Up and Transform, focuses on the need for SMEs to transform 

their businesses in order to better compete in the economic 

environment of today. Featured speakers at the Conference 

were Mr Lim Hock Chee, CEO of Sheng Siong and Mr Steven 

Yeah, Executive Director of Valuemax Group Pte Ltd, who 

shared their success stories in business transformation with 

about 500 participants. E 

SMe centre @ aSMe 

167 Jalan Bukit Merah Tower 4, #03-13 

Singapore 150167 

T: 6513 0388 | F: 6513 0399 | 

www.smecentre-asme.sg 

Email: enquiries@smecentre-asme.sg 

SMe centre @ northeast 

Tampines Ave 5, #06-01 NTUC Income Tampines Junction 


T: 65 6424 4000 | F: 65 6424 4066 | 

www.smecentre-asme.sg 



41

42 

Ma r k E t in t E l l i gE n C E 

During a time where 99 

per cent of all enterprises 

in Singapore are SMEs, 

mobile and mobility 

are buzzwords that 

resonate in almost everything regarding 

productivity, efficiency and customer 

experience. 

According to Canalys, 216.5 million 

smartphones were shipped in Q4 2012 

and this represented close to 50 per 

cent of all phones shipped. To put these 

statistics into local perspective, there are 

close to 6.5 million 3G subscriptions in 

Singapore, which is almost 22 per cent 

more than the Singapore population in 

2012! 

Mobile subscribers are starting to 

significantly impact revenue. This can 

M-Strategy 

How SMEs can Maximise and Monetise the Mobile Movement 

the be seen when eBay President and CEO 

John Donahoe said last year that the 

mobile sales volume of the eBay site is 

experiencing double digits every month. 

eBay’s mobile gross merchandise 

volume (GMV) equaled nearly $2 billion 

in 2010, and eBay previously predicted 

that its mobile GMV would double to $4 

billion in just one year. 

Mobile web and application adoption 

is growing at an unprecedented rate 

due to rapidly evolving infrastructure, 

the availability of more powerful 

mobile devices and browsers, more 

sophisticated mobile operating systems 

as well as higher levels of connectivity 

that ultimately raise the expectations of 

the average mobile user. 

Yet despite this skyrocketing growth 

and revenue potential, a key fact 



remains: mobile website and application 

users may be willing to trade some 

functionality for the “anytime, anywhere” 

convenience of being on the move, but 

they are not willing to sacrifice site and 

application availability and speed. 

A recent Compuware study of global 

tablet users revealed that there are high 

expectations for web experiences and 

about 33 percent of users are less likely 

to make a purchase from a company 

if their website performance does not 

deliver the web experience required. 

The “Engaging the Tablet User: What 

They Expect From Web Sites” survey 

reinforced this trend, showing that users 

expect websites and transactions to 

work flawlessly. 

As users gain access to more best-inclass 

Web performers like Facebook, 

Google and Yahoo and use these as 

benchmarks for how fast all sites should 

be, they are becoming increasingly 

intolerant of delays or slowdowns. 

This, of course, is a reflection of the 

expectations of today’s Internet user. 

The average online shopper expects 

Web pages to load in two seconds or 

less (down from four seconds in 2006) 

and 46 per cent will visit a competitor 

website if the experience is less than 

satisfactory on the first try. 

58 per cent of users expect website 

load speeds on mobile devices to be 

comparable or even better than their 

desktop equivalents. Considering that 

today’s Wi-Fi and 3G networks can be 

as much as six times faster than their 

2G and 2.5G predecessors, this may 

not be an unrealistic expectation. 

Delay is not the only factor to negatively 

impact the mobile Web experience. 

Users also expect high levels of 

availability and reliability. Even on the 

Internet as a whole, availability is not 

as high as it should be. The Aberdeen 

Research Group did a study which 

reveals that the industry average 

availability is 97.8 per cent, a number 

that seems impressive at first, but 

actually translates into a website that is 

unavailable for eight days every year or 

16 hours every month. 

The importance of a website’s reliability 

can be clearly seen during holiday 

periods, where online shopping peaks 

due to the festive season. A report from 

Borland showed that many Singaporean 

retail websites were unable to cope with 

increased traffic during the Chinese New 

Year period. Website optimisation is key, 

especially during the festive seasons, 

in order to capitalise on the rush of 

customers looking for a good deal. 

Previously, a website was merely an 

optional extra for any business, an 

additional channel to reach out to 

potential customers and partners. That 

time has passed, and now this is the 

time for businesses to evaluate their 

online channels, particularly mobile. 

Business leaders must work together 

with IT provisioning to ensure that their 

online offerings are fast enough, reliable 

enough and available constantly so as 

not to drive customers to competitors 

out of sheer frustration.


The mobile channel requires speed and availability. 

Mobile users expect to perform transactions anytime 

and anywhere across various browsers and devices. 

If a mobile website fails to perform the required 

transactions at a speed that matches consumer activity, 

like using the Web while standing in line or sitting on a 

bus, then users are unlikely to return, and may in fact 

choose other alternatives, even competitor sites. 

Hence, when businesses look at areas of improvement 

that can positively impact the web experience for their 

customers, the most critical areas to address based on 

consumer feedback are slow load times (66 per cent), 

site crashes (44 per cent), problems with site functions 

(42 per cent) and issues with site format (40 per cent). 

At the end of the day, if an end user has a poor 

experience with your mobile site or application, they 

would not care who or what caused the problem; they 

will simply hold you responsible. 

So it is critical that businesses test the performance 

of their website across the entire application 

delivery chain, test and monitor from the end users’ 

perspective, bring to life the quality of experience (QOE) 

process for all stakeholders, share best practices and 

develop a baseline for historical analysis so you are 

able to benchmark your success. 

As mobile adoption rates rise, communication 

infrastructure accelerates and mobile devices become 

even more sophisticated and powerful, this makes 

mobile Web activity an integral part of any enterprise’s 

online strategy. These greater opportunities come hand 

in hand with higher expectations that in turn demand 

higher levels of performance. 

Organisations must review their current infrastructure 

and look for ways to address growing consumer 

demands if it is to stay in business and continue to 

grow. Unless they leverage the enormous potential of 

the mobile web, a significant amount of revenue could 

be lost. E 

koh eng kiong 

regional Director, aSean 

compuware 



43

44 


coulD your buSineSS 

be an IP goldmIne? 

Leveraging on intellectual property 

Property” is 

the current buzzword 

circulating in the business 

community or appearing 

“intellectual 

in news articles in the 

local media. “Intellectual Property” - that 

sounds pretty abstract. What exactly is 

it? 

“Intellectual Property” or “IP” in short is 

about protecting your brand, ideas and/ 

or innovation and this is accomplished 

via protective rights like Patents, 

Trademarks and Designs. 

If you are a business owner, it is a good 

idea to make IP part of your business 

strategy. It could help you protect your 

key intellectual assets, stop your direct 

competition from using them and bring 

you revenue through commercialisation 

and even strategic alliances where e.g. 

you provide the technical know-how 

and your strategic partner provides the 

funding. Significant global corporations 

and even homegrown companies have 

invested in their IP. They capitalise on 

protective rights first to ensure returns 

on investment put into research and 

development (R&D) and second to help 

turn their ideas and innovations into 

profits, and create brand value. 

Depending on the nature of your IP 

assets, it can be protected by e.g. 

patents, designs or trademarks, or 

sometimes even by more than one of 

these protective rights. The following 

is an overview of the two primary 

categories of protective rights: Patent 

and Trademarks. 

patents 

This is a form of protective right that 

is used to protect your inventions, the 

technical realisation of your ideas. A 

Patent is an exclusive right conferred by 

a government for a maximum period of 

20 years. It gives you, the patent owner, 



the legal right to exclude anyone else 

from manufacturing, using or selling your 

patent product or method. During this 

period of exclusivity, you can monetize 

your key assets through licensing or 

collecting royalties whilst at the same 

time, bar your competitors from copying 

your ideas and diluting your market 

share. 

It is fundamentally important that your 

ideas are kept fully confidential and not 

divulged to anyone before you apply for 

a Patent with the patents registry, as 

Patents are granted only for something 

new, meaning that it is not (yet) known 

by others, the public. In order to ensure 

that your idea is legally protected, a 

patent application should be filed as 

soon as possible since protection and 

eventual grant is based on a “first-tofile 

system”. To this extent, for example, 

a local (Singapore) patent application 

could first be filed. Further applications 

in other industrial countries of interest 

may then be filed within one year of 

the local (Singapore) filing and these 

further applications will then be treated, 

regarding patentability, as if they would 

have been filed on the date of the first 

filing (i.e. the Singapore application). 

trademarks 

When a customer has had good 

experience with your product or 

service, you want them to repeat that 

experience or tell others about it, and 

it is your trademark that will facilitate 

this. Valuable goodwill resides in 

your trademark and it is critical that 

you proactively protect it, by securing 

registrations and enforcing them. 

Many companies have numerous 

trademarks but all businesses would 

have at least one trademark which may 

be the same as the business name. 

Toyota Corporation uses their TOYOTA 

house mark as well as many sub-marks 

like ALTIS, VIOS, CAMRY, PICNIC, etc. 

A trademark can be a symbol like Apple 

Corporation’s titular apple or a slogan 

like Nike’s “JUST DO IT”. Colours like 

the green and yellow that identifies BP 

petrol stations, a jingle like the short tune 

that Hisamitsu used, or shape of the 

product or packaging like the Toblerone 

chocolate or the Nescafe bottle can be 

considered trademarks as well. 

A list of all the possible trademarks of 

your company should be made and then 

ask yourself the following questions: 

a. Have we secured trademark 

registrations for all of them? 

b. Do the registrations cover all the 

goods and services we offer or are 

likely to offer in the near future? 

c. Do we have adequate trademark 

registrations in all the countries 

where we trade or where our goods 

or services may be distributed? 

d. Are our trademarks being used 

by our staff, advertising and 

marketing personnel or agents, 

distributors or licensees correctly? 

For example, marks should always 

be accompanied by the correct 

marking (® where registered or 

if not yet), and should not be used 

in ways that may lead to the mark 

becoming the name of the product/ 

service - OTIS lost exclusive rights 

to the use of “ESCALATOR” 

because of this. E 

adam bogsch 

viering, Jentschura & partner llp 

M ravindran & angela leong 

ravindran associates

46 


froM the ocean anD 

into the ponD 

Professionals, Managers and Executives (PMEs) are able 

to maximise their talent by joining small and medium 

enterprises 



Working for a 

big company is 

radically different 

from being in a 

smaller one on 

so many different fronts: human 

resource (HR) processes, financial 

procedures and operational 

workflows are all distinctly stratified 

into self-contained departments in 

the larger companies, while small 

and medium enterprise (SME) 

owners usually find themselves 

handling the business from top to 

bottom. Professionals, managers 

and executives (PMEs) from big 

companies usually find it difficult 

to fit into an SME working culture, 

an issue that needs to be critically 

addressed given that 99 per cent of 

all enterprises in Singapore qualify 

as SMEs and these companies hire 

60 per cent of the workforce. 

The Max Talent Programme 

launched April last year seeks to 

help provide some discourse to this 

situation. Adopting a two-pronged 

approach, Max Talent helps to 

job-match suitable PMEs with 

local SMEs while simultaneously 

providing training for those 

PMEs to better integrate into the 

SME culture. If the placement is 

successful by at the end of the 

designated timeframe, the SME 

will receive a one-off $5000 cash 

grant. 

A key component of the Max 

Talent programme is the Talent 

Workshop: a three-day short 

course that enables PMEs to learn 

more about the working cultur in 

SMEs and also to acquire skills 

that will help them in the course 

of their future work. The topics 

covered during the practice-based 

workshop include leadership skills, 

management procedures and 

the ability to multi-task, a crucial 

aptitude needed in most small 

companies. 

One main trend that pervades 

across all the Talent Workshops 

conducted is the fact that many 

of the PMEs are working in SMEs 

for the first time in their career 

developments. Some of these 

PMEs are young, recent-graduates, 

while others are pushing into 

their fifties and have enjoyed lofty 

positions in large companies or 

government agencies. So why the 

dive from the open ocean and into 

a tiny pond? 

It all boils down to the matter of 

whether you want to be a big fish 

in a small pond or a small fish in 

the large ocean. Mr John Low, 

currently the General Manager 

for Business Development at 

ServiceWorks Pte Ltd used 

to be the Director of Industry 

Development with the National 

Association of Travel Agents 

Singapore (NATAS) for 12 years. 

Speaking at the sidelines of the 

Talent Workshop conducted from 

23 to 25 April 2013, Mr Low shared 

that with his current company, 

he is able to do more than what 

he has done previously: “I’m not 

confined to just the travel sector, 

I also work with people from the 

hospitality industry, spa & wellness, 

the F&B and also retail sectors.” 

He also said that the job scope in 

an SME is more all-encompassing, 

as compared to larger outfit with a 

more focused job scope. 

“Working in a smaller company is 

challenging but enriching,” Mr Low 

added, “It allows me to widen my 

horizons.” 

Echoing his sentiments was 

fellow classmate Ms Suneetha 

Prabhakaran. Hailing from an 

advertising background with 

some of the biggest boys in the 

business including Oglivy & Mather, 

Ms Prabhakaran spent 15 years 

in MNC working environments 

and therefore had close to no 

experience in a SME setting. 

Business functions were individually 

classed, and she did not need to 

know how each operated and if 

they complemented one another. It 

was during her stint in a small set- 


up that she had a hand in doing all 

the seemingly trivial matters that 

went into a company’s day-today 

operations. In a nutshell, Ms 

Prabhakaran got a shock when she 

entered the SME working culture, 

since things were done remarkably 

different as compared to the 

structured order characteristic of 

MNCs. 

“Smaller companies did everything, 

while the big ones had individual 

departments that took care of 

specific functions,” she quipped. 

Sent to the Talent Workshop by her 

new company Deliciae Hospitality 

Management, Ms Prabhakaran 

was now able to relate to the 

topics discussed and even identify 

gaps in business functions. 

The Workshop helped her to 

understand the rationale behind 

various management functions 

and tools, giving her clarity and 

also helping her to formulate 

improvement strategies that she 

could take back to her company 

and upgrade its processes. 

With newfound insight, an 

upgraded mindset as well as 

practicable knowledge directly 

applicable to their job stints with 

SMEs, participants of the Max 

Talent programme can look forward 

to gainful and satisfying careers 

with their employers. For one, Mr 

Steven Koh from Aquabella Water 

International is heartened that the 

programme is only for Singaporean 

PMEs especially at a time when 

the majority of workers made 

redundant are PMEs. E 

For more information on the Max Talent Programme, please visit www.maxtalent.org.sg. 



47

48 


a coMMunity 

of aiD 

Small and medium enterprises help one 

another to cope with mounting business 

challenges 

all in the spirit of enterprise in such challenging times for the local SME community, it is indeed heartening to see 

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) reinventing and enhancing their business models that serves with the added 

purpose of helping their fellow SMEs to grow and modernise. The modern business environment is challenging: 

rising operating costs, the manpower crunch and assorted factors plague the local businesses on a near-daily 

basis. In the midst of the current economic restructuring process, which has intensified in year 2013, SMEs lacking 

the robust pool of resources and support of their multi-national counterparts, find it increasingly difficult to keep costs low 

while still maintaining – let alone improving – their bottom lines. Therefore, it is essential for the nation’s SMEs to get assistance 

wherever they can, be it from the Government or from fellow SMEs. 



fueling assistance 

A prime example of an SME helping 

other SMEs is Best Petrol & Diesel 

Supply Pte Ltd (BPDS), who provides 

customised fuel management solutions 

for SMEs, with an aim of helping 

SMEs to modernise their internal 

processes and operations. Essentially 

an Authorised Reseller, appointed by 

an oil major to market this service in 

Singapore, BPDS features a unique 

fuel management solution that is 

tailored to an SME’s individual needs 

and preferences. A full-fledged fuel 

marketing company with a dedicated 

in-house operations and sales team, 

BPDS helps companies to save money 

on fuel through a surprisingly simple and 

efficient method – a card. 

Not exactly novel technology, BPDS 

issues a fuel card to SMEs utilising its 

services. Besides offering attractive rates 

on fuel and Pump & Go convenience, 

this card contains the business’ fuel 

preference, needs and requirements, 

allowing the drivers or delivery personnel 

to simply pay for fuel using the card 

without the need for cash transactions. 

Traditionally, these workers had to 

innovating Solutions 

Another company that illustrates the 

spirit of mutual help in this challenging 

business climate is Synnovate Solutions. 

Truly a unique enterprise, Synnovate 

focuses on washing dirty dishes from 

restaurants and catering companies. 

It collects the soiled cutlery from the 

establishments making use of its 

service, washes and cleans them 

before delivering the tableware back to 

their owners. With the recent cutbacks 

on foreign manpower quotas, such a 

service can be considered a godsend to 

restaurateurs and eatery operators who 

are hard-pressed to find labour for their 

dishwashing needs. 

This Integrated Dishwashing Solutions 

(IDS) is the brainchild of Synnovate’s 

founder Mr Lawrence Low, who was a 

former restaurant manager and thus 

understood the problems that plagued 

the food & beverage (F&B) industry. 

Manpower for such a job function was 

first fork out the cash for the fuel and 

then make a claim with the company 

for reimbursement. This process can 

be tedious, time-consuming and 

unnecessary especially in an SME 

where staff perform multiple tasks in a 

fast-paced environment. With this fuel 

card, time can be saved on completing 

claims requests, reducing the amount of 

administrative work behind each claim 

as well as provide a number of benefits 

for the whole company. 

For one, the SME will decrease its cash 

usage, which will consequently improve 

its cash flow and finances since no 

upfront payment is involved. In addition, 

the fuel card will also allow the SME 

to streamline its operations, reducing 

redundancy by eliminating unnecessary 

processes. The drivers’ refueling 

performance and habits can also be 

tracked, whereby details of all fuel 

transactions are provided. With all this 

information, SMEs have better control 

over their business operations and will 

be able to identify gaps in their business 

processes and manage their resources 

better, which translates to larger cost 

savings and a better bottom line in the 

long run. 

scarce: even before the new foreign 

manpower rulings, companies faced 

significant difficulty in hiring and retaining 

staff to handle this less-visible yet crucial 

aspect of the business. 

To aid his fellow SMEs, Mr Low has 

installed a first-of-its-kind $2.5 million 

dollar facility containing four machines 

that are able to wash up to 600,000 

pieces of dirty crockery a day. Heeding 

the call for productivity, each machine 

is managed by only four employees, 

a significant step up from the large 

numbers of dishwashers hired by 

restaurants to do the same job on 

a much smaller scale. The cleaned 

crockery will be returned to the 

restaurants within 24 hours, thereby 

necessitating the need for more than 

one set of tableware, an investment 

which can be recovered within three 

to six months due to the cost savings 

gleaned from utilities, manpower and 

detergent costs. 


In line with the onus on technological 

innovation, everything involved is 

electronic: from the state of the art 

Customer Management System to the 

Electronic Invoices with consolidated 

transaction details, SMEs can better 

track and manage their expenditures 

on fuel without the fuss of loose papers 

or maintaining thick files. Furthermore, 

a dedicated account manager will see 

to the needs and queries of the SMEs, 

promising swift handling of critical 

issues as well as a smooth operational 

process. 

The service itself is provided free-ofcharge 

by BPDS, and SMEs simply 

subscribe to this card and pay-asthey-use, 

allowing them to upgrade 

themselves, improve productivity and 

streamline their processes, knowing 

that their fuel needs are being expertly 

handled. 

best petrol & Diesel Supply pte ltd 

6 Benoi Place Singapore 629927 

Telephone: 6898 2525 Fax: 6862 2995 

Email: enquiry@bestpetrol.com.sg 

Outsourcing dishwashing reaps a 

number of tangible benefits. The 

savings on dishwashing necessities 

allow F&B outlets to channel the funds 

elsewhere to improve productivity. It also 

alleviates their manpower woes, giving 

them the breathing room to focus their 

human resource policies on key areas 

like customer service and even food 

preparation to bring more value to their 

customers. 

Even in this tough business climate, a 

sense of camaraderie pervades the SME 

community, helping one another to tide 

through difficult times and restructure 

for the future. E 

Synnovate Solutions pte ltd 

8A Admiralty Street, #03-03/04, 

Food Xchange @ Admiralty, 


Telephone: 6659 0318 Fax: 6659 0328 

Email: enquiry.synnovate@gmail.com 



49

50 


the one Who 

got aWay 

How local bosses can play catch-up with job-hopping employees 

We have seen a recent array 

of articles bemoaning 

the short-term attitudes 

of staff in organisations 

across Singapore. The 

anecdotes of the recent years of a 

mobile workforce who are only interested 

in the next role have now materialised in 

hard data provided by JobsDB*, and it 

is not pretty reading for companies who 

want long-term commitment from their 

employees. 

While employers targeting graduates 

and entry-level job seekers have the 

luxury of an abundance of candidates, 

once employees have commenced their 

careers their focus turns to advancement 

and how to quickly progress up the 

corporate ladder. In doing so, they 

actively seek new opportunities, hopping 

from one role to another – and companies 



are left to play catch-up, chasing new 

candidates to replace leavers. 

Staff attrition - of which job-hopping is a 

symptom - is a concern for organisations 

the world over. The reason it is so 

pronounced in Singapore, is that strong 

economies provide a far greater variety 

of choices and volume of opportunities to 

the skilled workforce. With the Asia Pacific 

in good shape and Singapore particularly 

competitive, staff attrition is going to 

remain high on the talent agenda. 

Job-hopping ultimately means movement 

between two different companies, and 

the unspoken consensus is that this 

done in the attempt to secure better 

pay or a higher level job. However, there 

are several other factors that motivate 

employees to move company, and 

employers who seek to stem the loss of 

staff to external opportunities should take 

these into account. 

Societal change 

Society is constantly changing, and as 

younger generations of workers join the 

workforce they bring a different attitude 

and a different set of requirements to 

their roles. Whereas 15 or 20 years ago 

employees would have a reasonable 

expectation to be employed by just one 

or two firms throughout their career and 

would focus on a single specialism, 

today’s workers expect to have multiple 

roles throughout their career and to 

work in multiple industries, sectors and 

disciplines. The route between each 

career is not clear, and multiple factors 

may influence a worker’s decision to 

move on.

talent hoarders 

It is hard work building a strong team, 

especially one filled with talented people 

who work hard and deliver great results. 

Managers invest a lot of time in recruiting 

their teams and developing them, and 

the temptation will always be to hold 

onto the best team members for as long 

as possible. 

While understandable, this approach 

can have unforeseen consequences – if 

talented and ambitious people are not 

given the opportunities and challenges 

that they need within their current 

company, they will look elsewhere. 

Managers who resist, obstruct or prevent 

internal mobility moves in an attempt to 

retain their high performers are more likely 

to see their talent walk out the front door 

and into another company. The better 

option is to be open and honest about 

career progression, and to be supportive 

and communicative about opportunities 

for advancement. 

Where is the love for internal 

candidates? 

Organisations usually put a lot more 

effort and resource into recruiting new 

talent from external sources than they do 

into retaining existing talent, which leads 

to external market being the go-to area 

for recruiters. It is easier to recruit staff 

from outside the organisation, especially 

with the sourcing tools at a recruiter’s 

disposal, but this means overlooking 

existing staff who may be interested 

in new opportunities. With internal 

candidates not getting the same care 

as external candidates, they in turn look 

to opportunities outside of their current 

employer. 

Companies that encourage or mandate 

internal mobility programmes – and have 

the appropriate structures and processes 

to match - fare better than those that view 

internal mobility as a bolt-on to regular 

recruitment. Switched-on talent teams 

will actively connect internal mobility 

with other parts of the organisation – 

management development programmes, 

contractor populations, referral schemes, 

and candidate sourcing. 

effective internal Mobility: two 

approaches 

In a vibrant talent market place, there are 

two best-practice approaches to internal 

mobility: 

• Mobility that is self-driven and 

encouraged – actively engaging with 

internal candidates to ensure they’re 

aware of opportunities within the 

organisation, and ensure that both 

the HR and management community 

are fully supportive of movement 

within the organisation. 

• Mobility that is managed by HR or 

senior management - this is really 

about development of staff with 

a specific purpose in mind, either 

recognising employees that have high 

potential, or grooming future leaders. 

Staff are moved strategically through 

positions within the organisation to 

broaden their experience, provide 

them with skills for the future, expose 

them to multiple disciplines, build their 

networks, and prepare them for entry 

into high level or leadership roles. 

Internal Mobility is a part of the solution – 

not THE solution 

It should be noted that even a strong 

mobility programme is just one part of the 

solution to job-hopping. 

Competitive salaries, leave entitlements, 

workplace flexibility, the opportunity for 

training and development, and even 

the company’s approach to reward and 

recognition outside of salary and bonuses 

can have a dramatic effect on retention. 

Global citizenship and corporate 

social responsibility now form part of 

the employer value proposition that 

companies can present to employees. 

And drawing it all together is employer 

brand. 


Employer branding focuses on one of 

the most important facets of a corporate 

brand – the company, as perceived by 

the people who work for it. 

Delivering the employer brand 

promise 

Providing the structure by which people 

can take up new opportunities within their 

current employer is one thing; ensuring 

that they want to stay is another. Internal 

mobility works well in companies that 

have strong employer value propositions 

– think Google. When companies invest 

the time, effort and resources to build 

a strong employer brand and a positive 

working environment it becomes far 

easier to present opportunities to an 

internal audience. 

Remember - the day-to-day experience 

of working in a company is crucial, 

both in selling the company to external 

candidates looking for the next 

opportunity, and to the retention of 

existing staff who are delivering value. E 

Martin cerullo 

Managing Director, Development, 

asia pacific 

global Director, resourcing 

communications & innovation 

alexander Mann Solutions 

*Source: http://sg.jobsdb.com/SG/en/StaticContentFullContainer/jobseeker_report.html?utm_campaign=rebrand&utm_source=jobsdb&utm_ 

medium=edm&utm_content=js&utm_term={keyword} 



51

52 




eMail 

beSt 

practiceS 

A two-part series on Email Best Practices, 

this issue discusses “Sending and 

Receiving Emails” 

When was the last time you wrote a 

Memorandum, or a Memo for short? 

Many of us below the age of 40 would 

not have written a memo to another 

colleague in the same office, but memos 

were the main channel of communication in the office 

about 20 years ago. With the advent of the electronic 

mail or e-mail as the main means of communication in 

not just the office, but in any business communication, 

the email has entirely replaced the faithful memo or snail 

mail. 

The writing of emails have become extremely common 

and simple that we do not give much thought to the way 

an email is crafted, before hitting the “Send” button on 

the keyboard. Here are some tips and tricks to sending 

and receiving emails. 

Sending emails 

Subject line 

This is the most important part of the email and probably 

the most misused. It is important because: 

It allows the recipient to gauge the priority of the 

• message when it first arrives 

It helps you find old messages you want to retrieve. 

• 

Subject line good practices 

Do 

• Write the subject line after you have written the email. 

• Make sure it is concise and that it sums up the 

content of your email. 

• Help the recipients prioritise where appropriate 

indicating after the subject what they need to do and 

by when e.g. FYI, ACTION, QUERY or RESPOND by 

(date). 

• When responding to an email sequence, change the 

subject line to reflect the up-to-date position. For 

example ‘Project Update 25 June 12 – DONE or 

AMENDED instead of just repeating ‘Project Update’ 

from a previous email.

Don’t 

Use a vague or misleading subject 

• 

line. 

• Include a salutation in the subject. 

• Use flippant language in a subject 

line. 

cc and bcc 

Although we do not use carbon paper 

any more, we still use ‘CC’ which means 

‘Carbon Copy’. This allows you to send 

a copy to a contact or list of contacts - 

all recipients can see who else has had 

a copy. 

‘BCC’ means ‘Blind Carbon Copy’ and 

this is used to send a copy to one or 

more contacts but only the sender 

knows who has received a copy. Handle 

with care. 

urgent Messages 

Urgent messages should be just that: 

URGENT! Do not misuse this important 

word as people will stop believing that 

anything you say is really urgent. It 

is also helpful if you put a time in the 

subject line. You know the story of the 

boy who cried “wolf”! 

Do 

• Begin the subject line with the word 

‘URGENT’. 

• Only send messages marked as 

urgent to the recipients who are 

required to act. 

• Do not use the cc and bcc facilities 

in this case. 

• If you wish to make other people 

aware of the situation, mark their 

copy as FYI (for your information). 

• List everyone who receives a copy 

in the body of the message to the 

original recipient – just as you would 

with a letter. 

• If there is an ‘action by’ date, include 

this in the subject line e.g. ‘Urgent 

GBC Report needed by June 29’. 

confidentiality 

Email is not naturally a confidential way 

to communicate. If the document or 

information is highly confidential, then 

find another way to send it. 

When you want to send an email that is 

confidential: 

• 

Mark the subject line ‘Confidential’ 

followed by a relevant statement e.g. 

Monthly Sales Report 

• Decide if the content is best 

delivered via an attachment or within 

the body of the email 

• If it is an attachment, consider 

adding a password thus preventing 

the document being opened by 

anyone without the password 

• Word, Excel and PowerPoint Files 

can be password protected by 

selecting the ‘Tools’ button, then 

‘Options’, then ‘Security’ where you 

will find the password options. 

Sometimes, when the content of an 

email is confidential, using a vague 

subject line is the right thing to do. 

In this situation it is important that a 

casual observer is unable to draw any 

conclusions from simply seeing a list of 

subject lines in your in/sent box or in the 

recipient’s. 

attachments 

Wherever possible keep the whole 

communication within the body of an 

email. You cannot always do this but 

avoid attachments whenever you can. 

It saves lots of time for the recipient 

(they do not have to open the relevant 

application). Emails have all but replaced 

the office memo so keeping it simple is 

the key idea. 

If you do use an attachment, summarise 

what it is about within the body of the 

email. The recipient can more easily 

decide if and when to open it. If your 

organisation stores documents on a 

server or intranet, consider including a 

link to that source, rather than attaching 

the document. 

auto Signatures 

Your auto signature is a message that 

will appear automatically at the bottom 

of each email you send. Typically it will 

include your name, phone number, your 


web site or a logo – consider displays 

on smart phones before doing this. You 

can set more than one auto signature 

and choose an alternative if your default 

address is not appropriate. 

To add a signature go to ‘Tools’, 

‘Options’, ‘Mail Format’ then signatures. 

Type in what you want and then give it 

a name – you can then decide when to 

use this particular one. 

receiving emails 

Suspicious looking emails 

If you are suspicious for any reason, do 

not open it and especially do not open 

attachments if they do not come from a 

recognisable and reliable source. If you 

have an IT department check with them, 

otherwise delete it. 

phishing 

This is a name given to emails that 

request personal security information. 

They appear to come from genuine web 

sites, often banks or building societies, 

and will have a bogus alert that requires 

you to confirm some important piece 

of information. Genuine organisations 

NEVER ask for this sort of information 

so delete the message. Do not be 

tempted to provide this information. 

In the next issue, we will discuss 

Replying Emails and Crafting Your 

Message. E 

v vijaykumarr 

executive Director 

guildford business college 



53

54 


Music can play a big 

role in Organisation 

Development, in 

triggering the emotional 

side of the brain for 

stronger connections within a team, 

organisation and with a brand. 

There are organisations across the world 

who offer drum jam as a team synergy 

exercise besides the various ‘sing with a 

band’ format readily available; the latter 

being more of a ‘feel good’ format. 

Drum jam sessions work wonderfully 

with large audiences and results in high 

energy employee engagement. 

In this changing scenario of corporate 

training needs, a path breaking 

concept was introduced in 2004 

where participants can co-create their 

organisational Anthem. This unique 

module is based on the science of 

branding where participants capture the 

spirit of a team and the values of the 

organisation to create an aural identity. 

Anthems for Teams is a pulsating 

module that takes participants through 

a process to co-create and record their 

team/organisational Anthem onsite, 

capturing the spirit and the values of 

the team/organisation. The process is a 

high energy musical journey with serious 

undercurrents that lead to emotional 

resilience, appreciative enquiry, creative 

challenge, emotional connect with the 

brand as well as team bonding. No 

musical experience is required as it leads 

to the co-creation of a team’s aural 

identity and employee engagement. 

antheMS for teaMS 

Using music to promote teamwork 



Some of the organisations who have 

successfully used the process are 

Oracle Japan Asia Pacific leadership in 

Sentosa, Reebok India, Cairn Energy 

India, Hewlett Packard Storage Works 

Asia Pacific in Singapore, Pepsico 

India in Bangkok, UnitedHealth Group, 

Novartis, Airtel, Vodafone, Cairn Energy, 

Baxter, and Ranbaxy among many 

others. 

Anthems for Teams has been 

recognized by the Limca Book of 

Records in India as the first-of-its-kind 

besides being shortlisted in the top ten 

case studies in the world at the Audio 

Branding Congress held recently at 

Oxford, England and was also covered 

as a case study by Audio Branding 

Journal in Germany. 

This happened due to the extensive 

experience that both co-founders 

bring to the module. Mr Anupam 

Sen Gupta is a veteran guitar player 

and an entrepreneur with over three 

decades of active musicianship while 

Mr Shouvik Ray is an expert in the 

field of communications and is an 

engineer with a B-School degree who 

occasionally also strums and sings. 

They run a boutique organisation, 

Elephant SoundSense, operating out of 

New Delhi and Pune in India and from 

Orchard Road in Singapore. Mr Anupam 

has also been a speaker at conferences 

at the Singapore Management University 

(SMU), Society for Human Resource 

Management (SHRM) – India, amongst 

other forums. 

The Anthems workshop process is 

intense and of high energy. The team is 

taken through a warm-up session based 

on drumming exercises. They identify 

sounds and the dynamics produced by 

different parts of the body. They then 

work in small groups to produce parts 

of what leads to a body drumming 

ensemble with melodies being played 

on the guitar by the facilitator. This is a 

high energy icebreaker which loosens 

the body and the mind paving way to 

the core of the workshop. 

It has been noticed that most assemble 

in groups of known people/colleagues 

and prefer to be in their respective 

comfort zones. Considering this, the 

entire team is divided into smaller 

groups of 5-7 participants and made to 

break away from their comfort zones. 

The method could be either numberbased 

or based on the first alphabet of 

the participants’ names. 

The participants then go through a 

process of introspection and identify the 

commonalities of the effect of music/ 

sound on human mind. They think; 

revisit the values of the organisation; 

the vision of the organisation; the goals 

of the team; identify individual values; 

recognize the spirit of the team to 

debate, share and finally conclude a 

theme and the name of the Anthem. 

This section of the process is based 

on presentations by the sub teams and 

also voting. 

Participants are exposed to various 

genres with live demonstrations besides

sensitising them about the texture and 

the treatment of appropriate sound that 

would capture the aural attributes of an 

Anthem. They are given five base music 

files where they have to debate, chose 

and vote for a single option that would 

become the base track of the Anthem. 

The team is given a brief on writing the 

lyrics that would capture the values and 

the spirit of the organisation becoming 

the aural identity of the team. The 

sub teams write and compose before 

making presentations. Once again, 

participants introspect; revisit the values 

of the organisation; the vision of the 

organisation; the goals of the team; 

identify individual values; recognize the 

spirit of the team to debate, share and 

finally conclude the base lyrics and the 

composition for the Anthem. 

Key voices are recorded after polishing 

the lyrics and the melody. Basic 

editing is done on site after which, the 

Anthem is played back to the rest of 

the participants. While the key voices 

are recorded, the participants design 

the CD inlay. The rest of the participants 

practice with the final lyrics and learn 

the melody after which the entire team 

is recorded onsite. 

Anthems for Teams is probably the 

best way to introduce music/sound 

for people and brand development 

in organisations. Unlike many musicbased 

programmes, this has a tangible 

outcome and is usually used as the 

organisational caller tune/ring tone, as 

an induction programme tool, for value 

dissemination, for conferences and also 

to share the spirit of an organisation at 

institutions for fresh recruitment. 

This training process is used by both 

young and seasoned teams. The format 

is also used as an extended visioning 

session where participants emotionally 

connect and capture the same vision in 

the form of an organisational Anthem. 

The advantage of converting a vision 

into an Anthem and using it as a an 

organisational ring tone/caller tune, tools 

for presentations/conferences/sales 

meets, etc., immediately connects the 

participants to the values of the brand 

and also the vision statement. 

This not only triggers an aural branding 

process but also emphasises on 

employee engagement, team bonding, 

appreciative enquiry, emotional 

resilience, creative challenge, 

introspection, identifying excellence in 


self and others besides being a lot of 

fun for all involved. 

If an organisation can have a logo, the 

organisation must have an Anthem as 

like vision; sound is a critical sense and 

impacts human brains, according to 

research, in four ways: physiologically, 

psychologically, cognitively and 

behaviorally. As sound going into 

the ears is mostly unsolicited, the 

process of Anthems for Teams is a 

huge leap towards managing sound 

for ‘People and Brand Development in 

Organisations’ for tangible outcomes. 

Elephant SoundSense is in collaboration 

with d’Oz in Singapore to bring the 

programme to the Asia Pacific, Japan 

and also Australia. E 

anupam Sen gupta 

creator 

anthems 



55

56 


public 

officerS 

Working on 

eliMinating 

reD tape 

HARnESSInG FEEdBACK 

TO IMPROvE PROCESSES 

Contributed by Agri-food & Veterinary 

Authority of Singapore (AVA) 

Have a good suggestion to cut business red tape? 

Write in to the Pro-Enterprise Panel (PEP) at www. 

pep.gov.sg. The PEP is a public-private partnership 

that seeks and acts on suggestions on how 

government rules and regulations can be improved, 

so that our businesses spend less time, effort, and 

money in meeting regulatory requirements. Since its 

inception, the PEP has received more than 1,800 

suggestions and accepted more than half of them. 

They cover a wide spectrum of issues ranging from 

the streamlining of licence application processes to 

the change of rules and regulations. 



not resting on their laurels 

after winning the Public 

Sector Pro-Enterprise 

Initiative 2012 bronze 

award, the Agri-food & 

Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) 

embarked on its inaugural industry 

consultation session – “POWER” 

(Public Officers Working on Eliminating 

Red Tape). POWER seeks to harness 

feedback from industry stakeholders 

in reviewing and improving AVA’s 

operational processes, so that 

they could be more conducive for 

businesses. 

Held on 10 January 2013, the agency’s 

first POWER session was attended by 

23 representatives from 13 local food 

establishments and export firms, which 

frequently apply for AVA’s Veterinary 

Health Certificate (VHC). AVA facilitates 

the export of food products by providing 

VHCs required by importing countries. 

The application process includes the 

inspection of raw materials, processing 

lines and consignments, as well as 

laboratory testing on samples collected. 

Industry representatives were invited 

to share their feedback on the existing 

VHC application process and suggest 

ways to make it more user friendly. 

Through group discussions facilitated 

by AVA officers, industry representatives 

presented a total of 41 ideas/suggestions 

on how to improve and streamline 

the VHC application process. Officers 

from SPRING Singapore, International 

Enterprise Singapore (IE Singapore), 

and the Pro-Enterprise Panel (PEP) 

were also invited to participate in the 

discussions. A panel consisting of AVA’s 

senior management, chaired by CEO 

Ms Tan Poh Hong, deliberated these 

suggestions immediately at the end of 

the session accepting 32 suggestions 

on-the-spot for implementation, and 

providing alternative solutions to another 

three suggestions. 

Said Ms Ho Seok Cheng, Section 

Manager of Quality Assurance from 

Pokka Corp (Singapore) Ptd Ltd: “(The 

session was) interactive. We can provide 

feedback to AVA directly and in turn, 

improvements which benefit exporters 

can be made by AVA”. Participant 

Mr Alan Gue from Singapore Food 

Industries Pte Ltd, agrees, “It is great 

that the government institutions are 

able to understand our situation.” The 

session successfully enabled AVA and 

the industry to better understand each 

others’ needs. More importantly, it was 

a significant initiative taken by AVA to 

review their processes to make them 

more efficient and customer friendly. 

The Pro-enterprise Panel Secretariat 

applauds AVA’s effort and encourages 

public agencies and their industry 

partners to follow AVA’s lead in 

organising such engagement sessions 

to discuss regulatory or process 

challenges faced by the industries. E

© 2013 SAP AG. All rights reserved. These materials are provided for information only and are subject to change without notice. RUN 

without growing pains. 

What if you could double in size without doubling in complexity? With SAP and Blue Ocean 

Systems, small and midsize companies gain unprecedented visibility across their entire 

 

improving collaboration. This isn’t just about better business processes. It’s about 

a better way to grow your business. 

See how at blueoceansys.com.sg


learning beginS 

froM young 

Building a bilingual environment right from the start 


58 En t r E p r E n E u r s’ Di g E s t 

language learning can be interesting and 

fun at the same time if started from a 

young age. This worked effectively for 

a mother of two, Ms Lelia Lim-Loges, 

who started her MandarinaKids brand of 

products with the same mantra. 

MandarinaKids’ philosophy is about helping parents 

to build a bilingual environment at home and through 

multi-layered learning engagement with children in a 

fun and exciting manner. It provides a holistic learning 

experience for infants to pre-schoolers between 

the ages of four months to six years old. A range 

of products have been developed including DVDs, 

books, toys and an iPhone app. Besides catering 

to English-speaking users, there are also products 

developed for German and Spanish-speaking users. 

“Here at MandarinaKids, we adopt a multi-media 

approach to learning which helps to engage early 

learners at every sensory level. That is why my 

products are created based on different platforms to 

help children absorb the language through games 

and videos as some of them are more receptive to 

sounds and visual images. This makes learning 

Mandarin more fun compared to learning only from 

the books,” explained Ms Lim-Loges. 

New products are constantly developed with different 

themes to keep the learning process fresh. Other 

products in the pipeline include a picture book, a DVD 

on counting numbers and a DVD on words related 

to nature. All of which are slated for release in the 

second and third quarter of this year. 

Besides using products to engage children, 

MandarinaKids also organises excursions and field 

trips for parents and their children to learn news 

words and phrases while allowing them to bond at 

the same time. 

overseas market growth potential 

As the company grows, Ms Lim-Loges sees much 

potential in the regional markets as people around the 

region begin to recognise the importance of learning 

Mandarin. It also makes much economic sense to 

learn Mandarin as China has become the world’s 

second largest economy and is poised for rapid 

growth. 

“There is strong demand from parents and preschools 

in Malaysia and Indonesia. We are already in 

discussions with some of these potential distributors 

and partners to bring our products closer to their 

homes. We are always on the search for like-minded 

business partners who share the same passion and 

hope to forge enduring partnerships with them”, said 

Ms Lim-Loges. 

For now, the company will focus on Indonesia 

and Australia as its key markets, and then turn its 

attention to Thailand progressively. E

60 

li F E s t y l E 

Meetings at oasia 

hotel Singapore 

A prime location for business gatherings and corporate events 



Boardroom 

Hotel Lobby 

Courtyard – Theatre Setting 

Situated in the suburban enclave of the prime Novena 

district, just several minutes’ drive away from the vibrant 

shopping haven of Orchard Road and the rigors of the 

Central Business District (CBD), lies Oasia Hotel Singapore 

by Far East Hospitality. With interiors heavily inspired by 

nature, Oasia is a calming oasis of serenity and personal touches. The 

ambience feels set apart from the hustle and bustle of the city, and 

makes you want to kick back and enjoy the tranquillity. 

The elegant and modern hotel is one of the newest hidden gems in 

Singapore. Designed with leisure and business travellers in mind, Oasia 

Hotel Singapore is fast becoming one of the top hotels of choice for 

companies looking to host their overseas guests, or seeking an ideal 

venue to conduct business meetings and events. 

When it comes to delivering a successful corporate meeting or event, 

Oasia Hotel Singapore has everything and more. Centrally located along 

the outskirts of the CBD and Orchard Road shopping district, getting 

to and fro the hotel is fuss-free and convenient. With an underground 

walkway connecting Novena MRT station and Oasia Hotel Singapore 

directly, both public and private transportation are equally convenient, 

letting you start your meeting on a bright note. 

As you step into the hotel, experience the transformation from city 

bustle to tranquil calm as you walk into the tastefully decorated 

function rooms and surroundings. Here in this oasis, thoughtful, intuitive 

service is the hallmark. Enjoy the assertive, attentive and perceptive 

service with a personalised touch to meet your every need – all part 

of their signature home grown world class Singapore hospitality. Feel 

rejuvenated and relaxed here – a sure recipe to inspire creative ideas 

and encourage collaborative efforts, be it for a corporate workshop or 

a retreat.

Courtyard – Round Table Setting 

function rooms to suit every need 

and occasion 

Located at the first basement level of the 

hotel are four warmly designed function 

rooms. An open courtyard space allows 

you to be gently bathed in ambient 

daylight, and is perfect as a reception 

area for coffee, tea and light snacks. To 

top it off, a stunning, black-stoned water 

feature in that open space provides the 

perfect setting for a contemplative and 

rejuvenating moment, to re-energise you 

before or after a long event. 

The Boardroom can comfortably 

accommodate 20 people, and the three 

courtyard rooms can hold up to 55 

people each, depending on the setup. 

impromptu meetings at our club 

lounge; the living room 

Located on the 22nd floor, The Living 

Room is Oasia’s Club Lounge. It is the 

perfect setting for unwinding or having 

those last minute, intimate business 

meetings. The Living Room, complete 

with complimentary Wi-Fi, offers absolute 

privacy and is exclusively available 


The Living Room 

for Club Guests only. A scrumptious 

international breakfast buffet is served 

daily, while coffee, tea and soft drinks 

are available throughout the day. Finish 

your day treating yourself to stunning 

views of the sunset, while enjoying our 

complimentary evening cocktails and 

delectable canapés, available from 6pm 

to 8pm daily. 

With various room sizes to cater to 

your meeting requirements, hosting a 

meeting or event is a breeze. Equipped 

with some of the latest audio and 

visual equipment available, Oasia Hotel 

Singapore will provide the right support 

and venue to set your mind at ease to 

focus on your event and guests. 

So if you are looking for a meeting or 

events venue that will impress and 

exceed your needs, consider Oasia 

Hotel Singapore today. To find out more 

about Oasia Hotel Singapore, check out 

www.stayfareast.com . For enquiries, 

you can call +65 6664 0327 / +65 6664 

0332, or email sales.ohs@fareast.com. 

sg. E 



61

62 


buSineSS SolutionS 

galore at office expo 

aSia 2013 in July 

office Expo Asia (OEA) 

2013 is Singapore’s only 

dedicated office solutions 

and business event aimed 

at meeting the ambitions 

of the corporate business domain. 

Show at a glance 

office expo asia and Singapore gifts & premiums fair 



Encompassing office automation and 

equipment, training and HR, as well as 

workspace planning and design, OEA, 

organised by BizLink Exhibition Services 

Pte Ltd, will take place from 10 to 12 

July 2013 at the prestigious Marina Bay 

Sands, Singapore. 

Date: 10 – 12 July 2013 

Venue: Hall B & C, Level 1 

Marina Bay Sands, Singapore 

Opening Hours: 10 – 11 July: 10:30 am – 6:00 pm 

12 July: 10:30 am – 5:30 pm 

Admission: Trade, corporate and office buyers only 

Registration: FREE trade visitor badge at 

www.OfficExpoAsia.com/reg4 

Your visitor badge allows you to visit SGPFair, at the same 

time! 

Getting There: Go Green! Enjoy convenient access to Marina Bay Sands 

via MRT and buses. CE1 Bayfront MRT Station, Exit D 

(Circle Line) is right at the doorstep. Bus services include 

97/97E, 106, 133, 502/502A, 518/518A. 

Driving there? Enjoy $6* whole day parking for visitors! 

*Term & conditions apply. 

To Exhibit: Email OEA@bizlink.com.sg or call (65) 6848 5938 

More Information: www.OfficExpoAsia.com 

Visitors can look forward to a series of 

productivity, innovation and workplace 

solutions seminars on the show floor, 

international group pavilions, and an 

Eco-Office Showcase, sparked to raise 

awareness and promote environmentfriendly 

habits within the workplace and 

help spread the environmental message, 

supported by Singapore Environment 

Council’s Project Eco-Office initiative. 

OEA 2013 will be held in conjunction 

with Singapore Gifts & Premiums Fair 

(SGPFair); the nation’s first and most 

established trade show of its kind, 

showcasing promotional, corporate, 

incentive and retail gifts. 

Together, OEA and SGPFair are 

Singapore and the region’s leading 

platform for corporate and office buyers 

sourcing for office solutions, gifts and 

premiums, meeting the ambitions of the 

corporate business domain. E

64 

ga s t r O n O M i a 

Spice 

in the City 

The Halia sets up shop in the heart of the city 

first opened in the Singapore 

Botanic Gardens, the Halia 

is known for quality cuisine, 

well-trained staff and excellent 

service set in an ambient 

environment. Now, patrons can enjoy 

the same standard of cuisine in the 

heart of the city as the restaurant opens 

in Raffles Hotel. 

Officially opened in November 2012, 

The Halia at Raffles Hotel is the first 

homegrown restaurant to set foot 

into the historic hotel. An urbancasual 

format, the new outlet features 

charming black-and-white flooring while 

incorporating the lush surroundings of 

the flagship restaurant at the Botanic 

Gardens. Able to comfortably seat 100 

guests, the walls of the restaurant are 

adorned with planted foliage to give 

it that natural touch, completed with 

wood-carved tables and streams of 

natural light streaming in from classic 

French windows. 

The Halia at Raffles Hotels features a 

distinctively different menu, although 

Halia classics still remain. Serving 

contemporary European fare with Asian 

inspirations, the wallet-friendly selections 

are categorized into “small plates” and 

“big plates” instead of the conventional 

“small”, “medium” or “large”. Patrons 

can choose to have any number of 

plates, and while the large plates are 



generous enough to encourage sharing, 

the small plates can be treated as 

appetisers or side dishes. Alternatively, 

diners can also order several small 

plates to last the meal or one big plate 

each if they are feeling hungry enough. 

Along with classics such as the 

Javanese spice Maori Lakes Rack of 

Lamb (tender lamb grilled to perfection 

with a secret spice mix), The Halia 

at Raffles Hotel brings new items to 

the table. Top of which is the pseudolegendary 

Halia Chilli Crab Spaghettini 

(big plate), a traditional Singaporean 

signature in a modern shell. Consisting 

of spaghettini pasta cooked with 

crabmeat and a spicy egg based gravy, 

the dish is reminiscent of the real thing 

and is a definite must-try for any fan of 

the local delicacy. For those with a less 

hearty appetite, the Celeriac “lasagna” 

(small plate) is a refreshing vegetarian 

combination of mushrooms, thyme, 

Ginger Parfait 

the halia at raffles hotel 

1 Beach Road #01-22/23 

Raffles Hotel 


Tel: 9639 1148 

Operating hours: 

Mon-Fri: 

11:30AM to 10PM 

Sat, Sun, PH: 

11:00AM to 10PM 

Chilli Crab Pasta Rack of Lamb 

baby spinach, lemon and Madeira 

cream layered between Celeriac sheets 

a la the Italian pasta. 

To end off a satisfying meal, the Sticky 

Toffee Pudding – warm date pudding 

drizzled with homemade butterscotch 

sauce and sea salt, topped with icecream 

– is a delight to have with its 

interesting combination of hot and cold 

elements. The Ginger Nougat Parfait 

is also another crowd-pleaser, with its 

mixture of ginger parfait, caramelized 

pineapple and puff pastry, complete 

with hints of anise and cinnamon. 

With a different concept and an 

impressive menu, The Halia at Raffles 

Hotel is sure to excite the palette 

while remaining easy and fuss-free for 

a group of friends or family to enjoy a 

good meal. E 

Sticky Toffee Pudding

A MAjestic 

culinAry 

experience 

Majestic Bay Seafood Restaurant offers a delightful 

meal at the Gardens by the Bay 

housed beneath Flower Dome in the spacious Gardens by 

the Bay, Majestic Group’s first seafood-oriented restaurant 

offers the freshest sea treasures from around the world 

with a spectacular view of Marina Bay waterfront. 

Able to comfortably accommodate 110 guests, the restaurant features 

a spacious layout that is most suitable for family and group dining. If 

some privacy is needed, a private room that can take up to 14 guests 

is also available upon request. Taking design cues from maritime 

features, the restaurant fully maximises the breathtaking view of 

the waterfront, creating a ship-deck design complete with a feature 

wall of round mirror ‘portholes’. The use of aquamarine also further 

accentuates the thematic use of water, blending in nicely with the 

interior’s mix of relaxing neutral tones and light oak flooring. 

As patrons enter the restaurant, rows of fresh seafood contained 

in “live” water tanks flank the entrance, emphasising the onus on 

freshness and quality. One of the must-tries is the Bay’s Signature 

“Kopi” Crab, an interesting dish that combines fresh crustaceans with 

a truly delectable sauce created from painstakingly brewing three 

different varieties of coffee beans for three months. The robust flavour 

of the sauce combined with the inherent flaky taste of crab makes 

for a truly unique, one-of-a-kind taste that cannot be easily replicated 

elsewhere. For the less adventurous, Majestic Bay also offers crab 

prepared in the local favourite Chilli and Black Pepper styles. 

Another essential order when visiting the restaurant is the Baked Rice, 

Assorted Seafood with Chef’s Recipe Sauce. Inspired by a popular 

Portuguese dish, the rice is topped with quality seafood ingredients 

including baby abalone, plump scallops, mussels and prawns, topped 

off with a spiced cream sauce and baked with mozzarella cheese to 

create a tasty, fulfilling morsel. 

Apart from the signature offerings and conventional seafood dishes, 

Majestic Bay also offers a stellar list of cuisine for the non-seafarers. 

The Roast Chicken with Chilli Sesame Dressing and Pan-Fried Black 

Pepper Diced Beef are surefire hits, ensuring that diners who do not 

have a real hankering for seafood will not go hungry as well. 

Majestic Bay Seafood Restaurant also offers a Classic Dim Sum Lunch 

with an extensive repertoire of 24 different items. From the Steamed 

Fresh Prawn Dumpling to the Baked BBQ Pork Bun, the traditional 

staples will delight the palette, while more innovate fare like the Seared 

Chilli Crab Meat Bun will challenge the senses. 

With new and classic favourites housed into one thematic deck, 

Majestic Bay Seafood Restaurant is the perfect locale for seafood 

indulgences with friends, family and corporate partners. E 

ga s t r O n O M i a 



Interior 

Baked Rice, Assorted Seafood, Chef's Recipe Sauce 

Live Crabs, Bay's Signature Kopi Sauce 

Homemade Dim Sum 

Majestic bay Seafood restaurant 

Flower Dome, #01-10 Gardens by the Bay, 

18 Marina Gardens Drive 


Tel: 6604-6604 

Operating Hours: daily, 11.45AM to 9.30PM 

65

66 

Cl a s s i F i E D s 

SiM professional Development 

Training 

T: 6248 6457 

www.pd.sim.edu.sg/funded 

The SIM Funded Programmes are available for all organisations, but SMEs can enjoy up to 90%* funding support by the Singapore 

Workforce Development Agency (WDA). At a fraction of the usual cost, you can learn from 48 years of management experience on 

how to maximise personal potential, enhance personal and management effectiveness and contribute to the company’s growt 

clear channel Singapore 

Advertising Media 

T: 6415 4822 F: 6415 4829 

www.clearchannel.com.sg 

Clear Channel is an outdoor media company. Our island-wide coverage is second to none, representing 80% of all the bus shelters 

in Singapore, which translates to over 5,000 advertising sites.in Singapore, which translates to over 5,000 advertising sites. 



NEW ASME OFFICE 

In line with the upgrading of all EDCs to SME Centres, ASME will be dedicating its current office at Jalan Bukit 

Merah to the new SMECentre@ASME. With effect from 17 April 2013, the following departments will operate from 

the new Corporate Affairs Office: 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

Member Relations 

International Relations 

Special Projects (Award Secretariat) 

Business Development 

Corporate Communications 

All contact details (email/phone numbers) of the above departments remain the same. 

aSMe head office 

167 Jalan Bukit Merah Tower 4, #03-13, Singapore 150167 

aSMe corporate affairs office 

82 Playfair Road, #12-01, D’ Lithium, Singapore 368001

optiMiSe your Search 

engine perforMance 

A well-constructed website will further benefit from search engine 

optimisation with the well-written copy. 

Search engine optimisation, 

or SEO, has been a 

common buzzword in the 

digital marketing circuit. In 

layman terms, it is tweaking 

a website’s visibility to allow it to appear 

higher and/or more frequently in any 

search engine’s normal search results at 

no additional cost. 

Optimisation usually involves modifying 

a website’s content, HTML coding 

and other web design elements to 

bolster relevance to certain keywords 

or search phrases. A website’s design 

is important, but the content within its 

pages is paramount as well. 

Here are five tips that can help small 

and medium enterprises (SMEs) improve 

their SEO copywriting skills which will 

hopefully enhance and augment search 

engine performance for their websites. 

1. 

use keywords. 

Incorporate keywords into the 

content for the website. These 

should generally be words or 

phrases that users want to find, 

therefore some form of keyword 

research should be done and 

the results incorporated into the 

website’s copy. 

Write for customers, not search 

2. engines. 

Overusing targeted keywords 

or “keyword stuffing” can be 

detrimental and be blocked by 

common search engines. Write for 

customers and end-users: intertwine 

crucial keywords with the rest of the 

copy in a relevant, readable way. 

3. 

link and share content. 

Connecting relevant content from 

one webpage to another tells the 

search engine that all content on 

the website is related. External 

links to content references for any 

information on the website should 

4. 

be ensured, as doing so may cause 

a reciprocal link to be created 

which holds SEO value since 

search engines use links to assess 

the relevance and popularity of a 

website. 

title your pages. 

Use tags to title each page of 

the website as search engines use 

this tag to index webpage topics. 

To reap the most SEO benefits, 

each title should have the targeted 

keyword (gleaned from research in 

Tip 1) for that page. Although META 

tags by themselves do not add SEO 

value, it allows SMEs to grab the 

attention of potential users in 160 

characters or less as they appear 

beneath the website URL in search 

results. 

5. 

tO p 5 

avoid using flash. 

Although aesthetically pleasing, 

incorporating large amounts of 

Flash-based content in a website will 

cause negative SEO performance, as 

content embedded using the Flash 

platform are not indexed on search 

engines. 

Have a good website design, but 

also invest the time to ensure that the 

content within is fully optimised for the 

best search engine performance. E 

add people (group) ltd 



67

68 

su b s C r i p t iO n FO r M 

Yes, I would like to subscribe to Entrepreneurs’ digest: 

1-year subscription – $41.40 

2-year subscription – $74.50 (save 10% off regular price of $82.80) 

(Postage fee inclusive) 

Subscriber’s details: 

dr/Mr/Mrs/Ms 

Mailing Address 

Company name 

designation 

Home Tel no Mobile: 

Fax no.: 

Method of Payment 

By Credit Card Amex diners vISA Mastercard Credit Card 

number 

Card Holder’s name Card Expiry date (Month) (Year) 

By Cheque Crossed Cheque no. (payable to ASME) 

Please send your subscription form with your cheque enclosed to: 

Association of Small and Medium Enterprises, 167 Jalan Bukit Merah, Tower 

4, #03-13, Singapore 150167 

Subscription is strictly non-cancellable and not valid with other offers 

or promotions. 

For enquiries, please contact us at: 6513 0388. 



Launched in September 

2004, Entrepreneurs’ digest 

is a publication by ASME 

and the first SME-centric 

bi-monthly publication that 

provides a comprehensive 

information resource for the 

development of SMEs. 

Entrepreneurs’ digest prides 

itself in providing quality 

and effective information 

to equip entrepreneurs, 

business owners, managers 

and decision makers to 

make informed decisions to 

grow their business.

ED 49: May-June 2013

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