A Key to Employee Engagement - The Employer Alliance

People, The Secret
Ingredient
- Sin Hwa Dee Foodstuff Industries
Sin Hwa Dee Foodstuff Industries is a leading manufacturer and exporter of
sauces, condiments, Chicken Rice Mix and other provisions. Their customers
include major airlines, restaurants, hotels, caterers, fast-food chains as well as
households.
“The most valuable asset is our people,”
said Ms Jocelyn Chng, Managing Director
of Sin Hwa Dee (SHD) Foodstuff Industries.
With good talents in the right places, the
company can produce results and fl y. But
the necessary prerequisite is to engage
with employees. To Ms Chng, the priority
is to foster in her staff a sense of belonging
that they are part of a big family. Correctly
fostered, such an attitude will ensure that
they have a sense of responsibility for the
company’s results and their individual
contribution to these results; they will
protect the brand name and move with the
company goals.
Ms Chng recalled when an audit was
due. All the staff pitched in and worked
hard for weeks. “They went the extra mile,”
said Ms Chng, “This is because staff morale is
high. After passing the audit, we threw a big
dinner for the staff to show our appreciation.
It is about sharing challenges and joy.”
SHD has implemented a package
of Work-Life policies to ensure that the
Department celebrations
– birthdays are important.
company engages with its staff regularly.
Staff strength is around 100 people,
including part-timers. Some of them work in
the shops, thus they are not as connected to
the headquarters and to the management.
To facilitate communication between
the ground staff and the management,
SHD organizes annual events like Dinner
and Dance and Christmas gatherings.
Department managers also have their own
activities like karaoke and dinners.
“I like such occasions as I get to meet
new staff and be better acquainted with the
existing ones,” said Ms Chng, “Yes, we have
feedback forms and appraisals. But although
we have these instruments in place, it is not
as personal as hearing from our employees
face-to-face.”
Another important form of employee
engagement policy is the implementation
of fl exi-hours. This allows employees to
better balance work and family demands.
Flexible hours and childcare leave came
in especially useful during the recent
H1N1 scare, when many children had
to stay home from school. SHD also has
a telecommuting scheme in place. The
foodstuff manufacturing company gives a
twist to ‘Eat with Your Family’ Day - besides
giving time off for employees for this
occasion, SHD accompanies it with a gift of
their special sauce, so that the employees
can cook a special meal for their family on
that day.
In order to ensure their Work-Life policies
remain relevant, SHD monitors and modifi es
them whenever necessary. “We motivate
the staff according to what we observe they
need and want,” explained Ms Chng, “We
want the policies to reap long term benefi ts
for them. This will give further incentive for
the staff to remain with the company as
these benefi ts accrue with time. It is good
for staff retention. In deciding on Work-
Life policies, the management does not
consider the cost of implementation alone.
We look at the package from the viewpoint
that if it retains the staff , is able to build their
morale and increase their productivity, then,
it has achieved its purpose.”
One of Sin Hwa Dee’s shops
– Spice of Life
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10 10A corporate family works together and celebrates together!
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