Career 02 (Apr 10 - Apr 12)

[kennynah]

that's a fact of life W..... i cannot agree with you more...

as one climbs the corporate ladder... the game is very different....

but the above discussion is for the younger folks...who are starting out...and possibly having a mistaken perspective about work and salary

[millionairemind]

Published June 19, 2010

'Take your kids to work' catching on

FIFTY-FOUR companies have already joined 'Little Ones @ Work' - a programme organised by the NTUC Women's Development Secretariat (WDS) to promote work-life integration. And more companies are expected to support the initiative.

Officially launched in June last year, the programme aims to encourage children to spend time with their parents at work. And this year, at least 2,000 children will do so for a day.

That's thanks to 10 unionised manufacturing companies getting on board, one of which is Philips Electronics Singapore.

Philips, which held its 'Little Ones @ Work' day yesterday, is one of 25 companies taking part during the school holidays.

In conjunction with the programme, WDS is collaborating with the Ministry of Community Development, Youth and Sports for one-hour parent- child bonding workshops at participating companies.

[millionairemind]

Published June 19, 2010

Interns - they punch above their weight

More companies are finally realising that interns are an important source of fresh ideas and renewal

By CHAN YUPING

ONCE seen as a convenient and cost-efficient way to overcome employment shortages or address a company's seasonal labour needs, interns are now considered to be an important source of fresh ideas and renewal for companies, according to industry watchers.


As a growing number of companies begin to understand these benefits, they become more receptive to opening their doors to interns - most of whom are undergraduates - and this is reflected in the dramatic increase in internships available over the past few years.

According to the National University of Singapore (NUS) Career Centre, there was a 40 per cent spike in the number of internship opportunities publicised through its career portal this year from 2009.

NUS also tied up with the Singapore Business Federation (SBF) early last year to jointly launch a global internship and mentorship programme - to help undergraduates enhance their business exposure in the global environment.

'Companies view internships as a way to assess potential talent hires and are willing to invest in the resources to train and provide meaningful projects and internship scopes for our students,' says Corrine Ong, director of the NUS Career Centre.

However, during the economic downturn last year, statistics showed that some companies employed interns with the intention of cutting costs and trimming their permanent workforce.

Recruitment agency GMP Group's assistant director of corporate services Josh Goh says that while some companies have comprehensive internship programmes in place, others engage interns 'to clear a backlog of work as they are inexpensive hires'.

However, industry observers believe that this trend is tapering as companies discover the importance of engaging interns to stay ahead of the curve - as they bring fresh ideas and useful outsider perspective to the table.

Dhirendra Shantilal, senior vice-president of Asia-Pacific at Kelly Services, says the younger generation now serves as a significant 'driving force for change' and 'would help organisations grow in the new economy'.

Kelly Services, an employment consulting firm, has a career centre at Temasek Polytechnic which works closely with tertiary institutions to help place students in its internal positions, as well as with other companies.

'Businesses welcome interns as they often provide new ideas that might have slipped through the grasp of full-time employees,' Mr Shantilal adds.

For other companies, providing rigorous internships programmes gives impetus for company growth, especially when vying with competitors for top talent. As such, some companies have taken to 'branding' - which entails building a compelling employer brand in the minds of their potential hires, says Peter Haglund, country manager of Manpower Staffing Services in Singapore.

'As these young talents will eventually step into the working society, it is vital to create brand awareness when they are young so that the brand name will be at the top of their minds when they start their careers,' says Mr Haglund.

He adds that companies should provide a structured internship programme and pleasant experience for their interns, 'so that they will remember the company on a positive side'.

For interns, the benefits from a well-structured internship are clear - they not only gain exposure to the working environment, but they are also given the opportunity to ascertain various career options.

Mr Shantilal says that while some reaffirm their decision to pursue a particular career path after the internship, 'some others would reassess their career choices after realising that the industry in which they interned in was not in line with their expectations'.

Besides providing a useful testing ground for students, internships can also serve as a channel towards attaining permanent recruitment at the company.

Tay Kok Choon, head of strategic sales development at JobStreet.com in Singapore, says that about 30 per cent of interns receive permanent job offers from the same company that they had pursued in their internship programme, according to survey results.

'Such a recruitment is normally more successful because both parties are given sufficient time to ascertain each other's strengths and weaknesses,' Mr Tay adds.

As such, interns are increasingly becoming an integral part of a company's operations, as both parties start to understand that a win-win situation is possible when interns are effectively engaged.

Mr Haglund says that for interns to really benefit from internship,  an investment in time and effort is necessary.

Ideally, interns should have a mentor to guide them along and 'in this way, interns will be able to learn better and hence to fulfil the goals of the internship', says Mr Haglund.

[helios]

Ha Ha ... you are assuming that inside the corporations, things are always business-like. In some of the "most respected and most admired" companies, I can tell you that there's a plenty of BS where political games takes priority over business decisions.

I have also seen some good talented managers that got played out because of politics. And they are not able to get jobs in their competitors simply because such high end jobs are limited.

How many "C" level job does the industry have ? Not to mention that in certain industries where it's very specialized, there's only a handful of players around ..

So these "C" level players end up being Consultants or start their own businesses or rely on their investments...

Very much agreed with Winston!

OR just move on to do a startup ...

[millionairemind]

How to Prevent Daddy Wars in the Workplace
2010-06-18T17:02:23Z

By Sylvia Ann Hewlett

Will daddy wars erupt in this decade the way the mommy wars did in the last one?

Eight years ago, when I wrote a book examining why accomplished women have such a hard time integrating career and children, the data found that approximately 40 percent of professional women are childless at age 40. Despite the increase of family-friendly policies in many workplaces, the figures haven't changed.

But now, more and more men are finding themselves in the same position — and the numbers are trending upward. Recent survey data from the Center for Work-Life Policy show that at age 40, 31 percent of professional men are childless.

What's going on? The decision not to have children might make some sense for unemployed or underprivileged men who would have problems supporting a family. But what about well-paid guys with solid jobs that haven't been eliminated by the "mancession?" Are they choosing not to have children? Or are they reacting to a creeping non-choice dictated by the demands of increased hours and responsibilities and amplified by recession-related anxiety?

The research raises concrete concerns for companies and organizations. When research tools guaranteeing anonymity pry off the veneer of politically correct proclamations of support for colleagues with children, what comes through is active resentment against both colleagues and employers:


Childless men feel that colleagues with children get special treatment in the workplace: 43 percent of childless male professionals agree with the statement "colleagues with children are given more latitude with flexibility," and 37 percent of childless men agree with the statement "my personal commitments are perceived to be less important than those of colleagues with children."

Male professionals without children are 60 percent more likely than male professionals with children to think their colleagues are judgmental about their personal lives.

Childless male professionals are less likely than those with children to be invited to social gatherings by co-workers.

All of which adds up to bad news for employers. It's hard for a company to drive high rates of engagement if childless employees feel disgruntled, socially marginalized, and less valued than their colleagues with kids. How can employers prevent daddy wars in the workplace or, at least, damp down the simmering anger between the "haves" and "have nots"?

First of all, companies need to commit to work-life support for everyone. Despite the switch in HR semantics from "work-family" to "work-life," the term is still blatant code for the toddler set. Like a demanding two-year-old, these parents often end up with the lion's share of the goodies: the biggest range of flexible work options, the most accommodating holiday schedules, and the extra time off. In an adult version of sandbox politics favoring fathers and mothers, the "others" are left to wail "It's not fair!" — with predictable results.

Second, employers must realize that there has to be a core of honor and respect in order for work-life benefits to apply to everyone. People want their life choices to be equally valued and celebrated, whether it's teaching English in China, studying the cello, training for a marathon, or raising kids.

A handful of smart companies already understand this.


Cisco Systems' Extended Flex Program allows workers to take unpaid breaks of between 12 and 24 months. Although most participants are women who want to stop working temporarily after childbirth, other employees take time off to resolve eldercare issues, pursue a graduate degree, do volunteer work, or refocus their careers.

Citi's Alternative Workplace Strategy reduces the cost of Citi's real estate while satisfying workers' desire for more flexibility. Employees who do much of their work online or over the phone can work remotely as much or as little as they — and their managers — wish.

Deloitte's Personal Pursuits enables employees who have been with the firm for a minimum of two years to take up to five years off for any reason. Participants are assigned a mentor within the company to keep them connected with the firm and are guaranteed a job at the same level (although not necessarily the same role or team) when they return. Furthermore, participants can return on reduced-hour schedules and dial back up later. As a result, "we've been able to hold on to — and win back — talent," says Barbara Adachi, national managing principal, Deloitte Women's Initiative.

While lifting up options for non-parents, it's critical that companies not cut back on what they offer to parents. Work-life benefits are neither a competition nor a zero-sum game. Done right, they're a win for parents and childless workers — and make for a better, tension-free workplace.

[millionairemind]

Published June 25, 2010

All that money, but bankers get the blues

By SIOW LI SEN

(SINGAPORE) Bankers, poor things, do suffer real pain despite being paid big bucks.

It seems they get confused over how much is enough. And even when they are able to eat the best and shop till they drop, depression can't be kept at bay, said one speaker at yesterday's annual Institute of Banking and Finance conference. ?????

The theme of the conference was leadership and talent issues.

'All the bankers I know want to retire at 40,' said Adrian Furnham, professor of psychology, University College London.

But then they like it so much, they push it to 50, said Prof Furnham.

He was answering a question from Piyush Gupta, DBS chief executive on money as incentive.

For many, the question of how much money is needed to retire is not so straightforward.

He cited friends who have retired and become clinically depressed because they have lost their focus in life and have no friends, said Prof Furnham.

It's not only bankers but lawyers too who find that their children do not want to follow in their parents' footsteps as they dislike their stressful lives.

Money is a great driver but it is not enough, he said. 'It's like a dinner of meringues - leaves you unsatisfied, or shopping when depressed. And it doesn't work in the long term.'

At the Singapore Exchange (SGX), looking after the mental health of staff is as important as providing recreational activities, said Seck Wai Kwong, SGX chief financial officer.

'We provide counselling services anonymously,' he said.

The mental health of staff needs to be looked after as the organisation has a high performance culture, he said.

The SGX has provided two rooms for counselling and appointments are made anonymously; as a supervisor, he does not know who is making use of the service, said Mr Seck.

He said that talent management at the SGX starts at the top. SGX chairman JY Pillay makes it a point to take the latest recruits to lunch as a way of keeping his pulse on the organisation, he said.

The financial services industry continues to be highly attractive in Singapore, hiring almost 170,000 people, said Ong Chong Tee, Monetary Authority of Singapore deputy managing director.

'According to the Hudson's Employment Outlook Survey for Q2 2010, Singapore's financial sector currently has the highest hiring expectations,' said Mr Ong in a keynote address at the conference.

'Already, Singapore's financial sector employment level at almost 170,000 has exceeded pre-crisis highs and 1Q this year continued to see strong employment growth.'

[iam802]

I just have to say... the article sucks.

Not because of the point highlighted by MM.

But, look at how the article ends....talk about the 'strong employment growth'.

Where are all the other relevant points to further discuss 'banker blues' ?

[millionairemind]

haha... I agree with you 802...

Much ado about nothing..

[millionairemind]

ESC targets $3,100 median wage for S'pore worker
By S Ramesh | Posted: 02 July 2010 2110 hrs


SINGAPORE: Raising the wages of the average Singapore worker by one-third in the next decade is one target of the Economic Strategies Committee (ESC).

This would mean moving from a median wage of $2,400 today to about $3,100 in 10 years.

Finance Minister Tharman Shanmugaratnam said that to achieve this, Singapore must have workers with top quality skills and make the island one of the top liveable cities in the world.

He was speaking at a dialogue on the ESC Report and Budget 2010.

Singapore has never had it as good as now, and for the next five to ten years, said the Finance Minister.

The opportunities play to the country's strengths and its companies.

One area is that of urbanisation, with prospects in water management and sanitation, and organising a city that's liveable.

Mr Tharman said: "Everything to do with urban management, water, sanitation, clean air, traffic management, organising a city that is liveable, that is something we have some experience in, and where we have something to offer and something we are seeing a growing number of Singapore companies developing as leading specialists.

"So it's a trend that will play to our advantage. And it's not just Asia, it's an emerging market as a whole. The number one problem that they have is water management.

"The second reason why things have never been so good for us is the middle-class services - there's a huge wave of demand emerging in Asia from healthcare, travel, better education, entertainment, financial services, things that play to our strength, things that play to the experience we have and the products we have introduced in the market over the years and we have a whole slew of Singapore companies."

But a bigger challenge is to meet these opportunities with a limited manpower.

Mr Tharman said: "It's a bit of a puzzle as to why despite a good education system, good schools system and one of the better rated university system in the world, we are not achieving as much with the workforce in terms of skills, expertise and therefore productivity - there is a gap. ??????

"And it requires a different motivation, moving beyond paper qualifications towards wanting to become expert on the job, more of us must want to be like that.

"Not just wanting to do something competently, being honest, being diligent but being very good at it.

"And how do you get this different motivation going? It's not just about incentives, it's not the promise of bonuses, it is the feeling that they are contributing to the company as a whole and the way the industry is moving ahead.

"That motivation is important. And secondly, they want to feel empowered."

Mr Tharman went on to say: "What we really have to do when we talk about raising productivity is raise our game in every regard - higher skills, higher standards, higher aspirations, transform our economy in every sector so that we can take advantage of these opportunities.

"Grow productivity, grow wages and grow profits. That's what it really boils down to.

"The opportunities are large, the challenge of achieving growth with a limited labour supply is also daunting but we can raise our game and make the most of these opportunities in the next five to ten years."

One way is to adopt the three "R" strategy - Repositioning businesses, Restructuring processes and taking Responsibility for the quality of workers.

Manpower Minister Gan Kim Yong said: "Putting in incentives like profit sharing so that the workforce is motivated to raise their productivity and help the company improve the overall productivity.

"But productivity is also a partnership. It's not just about a company making efforts, it also involves the workers, so workers must take responsibility for their own skills upgrading."

In their efforts to enhance productivity, Singapore companies were also encouraged not to repeat some of the mistakes made in other countries.

Ministers on the panel emphasised that improving productivity levels does not necessarily mean down-sizing the workforce. Also, making workers work longer hours doesn't necessarily improve productivity.

Some 600 members from the Singapore Business Federation took part in the dialogue.

- CNA/ir

[kennynah]

Mr Tharman said: "It's a bit of a puzzle as to why despite a good education system, good schools system and one of the better rated university system in the world, we are not achieving as much with the workforce in terms of skills, expertise and therefore productivity - there is a gap. ??????

in a different country....if this was uttered by a education official...he would have been fired immediately...

he says he doesnt know??? actually, more like i duno why he is even a minister, a MP, and why he is even paid such an exorbitant amount of salary as a public servant (or at least that is what all of them are supposed to be..including Lee Kuan Yew) .... if i get to vote....he would not be my choice....