26th FDAWU/NTUC/SHA Productivity Seminar cum "Employee of the Year" Awards Presentation Ceremony
20 May 2008
MEDIA RELEASE
For the 26th year, the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC), the Food Drinks and Allied Workers’ Union (FDAWU) and the Singapore Hotel Association (SHA), jointly organised the Productivity Seminar 2008 cum “Employee of the Year” Awards Presentation Ceremony on 20 May 2008 at M Hotel Singapore.
This year, 41 employees from various service sectors were recognized by their employers for their outstanding service contributions. Each awardee received a customised “Employee of the Year” pin and a certification of appreciation and from the Guest-of-Honour, NTUC Deputy Secretary-General Halimah Yacob.
The award recipients range from age 22 to 66. More than half of these workers are also above the age of 40, showing that mature workers can add value to the industry with their knowledge and experience. Mr Francis Poh aged 66 is the oldest employee to be receiving the award. The lift attendant at New 7th Storey Hotel said, “I believe in going the extra mile for my customers because they appreciate what I do. This award gives me the motivation to further improve my service standards so that I can see more smiles from the people I serve.” When asked what advice he had for fellow colleagues, he grinned, “You must serve from the heart.”
In conjunction with the Employee of the Year Awards Ceremony, a Productivity Seminar was also organised for management and the union to come together to share creative ways of strengthening service value links with the ultimate goal of improving productivity.
To an audience of 140 participants, the seminar on “Service Recovery, Seeing Opportunities in Crisis” was conducted by Chief Executive of Service Quality Centre, Mr Nolan Tan. With the construction of integrated resorts and increase in service-related jobs, the seminar was highly relevant as it aimed to impart ways in which Singapore’s service standards in service recovery can be enhanced and, at the same time provide a platform for instilling service excellence in every staff.
