By Ryan Chan
NTUC wants to work with all the small and medium-sized enterprises’ (SMEs) bosses through the U SME platform to see how their concerns can be addressed in preparation of becoming future-ready.
This was highlighted by NTUC Assistant Secretary-General (ASG) and Director of U SME Secretariat Yeo Guat Kwang at the NTUC U SME Symposium on 28 March 2016, which was attended by more than 300 SME bosses and human resource managers.
Themed ‘Addressing the Economic Challenges and Sailing Into the Future’, the second run of the symposium comes after the Government announced a slew of initiatives for SMEs, with plans to help them adapt and grow in a manpower-lean economy.
Transforming Business
Part of the challenges ahead include a bleak economic outlook for this year, which some SMEs have viewed with pessimism.
At the symposium’s plenary session, a panel of SME bosses who were faced with similar challenges took to the stage to share their experiences on how they took on different approaches to transform their enterprises to stay ahead of the competition.
These companies came from a wide range of industries, from hospitality and F&B to apparel manufacturing and engineering. Despite the diversity of industries, the panel agreed in unison that there are opportunities aplenty in times of crisis.
This echoed the words of ASG Yeo, who said: “When faced with challenges, there are three things one can do: shut your doors, go out your doors and explore, or open new doors.”
Better Development
With SMEs employing 70 per cent of the local workforce, there is an increasing need to do more for them and their stakeholders.
To date, U SME has signed 42 Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs), covering 3,099 SMEs and 70,640 workers. The MOUs also help SMEs establish good employment practices and allow them to leverage on services like the symposium to learn more about business developments.
Workshops will also be conducted throughout the year to educate SME bosses on topics like the Employment Act, Employment of Foreign Manpower Act and Workplace Safety and Health Act. More information will be announced at a later date.
ASG Yeo said: “Ultimately, the collaborations and partnerships between the Labour Movement and SMEs aim to benefit the enterprises so that together we can take better care of our workers.”
Dialogue with SG
NTUC Secretary-General (SG) Chan Chun Sing also held a dialogue with attendees of the symposium. One of the concerns raised was whether SMEs will be able to provide jobs that Singaporeans would want.
SG Chan said that through U SME, NTUC will be a platform to help connect workers with SMEs and vice versa. He shared how the Government has to ensure development of the local workforce must be able to keep pace with the development of the respective industries.
“All companies start as an SME, but not all SMEs become MNCs (multinational corporation). We have ways to help companies who show promise to become the best they can be,” said SG Chan.
Currently, U SME is also one of nine multipliers of the Ministry of Manpower’s Lean Enterprise Development Scheme, which will support SMEs that are manpower-lean to help them become more productive and innovative.
SG Chan also had a message for SME bosses who face problems.
“NTUC is very simple. We are here to support you. If you have ideas that you have trouble getting across, come talk to us, and if we think they are sensible, we will partner you to get them changed and implemented,” he said.
Source: NTUC This Week
