New technology is fast changing the way things are done, and the electronics sector has not been spared. Besides new ways of doing things, product cycles are becoming increasingly shorter.
Following visits to companies in the electronics sector, United Workers of Electronics & Electrical Industries (UWEEI) Executive Secretary and NTUC Director (Industrial Relations Field) Melvin Yong penned his thoughts in a blogpost titled ‘Helping our Workers Stay Competitive in the “Internet of Things”’ on labourbeat.org.
Building A Future-Ready Workforce
He shared that how workers cope with new developments will depend on their ability to adapt in tandem with the changes in the workplace. For them to be future ready, they will need to acquire new skills and knowledge quicker and more regularly.
“I also see the need to complement technical skills with soft skills like the ability to adapt, innovate and think out of the box to keep up with technological advances,” he said.
One of the ways to foster a culture of learning, suggested Mr Yong, is through the provision of training grants, and even training leave. Some companies have worked with SkillsFuture to curate a list of relevant courses to support their workers’ upgrading.
Besides outreach efforts to encourage skills upgrading, Mr Yong said that the union has been working with its management partners to implement training-friendly employment practices. Training workers and placing them into higher value jobs are some ways to futureproof those at risk of being displaced.
Productivity – Key To Competitiveness
As workers and their companies are intrinsically linked, Mr Yong also shared how productivity plays an important role in getting them ready for the future. The Labour Movement, through the unions, has been working closely with management partners to push for productivity growth and innovation.
Mr Yong also said that companies need to raise their levels of productivity and innovation to remain competitive. This is particularly crucial for the electronics industry as productivity directly impacts production output.
He also said that there are opportunities to push for productivity enhancements in sectors that are experiencing a tight labour market. These include the retail, food and beverage and construction sectors.
He highlighted three ways that better productivity and innovation can be achieved – firstly, feedback on ideas and innovation from workers is important because being on the ground, they know their jobs best.
Secondly, strong management support is essential in promoting a culture of progress as workers will be encouraged to keep innovating.
Communication between companies and their workers on any changes and developments will also help ease the transition.
Thirdly, technology can help improve work efficiency, and support from the Government will be helpful in driving innovation initiatives.
Elaborating on the topic, Mr Yong hopes that the Government will consider enhancing existing productivity schemes to include boosting productivity on a wider sectoral level. At the same time, he hoped that companies who have benefitted from such programmes can share their productivity gains with their workers.
Citing the symbiotic relationship between workers and their companies, Mr Yong said: “It is an exciting time for the electronics industry as Singapore progresses towards becoming a Smart Nation. While some jobs may be displaced, there will also be new higher valued jobs created.
“Thus, workers need to constantly learn new knowledge, new skills to make themselves competitive, and help their companies stay competitive.”
