As one of the first companies in Singapore to step out and embark on the Silver Productivity programme,Systematic Laundry & Uniform Services Pte Ltd (SLUS) has already reaped rewards such as improved productivity and a better working environment.
The company which provides services for the dry cleaning of garments for walk-in and corporate customers tapped on the Silver Productivity programme last year to enhance its business competitiveness and reduce reliance on foreign workers by raising productivity.
Here's more on the programme that has helped businesses drive productivity in older workers in the manufacturing and services sector:
What is it?
With the Government's re-employment legislation enacted in 2012, employers are encouraged to re-employ older workers who are medically fit with satisfactory performance to continue working beyond the current retirement age of 62.
The Silver Productivity programme is the first of its kind training programme launched by the Singapore Manufacturing Federation to raise productivity and enhance the well-being of older workers at the workplace.
The programme is also supported under the new WorkPro scheme which aims at fostering progressive workplaces in Singapore. Targeted at HR Professional and Line/Operations
Managers, this strategic business improvement course supported by NTUC's e2i (Employment and Employability Institute) and Republic Polytechnic will enable them to identify challenges of a mature worker, redesign policies, processes and improve the working environment. Productivity managers with ergonomics and lean enterprise specialty will also be attached to companies to coach the project implementation.
Why embark on the programme?
With mature workers making up 30 per cent of its workforce andincreasing labour costs, Systematic Laundry & Uniform Services Pte Ltd (SLUS) identified the constraints and challenges faced by mature workers in various work processes and looked into areas suitable for job re-design and equipment automation. The company tapped on the Silver Productivity programme and adopted work tools as well as equipment automation to raise productivity of workers and enhance their well-being at the workplace.
How has the Silver Productivity helped enhance processes for the company ?
Equipment automation and use of work tools has helped to relieve the physical strain on mature workers and enable them to carry out their physical tasks in a less demanding environment while driving productivity.
Examples:
- The purchase of a spring-lift trolley has helped reduce fatigue caused by bending to retrieve bags of soiled garments. The new trolleys with spring lifts are smaller in size and can be located directly at the sorting area. This reduces the need to walk and idle time.
-The implementation of a Retail Laundry Management System that consists of a POS (Point Of Sale) System at its retail outlet and Automatic Garment Sorting & Assembling System in the factory eliminates manual work and human errors. At the same time, data can be communicated directly to the head office. Mature workers at the retail outlet no longer need to write and manually issue sales orders. Over at the factory, the use of a Sorting & Assembling System helps to improve accuracy of mature workers and ease the physical strain of sorting and assembling for each order.
"We are always focused on raising productivity to enhance our competitiveness and reduce reliance on foreign workers. The Silver Productivity programme helped our managers to understand the concept of productivity management and identified challenges faced by the mature workers which initiated our focus on improving workflow in all processes. This helps to ensure the continuity of the workforce and job retention with lower turnover, prolonged employability and even attract more mature workers to join us."
Systematic Laundry & Uniform Services Pte Ltd Managing Director Chan Tai Pang
