Higher wages, spiffy outfits fail to shift locals' mindset against F&B, retail jobs

Singapore

HIGHER wages, medical insurance, a robust commission structure and even new "designer" staff uniforms - these are some of the carrots the food and beverage (F&B) and retail sectors are offering to local workers amid cuts to the services sector's foreign worker quotas.

But it remains an uphill task to fill job vacancies, as local interest in these sectors continues to wane.

According to mobile jobs portal FastJobs, there has been a shrinking proportion of local applicants for F&B and retail openings on its platform.

This is despite a 24 per cent year-on-year increase in overall local applicants.

In 2016, Singaporeans made up 73 per cent of all F&B job applicants on FastJobs, compared to just 62 per cent this year. Similarly, 75 per cent of retail job applicants in 2016 were Singaporeans, compared to 66 per cent this year.

Most employers at FastJob's two-day job fair at Bedok Town Square told The Business Times on Tuesday that wages have been increasing over the years, coupled with other full-timer perks such as more paid annual leave.

But these are not the only factors Singaporeans consider, they said, citing other important concerns such as job scope and brand image.

Jointly organised with Training Vision Institute, FastJobs' recruitment event held on July 8 and 9 featured more than 30 hiring brands offering some 1,500 jobs in the F&B and retail sectors.

The "social" nature of F&B and retail positions may be daunting to some, said Irene Tay, head of human resources at KFC.

"From experience, Singaporeans tend to be less open in terms of communication. Serving customers and managing a team are very social tasks, compared to admin desk jobs where you do not have to interact with people as much, and some people prefer that," said Ms Tay.

Jewellery retailer Pandora sang a similar tune.

As store employees earn commission for every sale, some might feel like they are constantly pitted against their colleagues, said Pandora's head of retail Fendy Wahid.

"We don't have a system where we take turns to serve customers; whoever approaches the customer first will get more commission if the sale is successful so this job might be stressful to some," he added.

Employees also want to feel welcomed and accepted by their colleagues at work.

"I've had people quit because they couldn't get along with their peers in the store, or felt lonely at work," said Mr Wahid.

A representative from Domino's Pizza told BT that the longstanding negative perception of F&B and retail jobs is also a reason why Singaporeans continue to shun them.

"You can offer more training and higher pay but most locals, especially the millennials, are just not keen to work in a restaurant because it is not seen as a glamourous job," he said.

Pandora recently revised its commission structure and improved its career progression pathway to attract more locals and retain current staff.

Meanwhile, employees at KFC outlets islandwide sport trendy bomber jackets and bow ties, as part of their new uniforms designed by local couturier Thomas Wee.

These refreshed outfits help elevate the brand's image and appeal to the younger generation, said Ms Tay.

KFC also restructured its cashier role two months ago as the chain shifts towards more tech-driven operations.

This revamped role, known as 'Service Rockstar', will require staff to help customers navigate self-ordering kiosks and Quick Response (QR) code mobile payments.

The starting pay for this "much more digital savvy" job is around S$1,600 - a S$400 increase from the previous role, said Ms Tay.

Japanese discount chain Don Don Donki offers a five-day work week and 14 days of paid annual leave for full-time staff.

Most retail jobs typically require a six-day work week and provide less paid leave, said Don Don Donki's recruitment manager Gloria Goh.

Amid various initiatives, increasing local staff headcount in the F&B and retail space remains a challenge for many employers.

While there are now 25 new staff in the 'Service Rockstar' role at KFC, only 30 per cent are Singaporeans, said Ms Tay.

"It's not about the pay, it's not about the perks anymore; we're still trying to figure out what Singaporeans want, said Pandora's Mr Wahid.

"Even if we can hire them, getting them to stay is another challenge on its own."