FOOD and beverage (F&B) operators are wooing local hires with higher starting salaries, four-figure joining bonuses and other benefits amid an acute labour crunch, while raising pay to keep existing staff from being poached.

From hawker centres to restaurant chains, some starting salaries have risen more than a fifth in recent months. Min jiang kueh (traditional pancake) chain Munchi Pancakes is offering S$2,669 for stall assistants at its two hawker centre outlets, with additional overtime pay of S$14 per hour. Weekly working hours have been cut to 44 hours from 54 hours previously.

Before June, the same position paid S$2,200 including fixed overtime. From November, the chain will also provide corporate insurance for its employees.