HR BRIEFING
Agile workforces: How companies responded to the COVID employment crisis Flexible working options for staff are likely to be sticking around for the long term.
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s Singapore eases into the Phase 3 of its reopening, employees are likewise starting to wonder how the foray into the period before a post-COVID-19 normal workplace will look like. Last year, non-essential workers were thrust into working from home for indefinitely — most of them for the first time. According to ByteDance-owned digital collaboration suite Lark’s Vice President of Commercial for Asia Joey Lim, in-person collaboration has dramatically dropped amidst the pandemic, and small and mid-size enterprises (SMEs) have had to adjust to a hybrid workforce even since the circuit breaker measures have been lifted. In these environments, at least half of employees are working from home, while some staff are also able to access the office. “As such, physical oversight has become virtually impossible and communication is more likely [to] falter, thus highlighting the need for SMEs to understand how their employees are communicating and across which channels,” comments Lim. On the other hand, career shifts from one sector to another have also taken place. One example would be the transferring of some employees from Singapore Airlines to Pacific Logistics Group (PLG). The employees’ exposure to a myriad of cultures, backed by their diverse backgrounds, are expected to serve as advantages when they are able to return to the airline. Not only that, the logistics company’s management training programme will also aid in expanding the knowledge and skills base across both organisations.
Specific (aviation industry) technical knowledge was applicable across many industries, including the logistics sector. In an email interview with Singapore Business Review, PLG commented: “By leveraging our new employees’ experience in the aviation industry and their familiarity with freight terms, the training time is reduced and they are able to delve quickly into the job. Along with the excellent customer service and management skills amassed from their flying days, we hope to be able to set new logistics service standards, addressing current performance gaps in the industry.” From one sector to another The transition from the aviation to the logistics industry was relatively seamless, at least for Suzanne Chia - one of a group of transferees who shared their experiences with Singapore Business Review. She says this was in large part due to the training and professional support provided by 20
SINGAPORE BUSINESS REVIEW | JUNE 2021
Professionals in Singapore will need to wait several years before the “new normal” settles in
the logistics specialist. Skills in problem-solving, communications, customer service, and people management, as well as technical and operational know-how proved to be highly transferable, added Kevin Chin. For Alvin Aung, the timing was serendipitous, with the pandemic (and job swap opportunities) coming just as he was considering a career change. “I was in the process of figuring out a suitable career path and (had) decided to apply for logistics as it is a multi-dimensional industry with opportunities to explore and develop more in-depth as a professional,” he said. Specific technical knowledge such as country and airport codes as well as air freight terms were applicable across many industries and in responding to customer queries. “The difference lies in the work focus — previously, it was about passenger needs and safety; now, it is about providing the right solutions for clients, with larger working groups and stakeholders, involving freight,” added Yenny Juwita. Onwards to a new normal The final “new normal” of post-COVID working arrangements are not yet visible - with many in Singapore expecting the pandemic will last four-to-five years before the upheaval ends. “Though the country has done well with keeping numbers low post-circuit breaker, COVID-19 is still affecting millions around the world and hybrid work arrangements will continue to be the norm,” says Lim. As for the aviation sector, Chin says that more regulations would be implemented in ensuring safety aboard aircrafts and in airports. “The aviation industry will recover in time,” assured Juwita. “Vaccinations, quarantines, and safe-travel measures have already been put in place — air-traffic should recover gradually as more cities and nations get COVID-19 under control.”
