Faced with layoffs, hiring freezes, and a significant decline in funding within the Southeast Asian tech
ecosystem, there has been a notable shift in compensation trends in Singapore’s tech industry.

In contrast to the preceding two years, during which technology salaries experienced substantial
growth, there is now an overall decrease in salaries for various tech positions, according to Nodeflair’s annual tech salary report. This includes software engineers, who are traditionally among the top earners in the industry.

Despite the overarching salary reductions, one sector stands out: artificial intelligence (AI). As the industry increasingly pivots towards AI technologies, compensation for roles in this domain has witnessed a notable upswing.

In particular, data science roles, including positions such as AI engineers, machine-learning specialists, and deep-learning experts, have seen a noteworthy increase of over 10 per cent in average salaries, marking a growing interest and investment in AI technologies.

The median starting pay for junior data scientists in S$7,500

Based on the salary data derived from NodeFlair’s proprietary database, which includes verified user-submitted pay slips and offer letters, the median pay for a junior data scientist hovers around S$7,500.

Meanwhile, data scientist leads earn up to S$17,000 per month, marking a 27 per cent increase as compared to the previous year.

Other tech roles that have seen an uptick in salaries besides data scientists include quality assurance, systems analysts, mobile engineers, and product managers.

With a 22 per cent year-on-year increase in cyber attacks across Asia Pacific, cybersecurity engineers also see an average salary increase of 8.24 per cent. The median salary of junior cybersecurity engineers is S$4,750, while the 90th percentile of lead cybersecurity engineers makes S$16,000 per month.

Software engineers still remain the highest-paid tech role

Based on the report, the role that has seen the highest pay cut is game engineers, with their pay dipping by 6.66 per cent in 2023.

This is followed by solutions engineers, blockchain engineers, DevOps, data engineers, data analysts, and software engineers.

Software engineer salaries decreased by an average of 0.99 per cent in 2023, compared to an increase of 7.61 per cent in 2022. Despite this dip, they remain the highest-paid tech role, with the 90th percentile of software engineer managers earning S$20,500 per month.

Despite the decrease in salaries this year, they still surpass those observed two years ago. This indicates that the current adjustments reflect a move towards a more balanced and realistic compensation structure.

However, the report also highlights a notable disparity between the industry’s highest and lowest earners, with the former making up to three times more than the latter.

More companies are paying tech talents 20% above market median

Amid the upheavals in the tech industry, job seekers are now prioritising companies that provide stability—workers are now drawn to firms that not only offer competitive salaries but are also financially stable and committed to avoiding layoffs. 

Salary has also won over priorities of previous years, including work-life balance and employee benefits.

At the same time, an increasing number of companies are paying salaries 20 percent higher than the market median. Among the top 14 most searched tech companies, 10 offer salaries at least 20 percent above the market median, while most others offer salaries 10 percent higher than the median.

This represents a significant departure from the previous year, where only six out of 16 companies paid salaries 20 percent above the market median.

Remote hiring will become more prominent

Looking forward to 2024, the tech hiring landscape is poised for further evolution and innovation, particularly with the ascent of generative AI.

To address talent shortages, Ethan Ang, the CEO of NodeFlair, anticipates a notable surge in cross-border and remote hiring practices within the tech industry.

“As we step into 2024, the tech industry grapples with talent challenges amidst the rise of generative AI and financial prudence,” says Ethan. With flexible hiring strategies, organisations will be empowered to build resilient, globally diverse tech teams, driving unprecedented innovation and success in today’s dynamic landscape.

Next year will also see a notable increase in the use of AI tools in hiring. These tools streamline recruitment workflows for efficiency and unbiased candidate evaluation. Advanced AI systems, particularly in coding assessments, are set to transform interview and assessment procedures, introducing safeguards for the integrity of the hiring process.

Featured Image Credit: Unscrambled

Multinational food packaging and processing company Tetra Pak will retrench about 300 employees as the company moves to close its Jurong factory and consolidate production into its other factories in the region.

This shift will take place over the next 12 months and is part of the company’s strategy to optimise its global manufacturing footprint, serve customers better and adapt to the changing market dynamics, Tetra Pak said in a press release yesterday (Feb 27).

The company’s affected employees, who mainly worked in manufacturing, were informed on Feb 27, with discussions set up throughout this week to offer new opportunities or outplacement support.

Tetra Pak had consulted the Food, Drinks and Allied Workers Union (FDAWU) in Singapore ahead of the announcement and said that it will also leverage NTUC’s e2i (Employment and Employability Institute), with support from Workforce Singapore (WSG) and NTUC LearningHub (NTUC LHUB), to host a job fair to support career conversion with different companies and provide onsite training to affected employees.

In addition, Tetra Pak will engage with employees keen to apply for other positions within the company, locally or in the region.

According to a separate statement from the FDAWU, affected workers will receive retrenchment support packages in line with unionised norms. They will also benefit from numerous “good practices”, both monetary and non-monetary, following the union’s discussions with the company.

Through FDAWU’s close working relationship with Tetra Pak, the company gave early notification of the consolidation exercise and coordinated with us to provide adequate support to retrenched workers and facilitate job opportunities for affected workers. Through discussions between FDAWU and Tetra Pak, the parties were able to align on better retrenchment support packages for affected workers.

– Tan Hock Soon, General Secretary, Food, Drinks and Allied Workers Union

By the end of the year, Tetra Pak will relocate its corporate office to a new, well-connected and accessible location in Singapore. This will be one of its largest offices in Asia Pacific, with a capacity of up to 250 people.

The Jurong factory was one of Tetra Pak’s largest packaging materials factories in the world

Tetra Pak’s Packaging Materials factory in Jurong started operations in 1982 and was one of the company’s largest packaging materials factories in the world, supplying customers in Singapore and serving as an export base.

However, with market dynamics changing significantly over the past decades, the company recognises the need to adapt in order to maintain competitiveness, Tetra Pak said in the press release.

According to the company’s website, the company currently employs more than 24,000 employees worldwide. Its global organisation consists of 87 sales offices, 27 market companies and 52 production plants.

With the decision, the company “remains committed to serving its customers in Singapore and across the region with high levels of quality and reliability, leveraging its global manufacturing footprint and always-on customer support”.

Featured Image Credit: Tetra Pak

For the past several years, Indeed has compiled an annual list of the top 20 jobs in Singapore, ranking them based on salary, consistent growth in the number of job postings from 2021 to 2024 and employer demand.

In 2023, tech-focused roles dominated Indeed’s Best Jobs list, taking up nine spots of the 20. This year though, only one job made the cut — software engineers. Even then, the average base salary of this role falls short of other occupations, with software engineers making about half (S$5,676) of the average base salary of the top job this year.

Here are the latest findings from Indeed:

Directors of communications topped the list as the best job in Singapore, with tax managers, recruitment managers, senior mechanical engineers and procurement managers making up the top five. 25 per cent of the jobs featured on the list consisted of engineering roles.

Although tech jobs seem to have fallen out, software engineers, which are sixth on Indeed’s Best Jobs list, recorded the largest percentage growth (122 per cent) in job postings over the last three years.

This is followed by tax managers (106 per cent) and clinic managers (85 per cent). Roles witnessing the highest number of postings per one million total jobs were quantity surveyors (6,912), project engineers (6,695) and accountants (3,948). 

Tech industry shows no encouraging signs of recovery

According to Saumitra Chand, Career Expert at Indeed, the fallout of technology-based roles highlights the sector’s growing troubles. Although some tech jobs are still available, they are not seeing the exponential growth of previous years.

With large tech giants like Google and Lazada laying off hundreds, if not, thousands of employees, the tech industry shows no encouraging signs of recovery.

Featured Image Credit: Adobe Stock

Disclaimer: Opinions expressed below belong solely to the author.

Not a day has passed since the beginning of 2024 without news of another major tech company planning to cut hundreds or thousands of jobs.

According to the layoff tracking website Layoffs.FYI over 24,000 roles went on the chopping block already, and this figure keeps growing almost every hour.

This adds to a whopping 262,595 jobs slashed in 2023 and 164,969 in 2022, bringing the global total to over 450,000 people across the past two years.

Bait and switch

“The death of one man is a tragedy. The death of millions is a statistic.” is a quote widely misattributed to Soviet dictator, Joseph Stalin, though it is surely something he would agree with.

It seems that it could be paraphrased in reference to the ongoing tech job wipeout as well. One person losing a job is sad, but thousands appear to be just statistics.

At the end of the day, this is how we’re all treated, even by companies which, not so long ago, attracted millions with promises of great career prospects, relaxed working conditions, generous benefits, great food and office facilities including game rooms, gyms, kindergartens and bean bags.

Nearly half a million of them, however, have now had to experience a rude awakening.

Big Tech is, fundamentally, about numbers. And it turns out that people are just another spreadsheet entry, not flesh and bone.

All these stories about creating a new, 21st-century workplace reality, where employees would be well taken care of by their employers, enjoying time at work instead of being condemned to a depressing cubicle of the past, are turning out to have been bait.

Now it’s time for the switch.

Not only are jobs being cut, but those who are lucky enough to keep them see their perks disappear as well. Last year Google and Meta, famous for their swanky offices with robust facilities, announced the end of free snacks, laundry services, company lunches and even laptops.

“Picture catered meals, unlimited holidays, complementary gym memberships, and so on. These companies were pulling out all the stops to attract top-notch talent. In-office yoga classes and massages during lunch breaks, now who could resist that?”

Kelly Indah, a software developer, security analyst, and the editor-in-chief at technology website Increditools, for Cybernews, November 15, 2023.

Many of them are now going away, showing that years of talk about modern company culture were just HR fluff meant to attract and retain talent, before companies realised there wasn’t enough to do with it.

Company culture is dead

Up until 2022, tech businesses spent inordinate amounts of money hiring people they didn’t really need, only to keep them from being snapped up by the competition.

“They were just kind of, like, hoarding us like Pokémon cards,” a former Meta worker hired in April 2022 says in a recent TikTok video about her experience at the company.

With low interest rates, cash was cheap, and the belief had long been that there’s always a “next big thing” around the corner, so it was only prudent to employ as many talented individuals as you could and figure out what to do with them later.

Never before has the term “Human Resources” been used more literally, as millions employed in tech are clearly treated as little more than a “resource” that you obtain, manage and cut when no longer needed.

Perhaps we should all have sensed that it wasn’t going to last forever, but years of propaganda worked wonders. Everybody dreamt of landing a job at one of the Silicon Valley giants (or many of the ambitious, well-funded startups) and those who succeeded inspired envy.

Which is why hearing Google’s accountants talk about how cutting free snacks is somehow going to help the company focus on AI has replaced it with nausea.

The company pulling over $60 billion in net income per year suddenly can’t afford health bars and smoothies for its workers? Really?

Are the savings going to be worth the hit to the morale and the inevitable demise of the company culture, as all employees realise that nothing they enjoy has ever been a given? We’re about to learn that in the coming years.

Why so ruthless?

Because you’re just a number. The moment a decision is made to cut you, you’re no longer an asset but a security threat.

This is why layoff announcements are typically abrupt and unexpected. They leave people in shock, locked out of their company accounts overnight, and pending a call or message from the HR department. They can’t possibly trust you any longer, lest you decide to take your frustration out on the company and do some damage.

It is when most people learn that all corporations are really the same and that Silicon Valley hasn’t really changed much to change the workplace standards.

When push comes to shove you’re given a box and an escort out of the building, never to return.

But since it’s about numbers, then you should know your worth and act accordingly. The ongoing waves of layoffs mark the end of the dream career in tech for all but the most important engineers.

Don’t plan on staying long in any one place. Keep looking for better options, and make sure you get the most out of the business before it thinks it’s gotten the most out of you.

This game can be played in both directions, and if IT companies no longer offer their loyalty to you, then there’s no reason to offer yours to them.

Their myopia is going to come back to haunt them very soon.

Just when the worst seemed to be over, the doom and gloom from the past two years followed us into 2024, with companies such as Google and Amazon laying off hundreds of employees.

In the tech industry itself, over 10,000 employees have been retrenched from 63 companies this year, excluding FMCG giants like Unilever. Here is a comprehensive list of the significant layoffs reverberating through Singapore’s workforce this year.

1. Lazada

At the start of the year, Lazada axed at least 100 of its staff in Singapore across various departments, including its logistics team. Some departments even had a majority of their headcount retrenched, with one having its manpower reduced from 20 to 30 people to four or five remaining employees.

An undisclosed number of employees have also been retrenched from its regional offices in countries including Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam. According to sources close to the matter, the e-commerce giant is expected to let go up to 30 per cent of its total headcount of 8,000 to 10,000 staff.

This round of layoffs came unexpectedly for those who have been retrenched, with some citing the company’s lack of transparency causing large amounts of anxiety and uncertainty among current employees. 

Following reports of the layoff, the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) in Singapore issued a statement expressing “deep disappointment” about Lazada’s retrenchment exercise, which was carried out without prior consultation with the Food, Drinks and Allied Workers Union (FDAWU) despite the fact that the Singapore-headquartered firm is unionised under FDAWU.

The FDAWU is currently negotiating with Lazada for better benefits for its laid-off employees, who were told that they would only receive two weeks’ salary for every year of service. The retrenched staff are also bound by a 12-month non-compete clause covering an extensive list of tech, retail and logistics companies, including Grab, TikTok and Amazon.

2. Google and YouTube

On January 11, Google eliminated over 1,000 of its staff in its Voice Assistant units, hardware teams responsible for Pixel, Nest and Fitbit, advertising sales team, as well as its augmented reality team. The company also confirmed that Fitbit co-founders James Park and Eric Friedman were leaving the organisation.

A week after the news broke, Google reportedly cut another 100 jobs from its video platform, YouTube. Following the. announcements of the layoffs, the tech giant’s CEO, Sundar Pichai, told his employees to expect more job cuts this year in an internal memo seen by The Verge on January 17.

According to Pichai, the latest round of layoffs focused on “removing layers to simplify execution and drive velocity in some areas.” The company is looking towards “responsibly investing in its biggest priorities and the significant opportunities ahead. “

However, the CEO adds that these role eliminations will not be at the scale of its previous layoffs, where Google eliminated over 12,000 roles, or about 6 per cent of its workforce, at the beginning of 2023, including 190 employees from the Singapore office.

It’s unclear how many staff from its Singapore office were affected by the recent round of layoffs; however, the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) has contacted Google to offer aid to the affected employees, including placement and networking support.

3. Amazon and Twitch

American tech giant Amazon announced on January 10 that it would be laying off several hundred employees across its streaming and studio operations. 

According to an email sent by Mike Hopkins, the Senior Vice President at Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, the layoffs come as the e-commerce giant looks to “increase investment and focus on content and product initiatives that deliver the most impact” for the business’s long-term success. 

As part of its strategy, Prime Video is also revamping its content strategy in Southeast Asia from a model based on original productions to one focused on licensing.

In an internal note seen by Variety, the company will reportedly decrease its investments in the region, and move towards to a leaner local operating model to support Southeast Asian territories. As a result of these changes, the e-commerce giant has eliminated “some roles” within its Singapore-based Southeast Asian team.

Amazon’s announcement of the layoffs came the same day as the live-streaming platform and the subsidiary of the e-commerce giant, Twitch, disclosed that it would lay off about 35 per cent of its workforce, or about 500 employees, across various locations, including Singapore.

Twitch, acquired by Amazon in 2014 for nearly US$1 billion, has failed to turn profitable since then and will shutter its South Korea operations in February due to high operating costs and network fees.

Twitch previously laid off more than 400 employees in March 2023, just after its longtime CEO Emmett Shear departed the company after 16 years. Meanwhile, Amazon laid off more than 27,000 employees in 2023, including its Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios employees. 

4. Riot Games

Tencent Holdings’ Riot Games announced on January 22 that it would be laying off 530 employees, or about 11 per cent of its staff globally, with its teams outside of core development seeing the largest impact. 

In a blog post that included a letter to employees from CEO Dylan Jadeja, the League of Legends producer acknowledged that it “had made a number of big bets across the company” since 2019, causing its costs to “grow to the point where they are unsustainable”. 

Over the last several years, the company has brought in new talent, expanded its global footprint, and changed its operating model to match its ambitions, which ultimately more than doubled its headcount.

Riot Games’ office in Singapore doubles down as its Asia-Pacific Headquarters, and is one of its largest offices in the world, employing over 180 staff. It is unclear how many Singapore employees have been affected by the layoff.

Tencent Holdings first bought a majority stake in Riot Games in February 2011, and fully acquired the video games firm by purchasing the remaining equity in 2015.

5. Unilever

On January 18, Campaign revealed that Unilever would carry out a slew of layoffs and role reorganisations across its teams in Singapore. The FMCG giant first announced the layoffs to affected staff in December 2023 to allow provide them with “adequate notice and transparency”.

The retrenchment and restructuring exercises will be “wide-reaching”, with the marketing teams in its personal care brands, including Dove, Lux and Lifeboy, seeing the largest impact.

According to Unilever, it will relocate some of its personal care roles which are currently based in Singapore to its lead markets in Asia. Several roles will remain in Singapore, however, some roles will no longer be required. The company declined to disclose the number of impacted staff.

In October 2023, the new CEO of Unilever, Hein Schumacher, who was appointed back in June, laid out a new strategy to streamline its operations and achieve higher growth as the company had underperformed in recent years.

Following the announcement, Unilever revealed in November that it would retrench 169 employees at its New York warehouses, effective April 2024, as part of the company’s restructuring in its beauty and personal care product manufacturing.

Prior to the recent slew of layoffs, the FMCG giant cut about 1,500 management jobs globally in 2022 as it looked to boost its growth after a failed acquisition attempt. Unilever’s rejected proposal to acquire consumer healthcare business GSK for US$67 billion was widely criticised by investors as being a costly and risky distraction from dealing with pressing challenges to the business, such as inflation in emerging markets and weakness in healthy foods.

Featured Image Credit: Getty/ Twitch/ Office Snapshots

[Editor’s note: This story has been edited to reflect Norman Then’s personal statement.]

Singaporean F&B establishment Stickies Bar found themselves in hot water following reports that they have failed to pay employees their monthly salaries on time.

Vulcan Post understands that many employees have experienced delays in receiving their monthly salaries and CPF since December 2023 and have sought support from their founders, Norman Then and Sino Chong.

Then, who is also the CEO of Stickies, has since responded to employees’ concerns and inquiries, stating that all employees will eventually receive their salaries. The bar has also reportedly closed two out of four of their outlets. However, Then clarified in a statement that only their outlet at Dhoby Ghaut is currently in operation.

Employees frustrated with continuous delays in payments

According to a report, Then told the employees they would receive their salaries by January 8. However, employees voiced that they had not received their due salaries, to which Then responded by stating that employees could expect their salaries by January 15.

This did not appease the employees, as one employee pointed out that the founders had “more than enough time” to resolve the issues. Then responded by saying that they had paid some employees half of their monthly salaries, and the company would pay the rest accordingly.

When an employee asked how the founders decided who received their salaries first, Then shared that some staff were paid earlier and kitchen staff were the last to receive payment. He said the employees need to drive up sales as the money earned is used to cover their salaries.

We understand how you all feel. But if we don’t work and bring in sales, then we can’t pay everyone.

So please help us help you.

Norman Then, CEO and co-founder of Stickies Bar in a Telegram group chat

Then claimed that the company earned less than S$400,000 in December, insufficiently covering employees’ salaries. However, according to a screenshot of an Excel sheet showing the monthly sales made, the company earned approximately S$460,000, contradicting Then’s claim. Then did not directly respond to the employee, reiterating that employees would be paid once more sales were made.

According to the group chats, Then added that he and Chong have been looking for loans and grants, which have “maxed out” during the COVID-19 pandemic as they were used to cover rental fees, loans, and salaries.

Stickies has laid off 15 employees and will undergo IJM

On January 15, the founders announced in their group chats that the company would undergo Interim Judicial Management (IJM). According to Singapore Legal Advice, IJM is a type of debt restructuring in which an interim judicial manager is appointed to manage the assets and processes of a company in distress.

Vulcan Post understands that an interim meeting will be held next week, at which all employees and both co-founders will be present.

In response to Vulcan Post’s inquires, Then explained that the business has engaged Mr Farooq Mann, a licensed insolvency practitioner from Mann & Associates in the capacity of a interim judicial manager to “protect the going concerns of the business and to look out for the best interest of all the creditors including the staff.”

Stickies is determined to do right by all stakeholders and we hope to have the public’s support by their patronage at our outlet that is still running at Stickies at our Dhoby Ghaut outlet.

Norman Then, CEO and co-founder of Stickies Bar

Prior to the IJM, Stickies reportedly laid off 15 employees over the past few months. Those affected were informed that their cease-of-employment would take effect immediately. Following MOM laws, these employees are considered “retrenched.”

Vulcan Post has reached out to NTUC for comment, and their response is as follows:

Stickies Bar Pte Ltd is a non-unionised company. Affected workers can approach NTUC’s e2i (Employment and Employability Institute) for job placement assistance and career guidance. Workers can also approach the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management (TADM)@MOM to make an appointment. NTUC general branch members can contact TADM@NTUC at 6213-8008 to make an e-appointment or walk in for immediate assistance.

It’s unfortunate that the workers have been left in the lurch. We encourage affected workers to reach out for help. We [also] urge companies to be responsible and treat their workers fairly.

NTUC Spokesperson

Currently, Stickies’ website is down. They remain active on their social media platforms; however, comments have been limited.

Not their first time in hot water

Stickies Bar was first established in 2017. It is famous for its “Beer-O-Clock” promotions, which make it popular for those looking for affordable drinks.

Since their inception, their founders are no stranger to online scrutiny and criticism. The bar found itself in a social media war when a customer gave a one-star review of their bar in 2017, to which Then responded to the posts defending his staff. The saga sparked a huge online debate surrounding customer rights when dining in.

In addition to the outrage from employees, speculations of illegally hiring workers also surround the bar, with S$20,000 being used to pay their salaries.

They may have recovered from the 2017 kerfuffle, but might remain stuck in this one.

Featured Image Credit: Eatigo

Google is now in the midst of another round of piecemeal layoffs, as they will lay off 100 employees under its video platform YouTube after axing more than 1,000 jobs in the past week.

Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google, has also told employees to expect more job cuts this year, The Straits Times quoted from a prior news report by The Verge on Jan 17 earlier today (Jan 18), citing an internal memo.

“These role eliminations are not at the scale of last year’s reductions and will not touch every team,” Mr Pichai informed all employees in the memo, referring to Google cutting 12,000 jobs at the beginning of 2023, including 190 employees from the Singapore office.

Pichai added that the layoffs were focused on removing layers to simplify execution and drive velocity in some areas, according to the report. This hints that more jobs will be axed this year as companies aim to automate their work processes by adopting Artificial Intelligence (AI) software to lighten workloads.

According to an e-mail reviewed by The New York Times, the tech giant on Jan 17 notified workers from YouTube’s operations and creator management team members of their retrenchment. It was also reported that YouTube employed 7,173 people as of Tuesday (Jan 16), according to a person with knowledge of the total.

“We’ve made the decision to eliminate some roles and say goodbye to some of our teammates,” YouTube’s chief business officer, Ms Mary Ellen Coe, wrote in a note to employees. “Anyone in the Americas” and the Asia-Pacific region “who is or may be impacted will be notified by the end of the day today”, the note said.

Tough fight with TikTok and inflation leading to slow growth

The layoffs primarily affect groups of employees who support YouTube’s millions of content creators, two people with knowledge of the cuts said.

YouTube has struggled to recover from an advertising slowdown in the past year and has contended with strong competition from TikTok, the short-video service popular with younger users.

YouTube generates a portion of its income through advertisements featured before and during videos. However, the platform experienced a disruption in its consistent growth starting in late 2022 due to an advertising slowdown triggered by escalating inflation and interest rates, leading advertisers to cut down on their budgets. YouTube saw a decline in revenue over multiple quarters, with the downward trend halting in June. Presently, ad sales have not yet surpassed their previous rate of growth.

The platform has since shifted its focus towards increasing subscriptions for YouTube TV, its cable programming alternative. This service now includes the National Football League’s Sunday Ticket, providing weekly access to various games. Additionally, YouTube has reported having over 80 million subscribers for its music streaming and ad-free video streaming services.

More tech companies are conducting layoffs

As part of its efforts to cut costs and trim bureaucracy, the company has eliminated over 1,000 jobs from its core engineering division, its voice-operated product, Google Assistant. They have also conducted layoffs in their hardware division, where approximately 100 jobs were cut from the following brands: Pixel, Nest and Fitbit.

Google was one of many to conduct layoffs this year. Alibaba-owned Lazada recently received immense flak for their sudden layoffs just after the New Year celebrations, where 100 employees were retrenched from Singapore. Amazon, another e-commerce giant, was also reported to have axed 35 per cent of employees from their streaming platform Twitch, comprising 500 employees across various locations, including Singapore. 

Currently, YouTube employees who were laid off have 60 days to find new roles within the company before their dismissals officially take effect. According to a news article by The Business Times, the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) has also contacted Google to offer aid to employees affected in Singapore.

Featured Image Credit: EdgeProp

While many are averse to change, some bravely opt for a leap of faith, embarking on a new trajectory in life. Within this cohort of risk-takers, there are those who choose to devote themselves to caring for those in need and Faith Tan, a Nurse Manager at Yishun Community Hospital, stands out as one such bold individual. 

If there is one word that encapsulates Faith’s life journey, it would undoubtedly be ‘change’. In my interview with the 50-year-old, I was surprised to learn about her extensive experience across diverse industries before transitioning to a career in nursing. 

Armed with a Diploma in Business Studies from Ngee Ann Polytechnic, her career kicked off at NTUC Healthcare, where she assisted with the recruitment of new personnel and the opening of retail pharmacy outlets.

Even at that early stage, Faith displayed a penchant for breaking expectations set for her and she subsequently ventured into male-dominated fields like logistics, supply chain management, and shipping. In 2000, Faith found an opportunity in the telecom sector, joining Singtel’s international carrier services division. 

Yet, it was during this time that she realised something was amiss and the satisfaction that she once derived from work began to wane, which she jokingly identified as her mid-life crisis. 

Transitioning into the healthcare sector

With her newfound drive, she decided to step out of her comfort zone and leave the private sector, where she landed a job in a caregiver support centre at TOUCH Community Services, working closely with members of the home nursing and medical team. 

I was 30 years old when I decided I wanted a job that goes beyond dollars and cents. I thought of my legacy and what would bring meaning and purpose to my life.

Faith Tan, Nurse Manager at Yishun Community Hospital

One might question Faith’s decision to switch careers might be due to the initial novelty of working in an unfamiliar industry and that her interest might wane in time. But her experience with TOUCH Community Services lit a spark within her that never went away – to dedicate herself to caring for others, especially the less fortunate. 

“My time with them also taught me the importance of managing caregiver stress and home modification. At that time, I was amazed at the seemingly never-ending list of things to learn about the healthcare industry, and that probably made me realise that healthcare might be the right path for me,” explained Faith. 

Faith described her experience as humbling, as many of her clients stayed in one-room rental flats. Her interactions with them provided valuable insights, spurring her interest to continue her journey into the healthcare industry. 

The timing ended up working out for Faith as she found out about a career switch to nursing and allied health programme by Workforce Singapore (WSG) through her friend.  

Faith registered her interest, and eventually received a sponsorship offer from Khoo Teck Puat Hospital (KTPH), which helped her to complete the Accelerated Diploma programme and become a qualified nurse in 2011. 

After a year of working as a full-time nurse, Faith decided to pursue further education through a three-year part-time degree programme. This period proved to be both enriching and demanding for Faith as she juggled work alongside her studies. Nevertheless, she managed to successfully complete her degree programme in less than two years. 

She is thankful that her loved ones were supportive of her career switch, despite initial concerns from her family about the transition to shift work and her ability to adapt academically after more than a decade away from formal education. 

Continuous learning and upskilling to be a better nurse

Driven by an unwavering commitment to enhance the quality of care for her patients, Faith took it upon herself to embark on a journey of continuous upskilling.

For one, she enrolled in a digital healthcare programme for adult learners, enriching her understanding of the healthcare ecosystem and fostering relationships with her fellow course mates who continue to share valuable information and insights to this day.

Additionally, Faith pursued training courses to become a certified clinical instructor, enabling her to teach, assess, nurture, and mentor both students and colleagues. These courses equipped her with valuable insights and techniques to comprehend the needs of learners, fostering teamwork and creating a more supportive work environment. She also obtained a separate certification to serve as an instructor in Basic Cardiac Life Support.

In 2020, Faith received the Nurses’ Merit Award. This award celebrates nurses who have displayed noteworthy and exceptional performance, participated in professional development as well as contributed to the promotion of the nursing profession. She expressed her gratitude to her superiors, who submitted the nomination for the award.

The recognition made me feel appreciated for the efforts I put into my work, and that motivated me to do better each day.

Faith Tan, Nurse Manager at Yishun Community Hospital

Last year, Faith joined Yishun Community Hospital to delve deeper into the community care sector. She wanted to understand the role of community hospitals in preparing patients for life at home, and also inspire more nurses to join the community care sector. 

In her current role as Nurse Manager in a Surgical Subacute/Neuro Rehabilitation Ward, Faith wears multiple hats – a nurse manager, clinician and educator – which has helped her remain grounded and humble to keep up with the new changes in the industry.  

The rapidly changing healthcare system coupled with demands of the pandemic has reinforced her belief in the importance of continuous learning and staying current.

Her passion for nursing pushed her through difficult times

In her early days as a nurse, Faith was assigned to work in Geriatric care, which involved tending to elderly patients. 

While caring for her patients, she was humbled by their wisdom through the stories they shared with her. She added that her learnings go beyond what medical textbooks could offer, and she was able to emotionally connect with them despite their age difference.  

“The things they cherish and value in life are similar to what most people feel are important too,” said Faith. 

She acknowledged that caring for elderly patients comes with its own set of challenges, including handling outbursts from Sundown Syndrome – a state of confusion, restlessness and agitation found in patients with dementia – to which she emphasised the importance of having a ‘humanitude’ approach. 

“Know your patients, know their likes and dislikes, work with their caregivers and engage their help. With the necessary support and teamwork, Sundown syndrome is manageable,” said Faith.   

The COVID-19 pandemic added another layer of pressure to Singapore’s healthcare industry, particularly during the first circuit breaker in 2020. Despite her commitment to patient care, the immense strain took a toll on many nurses, and Faith was no exception. 

Despite the physical and emotional challenges of the job, her passion in nursing continues to empower her to provide better care for her own loved ones. She shared that her experience allows her to explain the ins and outs of the industry to others and prepare them for the possible outcomes.

This also helped her in detecting early signs of serious injuries, as she recounted an incident when a friend sought advice about a wound that was healing extremely slowly. 

Things took an unexpected turn when her friend sent a picture of her father’s seemingly harmless wound, prompting an urgent trip to the hospital. Despite the distress, Faith offered comfort and guided her friend through the hospital procedures and recovery plans for her father. 

He was eventually warded at an acute hospital, underwent rehabilitation at a community hospital, and has since recovered well. “Had I been a layperson, I do not think I would ever be able to help in the same way,” reflected Faith. 

Make a career switch to join nursing like Faith

With two decades of nursing experience, Faith has learnt many meaningful life lessons that she hopes to pass down to young and aspiring nurses. 

When asked about her criteria for being a good nurse, she emphasised the importance of humility and the drive to continually learn. Patience, resilience and grit are also essential qualities one should possess to become a nurse. 

If we want to make a difference in the lives of others, we need to stick around in the system long enough to see things through. We are the ones we have been waiting for.

Faith Tan, Nurse Manager at Yishun Community Hospital

She also stressed the importance of self-awareness and advised individuals to build their skills from the ground-up and understand their physical thresholds before contemplating a mid-career switch. 

Acknowledging the inherent challenges of nursing, Faith admitted that there are moments when individuals may feel demoralised, especially when confronted with the fragility of life. She believes that fellow nurses can serve as pillars of strength providing support – not just in one’s professional journey, but also in personal life and emotional well-being. 

Looking ahead, Faith envisions learning and growing further in her role over the next two to three years. She expresses her desire to expand her current role as a mentor, acknowledging that younger nurses may be the ones caring for her in the future. 

On that note, she encourages other nurses to consider joining the community care sector. She believes that with the addition of more nurses, they can collectively strive to provide better experiences and outcomes for patients. 

For those yearning for change and aspiring to make a meaningful difference, Faith urges them to explore a potential career or mid-career switch into nursing. Much like Faith, who found her passion for nursing later in life, it is never too late to embark on a journey in the healthcare industry and discover the profound fulfilment it offers.

Explore your career in healthcare at www.caretogobeyond.sg.

This article was written in collaboration with the MOH Holdings team for the Care To Go Beyond campaign.

Featured Image Credit: Vulcan Post

[This is a sponsored article with Employment Hero.]

During the peak of COVID-19’s lockdowns, companies around the globe had no choice but to figure out remote working.

But as we came out on the other side of the pandemic, we’ve either returned to the office full time, decided to permanently remote work, or taken on some form of hybrid arrangement.

As our world at work continues to change, we can expect to see the rise of the hybrid workforce with a remote-first approach to working. 

But if you’re an SME owner who’s unsure of how to effectively manage your team in hybrid working arrangements, Employment Hero, an all-in-one HR software, aims to alleviate your concerns via their Remote-First Playbook.

Following that, Employment Hero called on us to find Malaysian SME bosses to learn about their proven methods for effectively managing their hybrid/remote teams.

They are:

Interviewee	Company	Hybrid/remote working arrangement
Jason Shong, Finance Vice President	Dataswyft	Work-in-office for the first week of probation, then 1 day in office, 4 days WFH
Bryan Lim, Director of Business and Brand Marketing	Blankslate	3 days in office, 2 days WFH
Jonathan Tan, Managing Director	VoxEureka	Team has the freedom to choose where they work
Irsyad Saidin, Director	Pentas.io	Fully remote since day 1

1. Focusing on results and output, not the number of hours or tasks employees fulfil

In a remote setting, managers may struggle to have a real-time view of what team members are working on. This may lead to uncertainty about their team’s efficiency which could impact overall productivity.

Our interviewees shared that they navigate such concerns by enforcing and upholding a results-driven culture.

Blankslate’s Bryan shared that his production company operates on a hybrid working arrangement because he’s seen benefits in providing his teammates with the liberty to manage their own schedules and workload. 

“Because ultimately we place a greater focus on the outcome and results while making sure everyone meets their deadlines,” he said.

Dataswyft’s Jason agreed and said, “The employees here are not selling their time to the company, but rather they sell their services to the company. So we do not practise clocking [in and out], we practise getting work done.”

Did you know: An employee management system such as Employment Hero can help you manage your team’s OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) to help them stay on track with their goals and project timelines.

2. Using cloud-based tools for digital collaboration and communication

Team-based collaboration can come up as another concern with hybrid working. A lack of, or delays, in communication can cause misunderstandings, which may ultimately affect a project’s delivery.

Investing in cloud-based systems can help overcome this, and our interviewees have several systems they’ve implemented in their companies to help their teams collaborate.

From Slack, Microsoft 365, and Asana to Lark and Google Suite, there are a plethora of paid and free platforms available for collaboration on the cloud.

What matters most is for team members to effectively utilise these tools and continuously update them as well. 

As another example, Jonathan’s PR agency also cultivates habits such as indicating when someone is “AFK” (away from keyboard). “These habits of clear communication have become a cornerstone of our work culture,” he pointed out.

3. Having physical meetups for important meetings

While the SME bosses we interviewed have their individual platforms to manage team-based collaboration, three out of four interviewees still believe that physical meetups are important in their company.

Jason, whose fintech company has team members placed globally, realised that remote meetings aren’t good for deep decision-making sessions where they would need to involve drawings, charts, etc.

“So we organise periodic physical sprints, where everyone gets together at the founder’s house for a few days, makes all the deep decisions, and then we all go remote to execute the decisions made and come together in a sprint again,” he elaborated.

VoxEureka also believes in physical meetups and has “All-In” days where everyone gets together at the office for town halls to reconnect and re-energise the team. 

As Jonathan, the agency’s Managing Director highlighted, “We recognise the irreplaceable value of physical presence and strive to maintain that warmth and connection alongside the flexibility of remote work.”

Did you know: Employment Hero can also help you stay in touch with employee engagement by allowing your team to provide their feedback on anonymous Employee Happiness Surveys every month on the platform.

4. Hiring based on a candidate’s accountability when working remotely

As with every company, there will often be new hires joining the team. So how do these bosses ensure they properly onboard new employees into their hybrid working systems?

“We have a company-wide onboarding process where we teach new hires how to work collaboratively with the tools and methodology that we have implemented,” said Irsyad, Director at Pentas.io. “For example, during working hours, they are required to be online on Discord for easy communication.”

On the other hand, Jason believes that digital savviness is a very important criterion when hiring someone for his company, given the cloud systems they use. 

To ensure that new hires can uphold the requirements expected of them when they work remotely, every employee will start working in the office full time for the first week.

Every probationer also has a set of KPIs they need to meet before they are hired and are given remote working privileges.

Did you know: Employment Hero’s Learning Management System (LMS) can help you develop your people and track their progress via training programmes you can build or upload.

These KPIs could be “Respond to Slack messages within two hours of office time”, or “Able to be completely self-supervised by the second month”.

It’s all about trust and accountability 

All in all, these SME bosses pointed out that for hybrid working arrangements to work, it is deeply rooted in trust and accountability between employees and the company. 

As Jonathan succinctly described, “It’s the trust and unity in our principles that pave the way for effective management, more so than any system.”

“This trust has rewarded us with a remarkable 96% staff retention rate in 2022.”

Bryan shares the same view and expressed, “It is important for our teammates to self-cultivate work accountability and discipline while maintaining adequate personal or family time at home to prevent possible burnout.”

According to Employment Hero’s Remote-First Playbook, employees love the flexibility of remote working as it allows them to pay attention to other areas of their personal time too.

“It’s a case of supporting your team with greater flexibility so they can decide where and how they choose to work and live,” the report detailed.

If you’re an SME boss who’s curious to learn about practical tips on implementing hybrid working arrangements in your company, you can download the Remote-First Playbook here.

• Learn more about Employment Hero here.
• Read about other Malaysian startups here.

Featured Image Credit: Jason Shong, Finance Vice President of Dataswyft / Bryan Lim, Director of Business and Brand Marketing at Blankslate / Jonathan Tan, Managing Director of VoxEureka / Irsyad Saidin, Director of Pentas.io

According to a news report by The Edge Singapore, junior and senior employees across various departments at Lazada were laid off.

At the end of the previous workday on January 2, employees reportedly received last minute calendar invites for individual meetings with the HR department for January 3.

Three retrenched employees shared with CNA that almost about 100 staff in Singapore, including the logistics team, have been affected. Some departments have also experienced a large axing of their headcount from 20 to 30 people to four to five employees.

This round of layoffs came out of nowhere for those who have been retrenched, with some citing the company’s lack of transparency causing large amounts of anxiety and uncertainty among current employees.

News reports state that the layoffs are currently ongoing, with meeting rooms fully booked until the end of this week. While retrenched employees were given severance packages, some employees have come forward disapproving the company’s lack of support and counselling following the sudden news.

According to media reports, the layoff exercise is expected to end by today (January 5). Lazada has yet to release an official media statement.

Digital Industry Singapore, a government office which supports the growth of the technology sector here, said it is working closely with Lazada and other government agencies to assist affected employees with alternative employment opportunities.

The tech industry has seen a series of layoffs across different tech unicorns in the past two years. Notable cases include Grab, where 1,000 jobs were cut; and e-commerce giant Shopee also conducted its third round of layoffs at the end of 2022.

Not all hope is lost

Speaking to the The Straits Times, Maybank economist Chua Hak Bin expresses his optimism on Singapore’s economy, citing that 2023 ended on a high note, driven by a stronger than expected manufacturing recovery. He has also estimated that 2024 growth will come in at 2.2 per cent, on the higher side of MTI’s 1 per cent to 3 per cent forecast range.

On the other hand, Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong expressed the importance of remaining judicious. In his annual New Year Message in December 31 last year, he acknowledged that Singapore’s economy grew 1.2 per cent in 2023, and is expected to grow by 1 to 3 per cent in 2024.

“But much will depend on the external environment”, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. This is in light of the Russia-Ukraine conflict and the ongoing war between Israel and Palestine. He added that the geopolitical uncertainties will inevitably weigh down on the global economy and Singapore’s economical growth.

Cost cutting measures in preparation for IPO?

In response to media queries on the layoffs, a Lazada spokesperson cites that the company is making “proactive adjustments” to streamline their business operations for future business needs.

This transformation necessitates that we reassess our workforce requirements and operational structure to ensure Lazada is better positioned to future-proof our business and people.

Lazada spokesperson in a report by CNA

Lazada and it’s parent company Alibaba has experienced a series of major changes in leadership in recent years. Most recently, former Alibaba CEO Daniel Zhang announced his departure from the company in June 2023 after his 16-year tenure.

Back in 2023, Alibaba streamlined its operation and restructured Lazada under its new Global Digital Commerce Group, paving way to a possible IPO.

The layoff exercise may be part of the group’s plan to solidify the finances of the new business unit in preparation of the potential IPO.

The firm is in the early stages of consideration and the IPO’s size has yet to be determined, according to people familiar with the matter. The business group is in talks with banks that could potentially help prepare for the IPO next year, said one of the people.

Valuations for the international business units vary: Morgan Stanley in March priced “international retail” units including Lazada and Trendyol at roughly US$29 billion (S$38.5 billion), while an analyst report by China International Capital Corp in the same month valued the firm’s international division at about US$39 billion.

Straits Times, May 5, 2023

Feature Image Credit: LazBeat