Shangri-La Hotel senior management took pay cut to keep jobs of workers, protect their wages
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Assistant manager of housekeeping Le Nguyen Dang Khoa, 25, disinfecting a room at Shangri-La Hotel Singapore. Amid the challenges of the Covid-19 outbreak last year, the hotel prioritised cutting non-essential expenses over trimming labour costs.
ST PHOTO: JASON QUAH
Calvin Yang
SINGAPORE - When the hospitality sector was first hit by the Covid-19 outbreak last year, Shangri-La Hotel Singapore promptly ordered a hiring freeze and prioritised cutting non-essential expenses over trimming labour costs.
Its senior management also led by example by taking a pay cut.
These initiatives helped protect the wages and jobs of its workers.
For making consistent and significant contributions towards supporting the labour movement, the hotel received the Plaque of Commendation (Gold) Award at the May Day Awards.
Mr Tane Picken, the general manager of Shangri-La Hotel Singapore, said the hotel had to find ways to ensure business continuity while minimising the impact on its staff.
"Like many others in the hospitality industry, the hotel was affected by the pandemic and had to quickly adapt and focus on how we could cater to the domestic market," he added. "At the same time, it was crucial that we continued to care for our colleagues' safety and mental well-being through initiatives implemented at the workplace."
The hotel also relied on the Jobs Support Scheme, which helps offset part of the wages of local workers, to relieve some payroll pressures during the challenging times.
During the circuit breaker period last year, the hotel's administrative staff were moved to a work-from-home arrangement to support its operations remotely, said Mr Picken. Front-line workers were provided with personal protective equipment and training.
Some workers with reduced workload were deployed to other departments, and others were assigned to support the Government as safe distancing ambassadors.
Besides adopting various tripartite standards from term contract employment to age-friendly workplace practices, Shangri-La Hotel Singapore has been involved in job redesign efforts to create quality jobs for its workers.
The hotel has also invested in its workers through regular training, even during the downtime last year to upgrade workers' skillsets.
Such opportunities prepares the hotel for future challenges, said Mr Picken. "Given the prolonged impact of the pandemic, it is critical that we continuously look at how to transform and adapt to take on the changes ahead."
