Tapping technology, redesigning jobs to attract locals

When the circuit breaker ended in June last year, Mr John Tan, owner of Esmond Landscape and Horticultural, had to scramble to get work done.

With little maintenance work performed from April, Mr Tan was saddled with new projects he had to complete on top of works that had been postponed because of the restrictions.

But three of his workers had left Singapore to return home to India between March and July last year. He needed new workers to join his 19-member team, which included 13 Singaporeans and permanent residents.

Mr Tan, who has been in the business for close to three decades, finally found two workers, secured them their entry permits in April this year, with plans to fly them in from India on June 15.

All that changed on April 24, when a ban on long-term pass holders from India was imposed due to the worsening Covid-19 situation there.

"It's frustrating, but at the same time, we know that the ban is necessary - we don't want a second wave of infections again," he told The Sunday Times.

It is a familiar story in the landscape industry, which is heavily reliant on migrant workers, especially from India and Bangladesh, said Mr Goh Eng Lam, chairman of the Landscape Industry Association (Singapore).

The situation is set to worsen with Friday's announcement that those with recent travel history to Bangladesh will also be barred from entering Singapore, he added. The ban was effective from 11.59pm yesterday.

Figures from 2017 showed that nearly half of the 12,000-strong landscape workforce then was made up of foreign workers. Of the resident workforce, nearly half were aged 41 to 62, while only 8 per cent were under 40.

Mr Goh said migrant workers do most of the heavy lifting for landscape works, spending hours in the sun.

With the ban on workers from India, landscape firms are looking at adjusting workflows, securing alternative sources of workers, including locals, and tapping technology.

Hiring more local workers can improve the manpower situation, though it may take time, said Mr Goh.

Mr Bernie Low, general manager of Prince's Landscape and Construction, said his firm, which hires about 350 migrant workers - of which 30 per cent are from India, and another 30 per cent or so from Bangladesh - is looking to hire workers from countries such as Myanmar.

Mr Michael Teh, managing director of Nature Landscapes, said his firm has been using mechanical processes as much as possible, for example by using motorised hedge trimmers instead of pruning shears.

The Landscape Sector Transformation Plan, launched in 2019, aims to groom new talent in the sector, especially locals, and help the industry move up the value chain.

Many firms are redesigning jobs to make it more attractive and suitable for locals, said Mr Goh.

For instance, part-time work is available for those who do not want to commit long hours to menial labour. Lighter duties are also assigned to older workers who join the sector.

Wages in the sector are also being adjusted through the Progressive Wage Model, which links pay hikes to training.

From July 1, landscape maintenance workers will get a basic pay of at least $1,550 - up from $1,450 currently.

Mr Choo Jun Wei, executive director of Mao Sheng Quanji Construction, said locals have shown little interest in working in the landscaping sector.

He added: "We can only appeal to clients and service buyers to focus on essential work and delay less critical projects."

Still, firms like Prince's as well as Nature Landscapes have managed to make some progress in attracting more locals to join the sector, with their local workforce growing by about 10 to 20 per cent over the past year.

Singaporean Ken Ong, who used to work in customer service in the tourism industry, joined Prince's Landscape in May last year.

He now earns about 20 to 30 per cent less as a landscape coordinator. But the 30-year-old said that the job is rewarding.

"I like not being deskbound. Every day is different for me, and it is rewarding because you can see the results of your efforts in a very tangible way - how well the trees and shrubs that you have planted and pruned are growing, for instance."

Mr Lin Teck Lok, 57, joined Nature Landscapes about a year ago. He previously worked for a furniture company in Bedok, which has since shuttered.

In his current job, he uses mechanical tools to help him carry out his work, including cutting shrubs and trimming hedges.

"It's not as tiring as my previous job, where I had to carry and move large pieces of furniture around, and I also feel less stressed," he said.