It would seem Singaporeans are a lazy bunch of workers. According to a recent survey conducted by Kelly Services, travel time factors as a big consideration before applying for a job. Out of 2,000 respondents surveyed, 66% say they are not willing to commute longer than 45 minutes to get to work, each way.
So how can a company still manage to attract talent as it moves from the Central Business Area district to the far suburban areas of the country? For Razer, a company that makes PC gaming accessories, the move from Tanjong Pagar to Chai Chee did not pose as an obstacle for the company.
With less than a third of the company’s 80 employees living in the east, Razer says it manages to offer its employees more than just a job. With Gen-Y employees comprising of the primary demographic, George Wang, director of public relations, Razer, says the company provides staff with a sense of working in a fun, young and a cutting-edge environment. However, for its veteran employees, Wang says the company’s foray into a multi-billion dollar gaming industry provides career opportunities for the employees that cannot be duplicated elsewhere.
“The other thing to note is that older employees with families and kids usually own a car, and commuting in Singapore is not that much of a hassle, so that situation doesn’t really apply to Razer,” Wang adds.
In order to ease transportation woes, Razer also provides shuttle buses that run from three train stations, Jurong East, Toa Payoh and Kembangan. This decision, Wang says, was made because the company “wanted to make it easy for staff without personal transport to come to work and not have to worry about missing the train or buses in the morning and crowding with everyone else on public transport.”
In fact, Wang adds, having an office situated on the outskirts of town even has its plus points. Employees have found it that having an office situated in the outskirts means not having to deal with the commuter crush every day. Instead, Wang notes, staff are motivated by being able to work and decorate our staff has found that the ability to be flexible in decorating and working in our new premises has created a pleasurable workplace to be in.
Furthermore, having an office situated in the east has not deterred potential candidates from working at the company. Wang says about 30% of potential candidates ask about the location over the phone. “But we usually don’t have a big issue with this as most are more interested in what they will have to do and what they can learn from working here.”
Despite the lack of a Shenton Way postal code, by providing employees with a dynamic environment, facilitating their transportation needs and providing opportunities to grow, Razer has found a way to overcome the problem of attracting and retaining employees.
“That’s one of the best things about having our Asia Pacific headquarters located here in Singapore, as Singapore is still a small enough location and pretty accessible anywhere you are and where you need to be.”
