Laughter, smiles, and cheers all around - these are just some of the more obvious signs that someone's having fun in one of Singapore's 60 tourist attractions and 2 integrated resorts. Count in the 38 recreational and golf clubs in Singapore, and you start to get a better sense of the immense scale of Singapore's tourism and entertainment sector.
As union leader Su Jin Poh, the branch chairman at Straco Leisure shares, it’s the memories that count, especially those made in an attraction as iconic as the Singapore Flyer, where he has proudly carved out a career for himself at one of the most recognisable vantage points to appreciate Singapore over the last 14 years, and counting.
Determining Happiness
To get a better insight of what really drives happiness in working people carving out a career in the business of leisure, the Attractions and Resorts Employees Union (AREU) recently undertook a Worker Sentiment Survey to better understand what matters to them.
In the polls, which involved more than 550 respondents from over 45 companies, welfare in the form of having sufficient rest, being supported at work with an adequate amount of resources, as well as having a voice to influence work were the key determinants of workplace happiness.
Most Important Factors in a Job
Echoing these findings, Jin Poh’s personal experiences reveal a deeper layer to job satisfaction beyond recognition by management and access to training and upgrading.
“To enjoy job satisfaction, we must innately have a passion for the industry so that work doesn’t feel like a chore. To deliver, we must have the drive to deliver positive experiences, even on our bad days. My driver is having the support of my family and colleagues, and being able to personally make a difference in the experiences of my guests, and to my colleagues,” says Jin Poh.
The survey responses point to staff valuing a supportive work culture, particularly in the way measures are deployed to ease heavy workloads during peak travel seasons; fair appraisals; and recognition from management, guests and fellow colleagues.
The 37-year-old explains the value of such supportive environments where camaraderie between colleagues helps: “Colleagues take care of each other, we look out for each other, and there’s a lot of support without having to actually spell things out.”
Having safety nets in place, both personally and professionally, have also helped, especially in challenging moments.
“Should things go south, one must have a very good safety net to catch you. Having my family that I can go home to after work is one example. In the office, it is having supportive management… equivalent to a backup squad for us on the frontlines, there for us whenever we need support in tricky situations. Supporting us further on the work front, are the unions that represent the interest of us working people,” he shares.
Pride in Purpose
The survey showed that workers in the entertainment sector generally stick to their calling (>90%), albeit with most preferring to maintain status quo in their jobs with their employers (54%) while others (32%) aim to seek out new roles or job opportunities.
Plans in the Coming 12 Months
As for what keeps them going strong?
“People who sign up for a job in the tourism industry as a full-timer are in it for the long haul. Those who stay, will stay. Even if they may have switched jobs, many of these people are still in a related role, such as customer service because that is what makes them happy,” explains Jin Poh, who climbed the ranks at the Singapore Flyer, first as a member of the crew, then a supervisor, and now a line manager.
Citing his experience, the assistant operations manager says: “I’m not someone who can sit down in front of a computer from 9am to 6pm. In tourism, it [the work] is fun, I also get to meet people and help deliver the best possible experiences they can have.
“Being able to make a difference in the experiences and lives of my guests and colleagues is what drives me on.”
Nurturing Value
Playing a part, AREU is working with both union leaders on the ground as well as management partners to foster progressive workplaces to allow tourism professionals to enjoy their work and carve similarly rewarded careers as well.
Jin Poh puts this succinctly: “We are in the business of people management: Managing the experiences of customers who buy tickets from us. We also manage our internal customers which are our colleagues. It is not rocket science, but it takes time to understand fellow human beings.
“Like a plant, we need to nurture these relationships.”
One of the ways such relationships can be nurtured is through the development of training and upgrading pathways, with union leaders like Jin Poh leading the way.
“Where I can, I find opportunities for people to learn and grow. If there are things that I can share from my own experiences, I’ll do it. My job is just to grow people, to be something better, to see potential and help them grow. I had the chance to undergo training from the union, which helped broaden my perspectives after so many years in the industry. So, training of any kind can play a big part,” he says, revealing that his efforts to nominate his team members for training have been met with positive feedback.
“Union members can also find comfort knowing that if things go South, they have someone they can call upon to help them address their grievances. The union is an avenue to speak to, find out more, and receive support,” he adds.
Learn more about how the Attractions, Resorts & Entertainment Union, and its initiatives to help working people in the sector. Follow us on our Facebook.
Written by: Jonathan Tan
Photos by: Mark Teo from The Afterdark Facility
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