A study on the manpower issues and productivity in warehouse and distribution centres in Singapore

• Main Author: Ang, Johnnie Yue Jun
• Other Authors: Lum Kit Meng
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2014
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Maritime studies::Maritime management and business
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/60059
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Productivity plays a crucial role in keeping Singapore competitive economically and at a leading edge globally. However, productivity growth has been a major concern for the Singapore government, with it being negative in 2012, and was zero growth in 2013. Thus, the government has come up with various schemes to help companies in an effort to raise productivity. Our research project looks into the logistics sector, with a focus on Small-Medium Enterprises (SMEs) warehouses and distribution centres in Singapore. Warehousing is traditionally viewed as a labour-intensive industry. Previously, most of the labours are just manual workers and there are few strict requirements on employees’ qualifications. With globalisation and a changing landscape, warehouses and distribution centres are facing an evolution in the aspects of either integration or innovation. Coupled with the recent governmental initiatives in foreign labour quota, many Small-Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are now restricted by the limited number of foreign workers that can be hired. The research process aims to find out the current situation in the warehouses and distribution centres with regard to their manpower issues after the tightening of the foreign worker policy as well as the receptiveness of the governmental schemes to increase their productivity.