The country that is not prepared

I noticed a cleaner, sans uniform, going about her duties at one of my favourite hawker centres tonight. She stood out from the rest as she was :-

1. not in her company uniform

2. had make up ( no no, it was not excessive, nor suggestive )

3. young (less than 30 years old)

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against young people engaging in the cleaning vocation. But that's not what this post is about.


It appeared clearer to me that she was not local, and likely Chinese.

And I recalled an article I read somewhere about the influx of foreign workers in Singapore, and how they are heating up the competition for low wage jobs.


Then I realised that this was probably this girl's first day at work. She looked


- tired (probably just landed in Singapore today )

- flustered (probably from the heat spell we've been having)

- uncomfortable (she was dressed in jeans and a long sleeved top)


but went about her duties diligently.


There wasn't anyone with her to guide her on the job. As she emptied the contents of a mug into a waste container on her cleaning cart, some spilled out. The same piece of cloth used to wipe the table of leftover bones, used tissue paper and coffee spills, was also used to wipe the chairs, and dunked repeatedly into the same murky pail of water to clean the cloth.


I wondered if she was prepared for the job.


a) Did she know that she was expected to work immediately upon arrival in Singapore, hence her attire?

b) Did the cleaning company arrange for any formal training for this new employee?


c) Did she know how to get back to her dormitory after work? ie what bus / MRT to take


d) Did the company arrange for a mentor for her to induct her to the local culture and look after her well being at least for the first month in this foreign land?


I am inclined to think not. And I wondered about the condition of her dormitory - probably 7-8 people to a room, with a thin used mattress and a dirty pillow with any luck.


I spoke to a friend whose vocation dealt with the recruitment of many foreign workers. Many of them are left to their own devices as the employer was responsible only for flying them to Singapore, packing them into a dormitory, and that was about that. And yes, they start work the moment they arrive in Singapore, and no there isn't any formal training. "Just clear the cups and plates, and wipe the table. Water point - over there!"


Many workers are left to their own devices, to explore this country that they have heard so much about, to try and understand the people they deal with, and let this country understand them. Many often give up, for lack of time and energy (often from the long working hours) and just stick to their own kind. Familarity and comfort.


And locals write to the public media about how rowdy the foreign workers can get, how they speak so loudly, mix only amongst their own groups, unwilling to blend into the local culture.

Is this the fault of

• the worker - for not being more educated about Singapore
  
• the employer - for not training and orientating the worker


• the local community - for not reaching out to the foreigners


• the government - for not doing anything to enforce local companies to put foreign workers through compulsory induction courses ?

As this country moves up the ladder of progress, citizens are expected to undergo more training to improve their skills and employability, thus engaging themselves in more value-added jobs, raising their minimum pay, allowing them to stay employed in the workforce for longer.

Lower wage jobs are farmed out to foreign workers (think cleaners, gardeners, construction workers) as these jobs are labourious, require long working hours, working on weekends, and are, well, just not well-looked upon in this culture and climate.

Look, there's no escape on our dependence on foreign labour, yet the local citizens are ill-equiped to embrace diversity. Are we a country that posesses First World infrastructure, struggling with Third World mentality? Are the local residents ready to accept that foreign workers bring with them foreign habits and we can do out part to help them assimilate into the community?

Complaining and whining about the workers just isn't going to make it go away!

Unless we are prepared to properly train and induct foreign workers upon arrival into Singapore, we'll have to live with the standards that they bring with them from their country. In this case, let's not complain that the cleaners can't do a good job since their employers are not prepared to train them nor house them properly.

If their housing conditions are bad, what are the chances that the worker will be well rested for work? What are the chances that the worker will understand the need for better hygiene in eating establishments?

So who's willing to train and induct these workers? And who's willing to pay?