MR NG Junrong's letter ('Helping small and medium-sized firms:
Higher labour costs not the answer'; Tuesday) highlighted that many
employers are not aware of the avenues available to them to improve
productivity, and this is particularly the case for small and
medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Recognising the lack of know-how for SMEs to improve their
productivity, the Workforce Development Agency and Spring Singapore
jointly initiated the SME Productivity Action Roadmap (SME-PRO)
last year, a three-step approach for SMEs to be exposed to the
basics of productivity, train management and staff on productivity
concepts and measurement tools, and assist SMEs in productivity
improvement.
Under SME-PRO, the [email protected] website was set up in June
last year. It contains information on productivity concepts, tools,
case studies and relevant government assistance programmes. SMEs
can access a quick-start guide, self-analyse their current
productivity standards, select productivity seminars or courses to
attend, identify a productivity consultant to work with or pose a
question online.
We have a network of five Enterprise Development Centres or EDCs
- [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] and [email protected] These were
set up through a joint effort by Spring Singapore and key business
chambers and associations - Association of Small and Medium
Enterprises; Singapore Manufacturers' Federation; Singapore Chinese
Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Singapore Malay Chamber of
Commerce and Industry; and Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce and
Industry - to provide business advisory services to SMEs facing
business issues.
Through the Productivity Management Programme (PMP), the EDCs
have engaged productivity experts to assist SMEs to jump-start
their productivity knowledge, diagnose areas for improvement and
customise an implementation roadmap.
Raising productivity is critical for all businesses - big and
small. We would encourage all businesses, in particular SMEs, to
contact any of the EDCs so we can help to work with them to plan
and embark on their productivity journey.
For more information on SME-PRO, [email protected] and the PMP,
visit www.enterpriseone.gov.sg.
Hernaikh Singh
Director
[email protected]
