Rewards = Good Company?

MacDonald's bags top prize at HR awards
SPH clinches awards for corporate social responsibility, among others. -

ST Mon, Jul 06, 2009The Straits Times
By Francis Chan

FAST-FOOD giant McDonald's took home the top prize at the Singapore HR Awards last night by winning the inaugural Corporate HR Champion Award.

The new category recognises organisations that have consistently demonstrated creative and proactive human resources and people management practices.

Over three consecutive years, McDonald's - a consistent winner of HR accolades - managed to clinch the award thanks to its continuous emphasis on staff development, said the event organisers, the Singapore Human Resources Institute (SHRI).

'Winning this award is proof that our people-first culture drives every HR action and decision at McDonald's,' said McDonald's Singapore general manager Alex Yeo.

The fast-food chain was joined by 43 other public and private sector organisations in receiving the HR awards from the Minister of State for Community Development, Youth and Sports, Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon.

Mrs Yu-Foo told about 600 industry leaders at the Raffles City Convention Centre that the award winners deserved praise for raising the standard of HR practices and making Singapore 'a leading economy with well-trained and well-managed human capital'.

McDonald's, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary in Singapore this year, is no stranger to such awards.

In April, management consulting firm Hewitt awarded it the Best Employers prize, an accolade it also won in 2007.

Despite the downturn, McDonald's has almost doubled its investment in staff training to around $3 million this year.

As part of its training curriculum, it sent its first batch of 23 restaurant managers to Las Vegas in April for a diploma course in food and beverage services with more to follow.

'In this economic downturn, we will continue to invest and support our 7,000 people with training and developmental opportunities,' said Mr Yeo.

While McDonald's took much of the limelight last night, the SHRI also launched the HR Advocate Award, which was conferred on 11 firms.

This award recognises organisations that have won the Leading HR Practices Award for three years within a period of five consecutive years.

The Leading HR Practices Awards itself acknowledges firms that have conceptualised and implemented innovative HR practices.

Other award recipients included a variety of firms such as IBM Singapore, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore Power, SingTel and Republic Polytechnic.

Media group Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) was also among the big winners, clinching four awards last night.

SPH took home the HR Advocate Award for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR); Leading HR Practices Award for Talent Management, Retention & Succession Planning; and a Leading HR Practices Award for CSR.

It also received a Special Mention for Compensation & Rewards Management.

'We are happy to be conferred the HR Advocate Award for Corporate Social Responsibility at this year's Singapore HR Awards,' said SPH chief executive Alan Chan.

'At SPH, we pride ourselves on being a responsible corporate citizen, actively engaging all segments of the community through various events covering the arts, charity, sports, education and conservation.

'Some of our notable initiatives include the SPH Gift of Music series and the annual SPH Group Giving to charity.'

The SHRI said the number of award submissions this year increased from 169 to 201.
First-time entrants and award recipients included industry leaders such as Chevron Singapore, Standard Chartered Bank, Starbucks and public sector agencies like the Singapore Prison Service.

SHRI executive director David Ang said that with the downturn, HR practitioners need to be 'change agents' and better manage human resources.

'Times are bad and companies are tightening their belts. HR plays a pivotal role in helping to save cost, prevent job losses and be a strategic business partner within the organisation,' he added.

Somehow I wonder how these awards are awarded.

Who are the people on the panels of Singapore Human Resource Institute that are giving out these awards?

If you ask me, whether MacDonald deserve to win these BEST EMPLOYEE award or not, the best way is to interview its staffs and not some people sitting on a panel is some aircon room.

My mum has been working for MacDonal for about 20years (WOW so long liao) and from the stories I heard from her I think MacDonald suck big time as an employer.

I don’t know how many General manager was there before Alex Yeo in this 20 years, but here are some crap stuff Macdonal are doing with their employee.

1. At one point. MacDonald stop hiring older worker. Too slow?

2. The manager at my mum’s branch keep trying to con her to work at a lower wage packing those fork and spoon for Big Breakfast. (F**K U) If my rate is $6 an hour you jolly well pay me that no matter what job you assigned me.

3. Worker are only to allow to eat a certain among of food. And some food are off limit to staff.

4. Worker are not allow to used those plastic tray for their chillie sause. (HELLLLOOO how expensive is that bloody piece of plastic)

5. Those so call social activities like Christmas for staff organized are not sincere at all. Present given out to staff are those left over MacDonald toys.


I think awards can always be “bought” and it does not really reflect what the company really is like. One company may look nice from the ouside as it portray a false images to outsider but to truly know how it is like you got to ask its people.

Maybe Macdonald is good at training people in the management grade but treat those aunties and uncles in the kitchen like crap?

I think those joker from SHRI should work undercover for Macdonald next year before deciding should it deserve to four times in a row.