SingPost has increased its yearly special bonus to outdoor delivery staff at this year’s lftar event during Ramadan.
The company said in appreciation of its mail carriers, yesterday’s lftar – or breaking fast – event saw the annual special recognition payment increasing from S$200 to S$300 ($160 USD to $240 USD).
Yesterday’s lftar event was the second to be held by SingPost, and this year was attended by 120 mail carriers, couriers, management, union representatives and guests.
Singapore’s minister of information and communications, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, was also present at the event yesterday.
Lim Ho Kee, the SingPost chairman, said the bonus payment was a “small token of our appreciation” for delivery staff and the hard work they do each day.
“This month, in addition to performing a physically demanding job, our Muslim colleagues are doing this while fasting,” he said. “I have nothing but the highest respect for them and I thank them wholeheartedly for ensuring that service is not disrupted during this period.”
SingPost’s Iftar celebration yesterday, with SingPost chairman Lim Ho Kee standing (left) with Singapore information minister Dr Yaacob Ibrahim
The SingPost chairman said that of the company’s 850 outdoor delivery staff, more than 72% were observing Ramadan this month.
The increase in the bonus comes as Singapore’s mail carriers and couriers, delivering more than 3m items a day, are increasingly dealing with parcels and packages rather than letters, as a result of the boom in ecommerce and online shopping.
SingPost said it has invested S$10m ($8m USD) in the last two years in extra equipment like three wheelers and a multi-purpose sorting machine to cope with the growth in packages.
The company said it will invest S50-70m ($40m-56m USD) over the next three years in staff, infrastructure, technology and processes to continue its high service levels.
Source: Post&Parcel/SingPost
Tags: mail delivery, Singapore, SingPost
