When the local supermarket chain Sheng Siong posts record earnings, its success is felt far beyond the boardroom. A significant portion of its profits is shared with its staff, boosting the take-home pay of cashiers and store assistants.
Some of Singapore’s blue-chip companies, such as DBS, have also used employee share plans to give staff a stake in the firm alongside their salaries.
Wilson Goh is a research associate at the Institute of Policy Studies, Policy Lab, National University of Singapore. Wong Kang Li is a research fellow at the same Institute.