Bumper year-end bonuses of 3-4 mths expected this year
By Yang Huiwen
EMPLOYERS are expected to give out bumper bonus payouts this year, especially in booming sectors such as real estate, energy and construction.
Recruitment industry leaders say the private sector payouts will be more than last year's - which were already considered among the highest in recent years.
As a rule of thumb, employees who got a two- to three-month bonus last year can expect a three- to four- month bonus this year, they say.
These handsome payouts have been fuelled by Singapore's exceptional growth, set to top eight per cent this year.
Many businesses are recording big profits and greater market share - and that usually translates to fatter bonuses.
'It has been a good year for many organisations, and stronger compared to last year,' said Mr Charles Moore, partner-in-charge of recruitment agency Heidrick & Struggles in Singapore.
'Asia has been a big growth story for a lot of organisations which are fast expanding within the region,' said Mr Mark Ellwood, managing director of another recruitment firm Robert Walters Singapore.
The booming oil and gas sector is expected to lead the pack in delivering the most attractive payouts this year, according to GMP Group's chief executive officer Annie Yap.
The financial sector, traditionally known to pay the best bonuses, will not lag behind either except, perhaps, for some divisions with direct exposure to the US subprime housing market, she said.
For those in front-end, money-making jobs such as investment bankers and fund managers, a 12-month bonus is not uncommon.
Read the full story in Saturday's edition of The Straits Times. http://www.straitstimes.com/Latest%2...ry_186807.html 
Bumper year-end bonuses of 3-4 mths expected this year 
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