Q: What is the company’s employment policy in regards to those who have reached above the age of 60?

A: t’s not something we’ve thought of because all our 60-and-above employees are still working like they’re 40! We will check with HR.

 

Q: Thanks Yuan, Yeen and Tsen for the informative town hall briefing! Speaking of major infrastructure projects such as MRT 3 and HSR that are very exciting — are we going to bid for them?

A: We have discussed MRT 3 extensively and definitely want to be involved in it. For HSR, both governments are discussing it earnestly and it’s another project that with all of our expertise and knowledge, it’s not a matter of yes or no, but when.

 

Q: ​​Do you still have some space for my name on the Wall of Fame?

A: The Wall of Fame is an organic thing that we are going to update every year. This coming June, if anyone has reached 20 years of service (we’re sure there are many), we will add them to the list. So hopefully, if you stay long enough you will be on that wall!

 

Q: Will there be any staff price for all YTL hotels?

A: As mentioned during the last town hall, we would love to! We used to have stuff like this and it’s something we should see whether we can bring back. We’ll be suggesting this to the top management of YTL Hotels.

 

Q: What does the company think of work-life balance?

A: Generally, we are big believers in work-life balance. Although there will be seasons where you have to stay back late, it’s important that everyone takes time off because it’s not healthy to be working all the time, and our productivity also takes a hit. We want everyone to be able to perform their best.

 

Q: When will the Yes 5G SIM card be supported by iPhones?

A: We are working with Digital Nasional Berhad (DNB) for the 5G rollout. Currently, Apple has not completed network optimisation between its product and the DNB network, which is why it can’t be used. But if you insert your SIM card, the iPhone should work on 4G. Try it out and let us know!

 

Q: What is the company’s vision towards young engineers that are still under contract employment after several years of service in YTL?

A: Being in an industry that is constantly going up and down, we encourage you guys to keep working hard and rest assured that the company is doing all it can to grow. As part of our Transformation plan, we have very big targets and want to grow even bigger, with bigger turnover within the next three years.

 

Q: Are we exploring to increase our leave policies to make it more competitive with what other companies out there are offering?

A: We did this last year, comparing with the market and other major construction companies. We were pleased to find out that we are quite equal or even above industry standards at times.

 

Q: With COVID-19 positive cases currently increasing, are we going back to Work From Home?

A: With countries starting to drop COVID-19 restrictions, we want to emphasise the importance of safety and vaccines. As a company, we also need to support all the businesses out there. For now, we are happy with the work arrangements and have made a serious push to get every person (including subcontractors and workers) boosted within this month of February. We will continue to monitor the situation through weekly meetings with the HODs.

 

Q: If the appraisal system doesn’t seem to really impact our bonuses, will we improve the appraisal system to reward and motivate high performers?

A: This is exactly what we are trying to do — we will revamp the system this year, with the input of HODs and consultants. This will make the appraisal system more transparent, objective and systemised.

 

Q: Are we having CNY Annual Dinner this year?

A: This isn’t the best time to be having an annual dinner with the COVID-19 cases rising but we’re with you in spirit!

 

Q: How will the company handle workplace bullying and toxic work environments involving department seniors / heads?

A: We are striving to create a culture of communication. Through scheduled face-to-face sessions with your superiors and the feedback form in the newsletter, you have a chance to voice out or escalate issues. In 2021, we focused a lot on leadership programmes with HODs, communication skills, etc. We hope this has helped foster an open and receptive work environment.

 

Q: As we have job openings internally, what if we’re interested and we know that we are eligible for the positions? We still need HOD approval to go for it, right? What if the HOD does not really fancy the idea, is there any way?

A: We leave it to both HODs to come to a decision that is beneficial for all departments. That being said, we do look at and assess every application. If you are a key player in your department, it might be about the transition and finding someone to replace you. Although the move might not happen immediately, you can trust the HODs to act in the interest of the entire company.

 

Q: As vehicle maintenance costs have gone up over the years, is there a possibility of reviewing the mileage rate?

A: HR does review these policies from time to time. We will take note of this and ensure they go through it during their next session.

 

Q: For career development, besides the vertical path route, is there any horizontal path for those who prefer not to move up to management?

A: Why not? If people are comfortable and happy in their roles, this is also something we will take into account as we look at how to redo the appraisal system. We encourage people to apply to new departments if they would like try new things. So far, it has worked out because it’s great when everyone is in a place where they can help or suit each other best.

 

Q: Talking about transparency, can performance review scores be shared to the staff, as well as how it is tied to the bonus so that staff can understand the scores they were issued by their bosses and how it affects their bonuses. It has been demotivating not understanding the low scores given.

A: We will definitely improve this as we revamp the appraisal system. You will be able to know your score and discuss it with your HODs during the face-to-face appraisals.

 

Q: The new Vivo 5G phone that was given is cool. Should we return it or will it fully belong to staff like the Yes phone before?

A: The company is paying for the plan, so the new Vivo phones are company assets, like your laptops and such. Please ensure you take care of the phone (don’t damage or lose it) as the repair and maintenance costs are quite high. If the phone needs to be replaced, the cost will be borne by the employee.

 

Q: Any increment this year?

A: We are fortunate that although the last few years have been difficult — especially during the first MCO when site productivity was basically zero — the Board of Directors decided there would be no salary reductions. We’ve also been able to implement our own bonus policy when certain other companies within the Group have had no bonus. As things improve and there is growth in the company, we will leave this decision to the wisdom of the Directors.

 

Q: Any plan for the next activity by Aspire Club?

A: There should be, we will check with the committee and announce something soon. It’s true, we need to go and do something fun!

 

Q: It is a fact that the YTL Construction management is generous and you do, at least, have bonus this year. Employees who are WFH but are not working efficiently and effectively, are taking advantage of it. I hope these people are not asking for company benefits while not contributing to company growth.

A: Some of us may have to work harder from time to time, but we do believe that every one of us is trying to pull our weight. Just like in the YTL Group, when YTL Construction is not doing so well and others are doing better, we support one another. We are a team and a family. Let’s start with asking how we can contribute better so that our colleagues and friends, YTL Construction, the YTL Group, and finally Malaysia can benefit.

 

Q: For contract staff, we always get our contracts late. We hope to get them a month earlier or the status, as we also need to prepare for a new job and our finances.

A: This might be happening due to the couriering, locations, or approvals taking some time to go through. We will take note of this and ensure HR improves the process so that people can plan.

 

Q: I am a part of ERL, maybe this question is a bit confidential. What about the ERL concession extension which may end after 30 years of operation? And what about the modernisation of the system as most of them are now obsolete?

A: As the last few years have been difficult, we would like to thank everyone in the ERL team and YTL Construction for continuing their work. In terms of investment in required maintenance, it’s no problem — ERL has strong shareholders and a strong balance sheet.

 

Q: Will there be a safe way for staff in Menara YTL to walk out from the back of our building instead of walking down the ramp from Level 1 of the car park as cars are driving up?

A: For security reasons, you are meant to enter the building through the lobby. But if you are using the ramp, please be careful!

 

Q: Booster dose is mandatory for Sinovac recipients by the end of this month, what about Pfizer / AZ / other recipients? Is the deadline the end of this month as well?

A: Due to the Omicron variant, we encourage Pfizer / AZ / other recipients to get their booster doses as soon as possible in order to keep everyone safe.

 

Q: Will Menara YTL provide motorcycle parking for female riders?

A: We do have motorcycle parking available in Menara YTL. We will communicate with you directly to further clarify.

 

Q: KJNPP needs many engineers and supervisors for both C&S and M&E to help with the 5G rollout. Can HR help us to compile the list of available staff for internal hire?

A: HR will be able to handle that and the positions will be advertised through the internal job postings. Please don’t hesitate to volunteer!

 

Q: Do you feel OKR is a better model for goal setting and that it has improved morale by setting a healthy level of challenge for people? Would you recommend other companies in the Group to implement this?

A: We see that when reports are due, there is a big push and it incentivises people. For example, the HSE department was at 20% one quarter and bounced back to 100% the next quarter. If we can model this successfully, being able to say we became No. 1 with this method, we can probably roll it out to other companies as well.

 

Q: Can we use own laptop or do some reviews on laptop performance if it has been lagging and delaying work productivity? Opening a PDF file is taking minutes to get done.

A: Using your own laptop is not allowed. Some of these performance-related issues have been alleviated as the IT team has changed a lot of HDDs to SSDs. But if you are still having problems, please contact the IT helpdesk at https://helpdesk.ytl.com. We will be tracking all submitted issues and laptop performance as well.