“An Industrial Relations Officer acts as a bridge between the management and their workers. Our job is to promote and maintain a harmonious industrial relations climate in Singapore. In any negotiation, we always aim for a mutually acceptable settlement to any dispute between both parties, ”said Mr Lee.

Industrial Relations Officers are involved in discussions and negotiations about work practices, remuneration and any other working conditions. Handling redundancies require a lot of preparation, planning and consultation. Officers also have a part to play in disciplinary matters and grievances, both for individuals and groups, such as unfair dismissal or discrimination.

They also work very closely with union committees. “Basically we work very closely with them in their collective bargaining. Our job is to ensure that these rank-and-file workers receive fair terms and conditions of work.”

All in all, Mr Lee likes the fact that “this job is not so compartmentalized. There’s no hard-and-fast rule that the job scope is fixed all the way. We do ad hoc projects too, so it’s important to be able to think out of the box.”

He also added that candidates need a thorough, methodical and analytical approach to solving problems. It would be a plus if they were able to relate to work issues as well as have a good understanding of the economic and labour issues in Singapore. Should they possess some experience in industrial relations or people management, that would be very helpful as well.

“Do come in with an open mind. as long as you are open-minded, I’m sure you’ll be able to grow comfortable and enjoy the job, just like me,” concluded Mr Lee.