GMR Group's recruitment campaign in Singapore raises eyebrows

Singapore: With aviation infrastructure-based activities in the country on the rise, Indian companies are now seeking talent from elsewhere to fill up critical management slots on their projects. According to media reports, recruitment agencies are now looking at hiring experienced staff from the city-State's Changi airport to take on assignments in India.
 
Infrastructure giant GMR Group, leading the consortia tasked with building and running new airports in New Delhi and Hyderabad, has created waves in Singapore through a high profile campaign aimed at luring experienced staff to fill 15 key positions in airport management, operations and ground handling in India, according to The Straits Times. GMR has hired a recruitment agency to help it in its task and this has set the cat amongst the pigeons as far the city's aviation authorities are concerned.

According to the report, while foreign carriers such as Emirates regularly conduct pilot and cabin-crew recruitment exercises in Singapore, GMR is believed to be the first foreign airport operator to advertise for staff in the city-state in a significant way. Changi's reputed brand name is now attracting interested parties from across Asia, as airport development projects in India, the Middle East and China are coming up fast.

The report notes that as far as the city-State is concerned retaining good people in their jobs will is a growing challenge for companies, particularly those from the Middle East, have shown that they are prepared to 'over-pay' to attract good people.

Incidentally, GMR's recruitment drive comes at the same time as a pay-structure review by the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS). A CAAS spokesman told The Strait Times that salary reviews were a regular feature, done to ensure that remuneration packages 'are competitive in order that we can attract and retain talent.'

Analysts however warn that organizations needed to keep in mind that talent was prone to go to wherever the grass was greener.