Singapore - NatSteel Holdings may not be in "a very sexy industry" that attracts talent easily yet it still boasts one of the highest retention rates among its competitors. What's its secret?

While the current industry average could range in some years from 14% to even 20%, the steel provider has been keeping its attrition rate at a stable 9%-10%. NatSteel Holdings' senior vice president of group human resource and corporate communications Liu Fang Joo says, "It's really not easy for a company like us because we are in the steel industry. There's heavy manufacturing. It's not a very sexy industry to be in."

Furthermore, the company and its manufacturing plant are located in industrial Jurong, which is another disadvantage when attracting staff. Hence, Liu believes part of this successful staff retention can be attributed to the workplace health programmes the company committed itself to eight years ago. "We don't want to be jack of all trades and master of none. We want to find their concerns and then target activities to them."

To date, NatSteel has its own in-house clinic and medical facilities at the plant. Employees are given health incentives if they meet health targets and they are provided with healthy food at the staff canteen. There is also a conscious plan to grow trees to beautify the plant and smoking areas were isolated to help smokers quit. Liu says, "After a while, they find it difficult to smoke if they have to walk too far."

While the downturn has yet affected the work-life budget, Liu says HR is "a bit more careful" on what it spends the money on. But it helps that employees would co-share activity costs by paying a small percentage of the total enrolment fee such as paying $20 for weekly in-house aerobics sessions.

Not only does it encourage employees to be responsible for their own health, Liu says it also reduces wastage. "We want to encourage co-responsibility for what they use as well. If not, people might sign up for things and they don't turn up."