Ubisoft Singapore

[yishunite]

This investigation by Kotaku not seen anywhere in local news...

First they investigated the lowdown on why some Ubisoft game went to sh*t

https://kotaku.com/first-it-was-an-assassins-creed-expansion-now-its-ubis-1847326742

But then found out and expose a toxic office where Singaporeans paid far less than AMDK "talent":

https://kotaku.com/the-messy-stalled-reckoning-at-an-assassins-creed-co-d-1847336158

Quote

In exchange for setting up shop on the tropical island city state and hiring local talent, Singapore’s government would provide the French company with generous subsidies, according to three sources with knowledge of the agreement. Like the seventeen studios that came before it, Ubisoft Singapore would help the mega publisher churn out sequels for franchises like Assassin’s Creed. In return, local talent would be trained up, jumpstarting a new game development revolution in Singapore and eventually taking the reins of the growing studio themselves.

Years later, some say that hasn’t quite happened. Ubisoft soaked up the government subsidies while not paying some local junior developers enough to move out of their parents’ homes. Some would eventually filter out of the studio after gaining experience working on global blockbusters, while others who stayed were rarely promoted to the highest reaches of its managerial and creative departments. Some said the de facto arrangement could even give Ubisoft Singapore the feel of a colonial outpost in a country with a history of domination by European powers. 

...

For a number of positions on a government site that posts new jobs, four current and former developers told Kotaku that local employees might be paid just below the minimum salary range listed, while expats were paid somewhere in the middle, a difference that could add up to anywhere between $5,000 and $10,000 a year, or more in some instances.

“The salary gap between locals and expats was just insane,” one former developer said.

When confronted over these disparities, which several people described as a known issue, HR would chalk it up to different levels of experience or defend it on the grounds of different costs of living, they said. Singaporeans were more likely to live with their parents late into their 20s, so they could do without the raises, HR’s reasoning might go. This was an HR department primarily managed by local Singaporeans but beholden to the priorities of management and production, these developers said.

The funny thing is it doesn't sound like they interviewed any Singaporeans... Singkie pwn Singkie make colonial master happy

[ToyotaShuttle]

Quote

Ubisoft soaked up the government subsidies while not paying some local junior developers enough to move out of their parents’ homes. 

Isn't this pretty normal? Nothing to do with ubisoft. I bet many other MNCs or local companies also don't pay enough for fresh grads to move out of their parents' homes.

Quote

For a number of positions on a government site that posts new jobs, four current and former developers told Kotaku that local employees might be paid just below the minimum salary range listed, while expats were paid somewhere in the middle, a difference that could add up to anywhere between $5,000 and $10,000 a year, or more in some instances.

This is also very normal in any other company... expats always paid more than locals for doing the same job (after adding up all their perks). Got car, housing and private school.

10k difference per year is nothing la. maybe 10k diff a month?

[Watwheels]

"Years later, some say that hasn’t quite happened. Ubisoft soaked up the government subsidies while not paying some local junior developers enough to move out of their parents’ homes."

I LoL at this statement. That is not the reason why the local govt give out subsidies to businesses. Plus I dont think junior position of any sector pays ppl well enough for them to move out of their parents home. Anyway this is also not in the Asian culture. Have you seen the property prices in Singapore? Who the f write this sh!t? 🤣

 

[Sdf4786k]

3 hours ago, Watwheels said:

"Years later, some say that hasn’t quite happened. Ubisoft soaked up the government subsidies while not paying some local junior developers enough to move out of their parents’ homes."

I LoL at this statement. That is not the reason why the local govt give out subsidies to businesses. Plus I dont think junior position of any sector pays ppl well enough for them to move out of their parents home. Anyway this is also not in the Asian culture. Have you seen the property prices in Singapore? Who the f write this sh!t? 🤣

 

When you read such cr@p or speak of it even if its true or be it with strong observation skill, you be #tag xenophbic.

Use to be, singaporean go reservist, who take care of the running of important post when they are away?

Of course the widely known and feared expat curse does not help what many expat wives worried about when the husband has a singapore asignment for 2 years. The heavy lifting is distributed and done by locals.

And the singaporean maxim of no one owes u a living equals ...

why should i help my follow man to be better than me when i struggle for years to get to where i am

sort of also set us back into the dark stone age of me first .. OR

u have to look in the toilet mirror. There is where u find help.

So when i see such anomalies reported. I dont envy the amdk because we ourself are not united enough to climb out of this mess.

 

 

Edited July 23, 2021 by Sdf4786k

[Watwheels]

To me this bad mouthing of ubisoft seems to be coming from a disgruntled ex employee from the US. 

There are also no individual names mentioned. For "fear of ruining their career" blah blah blah BS. I mean why didnt the ex employee comprain to their MOM or labour ministry? Perhaps ubisoft is that bad, i dunno. But to me the story is very one-sided. I stopped reading up to the point what I have posted earlier. The sh!t about the company not paying ppl enough to move out of their parents' home BS. We know that sh!t doesnt happen here. It is very much a US culture. It is no point reading cos with no names of who these ex or current employees are who knows what is fake and what is not?

[yishunite]

Quote

Fair employment watchdog probes Ubisoft Singapore over alleged unfairness, sexual harassment

SINGAPORE - The national watchdog for fair employment practices is investigating the Singapore office of French video-game developer Ubisoft - of Assassin's Creed fame - over claims of sexual harassment and workplace discrimination.

This is even as the multinational corporation emphasised its commitment to developing local talent and said it has employed a third-party agency to handle workplace complaints and anonymous feedback from whistle-blowers.

The Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (Tafep) told The Straits Times last week that it received anonymous feedback on July 23 containing links to media articles about allegations of workplace harassment and unfair treatment at Ubisoft Singapore.

Tafep urged anyone with knowledge of any criminal conduct such as sexual harassment and assault to immediately report such incidents to the police.

Last month, video-game news site Kotaku published reports about sexual harassment and workplace discrimination at Ubisoft Singapore, based on interviews with over 20 current and former employees of the studio.

The firm has about 500 employees here, and it told Kotaku that 40 per cent of expert and senior expert roles are held by Singaporeans or permanent residents.

Asked about the allegations at a press event on Aug 6, Ubisoft Singapore managing director Darryl Long, who took over in January, said: "It's very important that we can talk about these things and that we acknowledge what's going on in our industry right now...

"We need to start to change the way we are perceived and the way we act internally as well."

A #MeToo movement has been sweeping across the video-game industry. Last month, Ubisoft was sued in France by a French worker union and former Ubisoft staff over accusations of "institutional harassment".

Earlier this month, a US fair employment government agency sued Call Of Duty and World Of Warcraft maker Activision Blizzard over alleged sexual harassment and discrimination against women that had gone on for years.

In Singapore, when Tafep investigates cases of discrimination and harassment, employers may be tasked to carry out an investigation through interviews with affected parties and witnesses, and to review documented evidence.

Tafep may also require them to implement new policies to prevent future incidents.

Workplace discrimination on the basis of issues like age, gender, race, religion and language could result in the Ministry of Manpower's (MOM) Fair Consideration Framework being breached, said Mr Ian Lim, head of employment and labour at TSMP Law Corporation.

If so, MOM could bar the company from applying for new work passes for foreign staff, or renewing existing ones, for between 12 and 24 months.

As most work passes are valid for two to three years before they must be renewed, this could have a serious impact on a company.

As for disputes between employees and the company, whether relating to salary issues or discrimination leading to wrongful dismissal, the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management would be the first port of call for mediating such disputes.

If the matter cannot be settled there, it will then be referred to the Employment Claims Tribunals, which can order compensation or reinstatement of dismissed employees.

Employees who felt forced to resign could also have a claim for constructive dismissal depending on the circumstances. Constructive dismissal refers to a situation where an employer intentionally makes working conditions for an employee difficult or unfair so that the employee feels forced to leave his job.

Mr Lim added that companies may also run the separate risk of breaching provisions under the Employment of Foreign Manpower Act if they falsely declare that they have considered and interviewed local job applicants, when in fact they have not done so. This can result in fines, or possibly even jail terms for company officers in egregious cases.

Where sexual misconduct involves criminal offences such as molestation, the police will investigate such offences reported, said litigation lawyer Amolat Singh.

Those found guilty can be fined and/or jailed, and, in some cases, caned too.

There could also be legal recourse under the Protection from Harassment Act for sexual misconduct, as well as workplace bullying, said Mr Singh, managing partner at Amolat & Partners.

There are two routes: The civil one involves legal actions such as suing the accused for damages or requesting a protection order. The criminal route needs a report to be filed with the police.

Criminal penalties include fines and/or jail.

Mr Singh said companies should report sexual harassment allegations to the police for investigation instead of handling it internally, to circumvent any situations of conflict of interest.

"Victims might feel there was unfairness, there were no proper investigations and nobody took their feedback seriously," he said of company investigations that find no wrongdoing was committed.

Incidents should be reported quickly too, while those involved can still remember key details. Questions will also be raised on why the report was not filed earlier and if there were other motives for the delay, said Mr Singh.

Ubisoft Singapore is not unionised. But the National Trades Union Congress said that workers in digital gaming companies can join as union members to be assisted on workplace issues.

"With the employees' and employers' support to have a union in their company, the union can play an important role in promoting good industrial relations between employees and employers," said a spokesman.

Singapore Human Resources Institute executive director Alvin Goh said that organisations that are not forward-looking in their HR practices might find themselves being left out of the talent market.

"With a less engaged workforce due to workplace issues, productivity will most likely drop and projects will get delayed," he said.

"It is important for business and HR leaders to address and prevent such workplace issues from occurring."

Mr Goh added that leaders play an important role in determining the culture of an organisation and it is important for organisations to develop a harassment prevention policy.

Workers should also be trained on workplace harassment and such training should be refreshed regularly.

"Every employee counts and organisations must provide a safe working environment for all employees," said Mr Goh.

When contacted about the allegations of discrimination, Ubisoft Singapore said it invested into a dedicated learning path to support Singaporeans and help staff take on leadership opportunities here.

"Compensation is determined by role, responsibility, market practices and performance," it said.

The company said that over the past year, it has implemented "significant and meaningful changes that seek to ensure a safe and inclusive work environment for all".

It includes training such as for anti-harassment and anti-discrimination, as well as mandatory safe workplace training for all current and new employees.

"Further training on providing feedback, as well as manager training on acting as a role model, have been progressively rolled out," the Singapore studio added.

Mr Long said the studio does not tolerate harassment, discrimination or misconduct of any kind.

Citing how it has hired a third-party agency to look into complaints, he added: "We have taken concrete action to formalise how misconduct is dealt with."

Ubisoft Singapore has also pledged to the Singapore Women In Tech government initiative to increase gender diversity and provide management opportunities to more women, who now form around half of the studio's leadership, he said.

"These are done to create a safe workspace."

He added: "I understand that Ubisoft Singapore has been mentioned in the news lately... I acknowledge that the studio has seen some challenges over the past decade and there is still work to be done about our studio culture."

Wayang begin liao