19th June 2025, At Numb Restaurant 川麻记 in the heart of Marina One, the F&B and retail HR community gathered once again for StaffAny’s 15th edition of HR Happy Hour (HHH). This month’s session posed a big question: can Dinner & Dance (D&D) events and ‘cohesion’ really fix your retention problem?
Leading the discussion was Dr. Eugene Cheong, Senior Lecturer, HR Strategist, and Doctor of Business Administration, who brought decades of experience spanning global HR operations, postgraduate teaching, and performance strategy.
With stories that ranged from Singapore polytechnic performance appraisals to multinationals and even gym outlets, Dr. Cheong’s session offered a refreshing and reality-checked view of what really keeps employees around.
As always, StaffAny’s Janson Seah kicked off the evening with warmth and energy, giving shoutouts to new and familiar faces. Surrounded by spicy food and sparkling conversation, the mood was equal parts reflective and energised.
Is Retention IS NOT More Important than Recruitment and Training
The fireside chat kicked off with the question:
Is employee engagement and retention more important than recruitment or training?
Dr. Eugene shared that recruitment, retention, and training are part of a single process and are all equally important.
For example, he mentioned that getting talent acquisition right by finding people with a great attitude can be more effective than training alone. Those with the right attitude will benefit greatly from training while uncoachable employees won’t improve with any amount of training.
In the end, it’s about retaining high-quality recruits long enough to develop their skills. All three of these HR functions are vital, and none should be favoured over another.
Dinner and Dances Need to be Done with CARE
When asked to share a practical framework to guide retention strategies, Dr. Eugene shared the CARE framework:
- Connection can be as simple as a breakfast conversation that shows genuine interest.
- Authenticity means being vulnerable and creating space for honest dialogue.
- Recognition means giving someone a chance to shine, even on a small stage, which can have lasting impact.
- Engagement comes not from forced fun, but from feeling heard and valued.
When it comes to showing appreciation, Dinner and Dances and even simple sharing sessions can be effective as long as the heart behind the event is to authentically connect with the team and not just to fulfill KPIs.
Consistency matters when showing appreciation, but be careful not to do it too little or too frequently. Extravagant occasions are like a rare bouquet of 999 roses which is impressive but fleeting. But doing dinners and dances every year could also lead to people not appreciating them.
Instead, smaller, but more meaningful appreciative gestures can help employees feel more regularly seen, supported and celebrated which can improve retention.
A Community That Cares
The evening closed with heartfelt networking and new connections made between the night’s F&B and retail HR attendees. It was clear that the spirit of the community, like the CARE framework, isn’t about showy gestures but showing up to create meaningful connections.
Once again, a big thank you to our sponsor Odyssey, whose continued support makes HR Happy Hour possible.
If you’re interested in joining our next one, be the first to know by joining our waiting list below!
