Managing Your Migrant Workers Just Got Easier with HouseTrac, the Latest HR Management Tool

In Singapore, migrant workers (or foreign workers) feature prominently in the Singaporean economy. They supplement the local workforce in almost every industry, be it construction, cleaning or hospitality. To ensure these workers’ basic needs such as housing are adequately taken care of, the Singapore Ministry of Manpower has set out housing guidelines for employers to follow. 

 

To help companies meet the guidelines and avoid penalties that could severely disrupt business operations, a team of five undergrads (four from Nanyang Technological University and one from Singapore Institute of Technology) have come together and created HouseTrac. HouseTrac is a unique migrant worker tracking system developed to cater to the specific needs of companies in tracking workers’ housing condition. HouseTrac promises convenience to employers through its online inspection of living quarters via the photos submitted by employees. Another useful feature is a two-way communication platform between the employer and the employees, allowing for easy updates of changes to house address and contact details. Employers are also able to manage inspection records to ensure compliance and be alerted to anomalies. To prevent any tempering of the system, HouseTrac uses multiple authentication methods, further setting it apart from other tracking platforms. 

 

HouseTrac started when the five undergrads, Hang Zhi Cheng, Loo Hong Chai, Chan Jun Yan, Tan Peng Hian and Han Yi Chou, decided to approach NTUitive, the innovation and enterprise company of NTU, to seek innovative opportunities to put their coding skills to good use. The idea behind HouseTrac came from an NTUitive mentor the team consulted with and before long, work started in June 2016. Fast forward five months, the team netted its first paying customer. A short three months later, its client base had expanded to include five-star hotels, fast food and biotech companies. 

 

Zhi Cheng has this to say, “The team had a lot of fun growing this start-up as it allows us to engage in a business venture other than being full-time students. It is certainly no easy task balancing the demands of studies and work. And this is where the spirit of gotong royong (local phrase of mutual help and sharing of burdens) comes in. Just because we are friends does not mean the journey is easy and smooth. We have our fair share of disagreements on how the business is run but the team is careful to ensure any disagreements are resolved positively by understanding each other’s position and to find a general consensus. As a result, the team grows closer together as we take on new challenges with renewed vigour.”