IPOH: Bosses treating their employees better is also a form of corporate social responsibility (CSR).

PKT Logistics Group Sdn Bhd chief executive officer Datuk Michael Tio said company profits could be spent on employees.

“CSR is not just about giving money to charity and having your photo taken while doing it,” he said during the Star Outstanding Business Awards 2018 (SOBA) Lab at Mu Hotel here yesterday.

“Treating employees better is also a corporate social responsibility albeit an internal one,” he said, adding that such a move was part of his branding strategy to encourage the company’s growth.

Tio said the branding aspect was an indirect form of marketing, similar to how Google does it.

“Google uses its office to promote themselves and how cool they are. This inspires people and yet they are not selling products.

“It’s because of the way they take care of their employees that people support them,” he said, adding that he was using Facebook as a medium to brand his company.

Tio was one of the three panellists for the topic Technology – The Engine of Change.

The others are RHB group transaction banking head Chung Chee Kai and Digi business division chief business officer Eugene Teh.

Chung said cashless transactions would be the way forward for people and businesses in the near future.

He said all infrastructures for it would be ready by year’s end and that it would be more convenient and efficient.

“Going cashless is a national agenda. It would be a catalyst to increase economic growth.

“Bank Negara is trying to do away with cheques and bank drafts, as these are less productive compared to cashless payment systems,” he said.

Teh said Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) should start going digital as the average user spent about 14 hours on their mobile phone daily.

“For businesses, this provides a real opportunity to use the smartphone as a medium to engage with customers or to reach out to employees,” he said.

The other speakers at the event were Credit Guarantee Corp Malaysia Bhd Ipoh branch manager J. Punitha, Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (Matrade) Transfor­mation and Digital Trade Division senior manager Muhd Shahrulmiza Zakaria, Chriszen Malaysia Sdn Bhd managing director Mandy Leong and Googolplex Holdings Bhd group chief executive officer Christopher Liang.

SOBA 2018 is organised by The Star with Digi, PKT Logistics Group Sdn Bhd and RHB Bank Bhd as the main sponsors, Credit Guarantee Corporation as a co-sponsor, Matrade as an official trade promotion partner and New World Petaling Jaya Hotel as the official venue.

It is endorsed by the International Trade and Industry Ministry, supported by Bursa Malaysia and audited by BDO with 988, SuriaFM and dimsum as official media partners.