Air-con boss spends over $6k to fly workers' families to Singapore for Christmas
While December is the busiest time of the year for air-conditioning companies, one employer decided to make the festive season extra meaningful for his migrant workers.
Stomper Hermes Xhika, the owner of Lion City Air Conditioner Services, told Stomp he arranged for two of his Bangladeshi technicians' families to fly to Singapore so they could reunite over Christmas and New Year.
The 33-year-old Albanian who moved to Singapore in 2014 said December is usually impossible for his workers to take leave as it is the industry's peak period.
Most of them spend the entire year in Singapore away from their loved ones.
"This year, I wanted to do something special," he said. "Instead of letting them celebrate Christmas alone again, I decided to fly their families to Singapore."
Mr Xhika said watching the technicians hug their spouses and children after months of separation was emotional for everyone present.
"As a boss, I believe good work comes from a good heart," he said.
"Our workers take care of Singapore homes every day so this Christmas, I wanted to take care of theirs," he said.
He shared that two families, totalling four people, were flown in. They will stay in Singapore through the festive season until January.
Mr Xhika said that although his company is small, he tries to give benefits that go beyond the minimum required for migrant workers.
He said his Bangladeshi workers are given 14 days of annual leave and the company sponsors their air tickets when they choose to return home.
In cases where workers prefer not to travel, their families can instead take turns visiting Singapore, with the company helping to apply for the necessary visas.
The arrangement cost the company more than $6,000, including flights and visa applications.
Mr Xhika, who jokes that customers know him as "the ang mo air-con guy", said Lion City Air Conditioner Services grew from a one-man business during the Covid-19 period to more than $1.5 million in annual sales today.
"To me it's very simple — we work as a team and come together as one big family," he said. "Without my hardworking workers, there would be no LionCity."
He added that he hopes more employers in Singapore will consider doing something similar for their migrant workers, or at least allow them to return home annually to visit their parents and children.
"I strongly believe that if you treat workers well, they will work with their hearts for you — not just as workers, but as family," he said.
"I hope this brings some festive cheer to others too."
