Leung Kai Fook Medical, the company behind the iconic Axe Brand Universal Oil,
has strengthened its HR practices to build a more employee-centric workplace.
From a business that began with one man distributing pamphlets to sell medicated oil, Leung Kai Fook (LKF) Medical has grown into an international company with products distributed in more than 50 countries worldwide. Behind this growth is a workforce of 160 employees whose dedication supports the continued success of the company’s iconic Axe Brand Universal Oil.
As its business expanded, LKF Medical recognised the need to strengthen its HR practices to support workforce growth, attract talent, and retain employees. Today, HR plays a strategic role in helping the company build a more structured, fair, and employee-centric workplace.
Ms Tracy Tang, HR Manager at LKF Medical, has been at the forefront of these efforts. “Our focus has always been on creating a workplace where employees feel valued, supported, and empowered to contribute their best,” she said.
Creating an Employee-Centric Workplace
To support employee engagement and retention, LKF Medical has enhanced its HR policies and systems over the years.
The company introduced clearer HR policies to provide employees with greater transparency on workplace guidelines and procedures. It also implemented a cloud-based HR system with a mobile application that allows employees to conveniently access payslips and submit leave applications, while improving administrative efficiency.
LKF Medical further revamped its performance management framework by incorporating both Key Performance Indicators and competency assessments. This enables employees to better understand performance expectations, align individual goals with business objectives, and identify opportunities for professional development.
In addition, the company organises regular employee engagement initiatives such as Quarterly Wellness Days, Movie Nights, and its annual Dinner and Dance to strengthen workplace relationships and foster a positive company culture.
“These initiatives help strengthen trust, engagement, and long-term commitment among employees, supporting both recruitment and retention efforts,” said Ms Tang.
LKF Medical’s staff at their annual Dinner and Dance.
Building HR Capabilities for Growth
Leung Kai Fook Medical’s HR Manager Ms Tracy Tang found the services included in a SNEF membership useful to her company.
Throughout its HR transformation, LFK Medical has drawn on the resources and expertise available through its long-standing membership with the Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF). A SNEF member since 1980, the company regularly taps SNEF’s workshops and training programmes to strengthen its HR capabilities. These programmes cover topics such as wrongful dismissal, flexible work arrangements, workplace health, and HR data management and reporting.
The HR team also relies on SNEF’s Salary and Benefits Reports for market insights and benchmarking data to ensure its people practices remain aligned with industry trends.
“SNEF has been our trusted first point of contact for HR guidance and updates. Their various programmes have strengthened our capabilities in workforce planning and policy development, enabling us to build a more structured, fair, and progressive workplace,” Ms Tang shared.
Establishing a Fair and Transparent Reward Framework
One of LKF Medical’s most significant HR initiatives was the implementation of a formal job grading and salary benchmarking framework with support from SNEF’s Centre for Labour Information & Analytics.
Previously, the company did not have a structured job grading system. This made it difficult to differentiate executive and non-executive roles, establish competitive compensation packages, and support objective promotion decisions. Salary decisions were largely guided by candidates’ last-drawn pay and internal salary comparisons.
Recognising the need for a more systematic approach, LKF Medical partnered SNEF to establish job grades, define clearer career pathways, and assess the competitiveness of its compensation structure.
The exercise involved reviewing and mapping roles against comparable industry positions, assigning job grades, and benchmarking salaries against market data. Based on the findings, salary ranges were developed for positions across the organisation.
“Throughout the process, the consultants were responsive, explained concepts clearly, and provided detailed rationale for their recommendations. We appreciated their structured approach, transparency, and the clarity they brought to the process,” said Ms Tang.
Following implementation, employees gained greater confidence in the fairness and transparency of the company’s compensation practices.
“The structured framework has strengthened employees’ trust in both the company and HR. Staff feel more assured that compensation decisions are fair and competitive, which has contributed positively to morale, engagement, and talent retention,” she added.
Looking Ahead
As the company expands into new markets and adapts to changing workforce expectations, LKF Medical plans to continue enhancing its HR practices to support employee development and engagement.
With the support of SNEF’s training, advisory and benchmarking services, the company is well-positioned to build a workforce that can support its next phase of growth.