Jakarta, Indonesia, Feb 10, 2022 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - DBS, Olam International and Marriott Vacations Club Worldwide have emerged as Indonesia's Best Employers in 2021, according to Kincentric's premium assessment that identifies organisations who demonstrated outstanding people practices and workplace excellence.DBS has earned the honours for the third consecutive year, Marriott Vacations Club for the second time in the last three years, while Olam International is a first-time winner. These companies are leading the way by creating engaging environments fostering organisational agility while building engaging leaders.Companies were evaluated against four research-based elements that are key to accelerating success: Employee Engagement, Organisational Agility, Talent Focus and Engaging Leadership. Kincentric Best Employers in Indonesia were found to be excelling in those areas. Success Factors According to Kincentric's insights, Top Quartile companies are 20% points stronger on Agility scores, and 14% points more committed on Engaging Leadership as compared to their peers. This clearly demonstrates the importance of keeping people at the centre of all business decisions. In his congratulatory remarks to the Best Employers in Indonesia, Andrew How - Market Leader for Kincentric in Indonesia & Singapore, said, "The pandemic has significantly changed the nature of work and employee expectations at the workplace. It has brought about a fundamental shift in the way companies and their HR functions operate, accelerating the need for an adaptable and agile workforce to bolster business success. Kincentric Best Employers have consistently risen to these challenges and provided a first-class employee experience to their people along the way. It is this laser sharp focus on people that enables Kincentric Best Employers to be able to meet the ever-changing nature of work and evolving employees' aspirations."Trends from the 2021 Assessment:- Confidence level among employees at the Top Quartile companies is significantly high as compared to their peers. These companies are 17% points better when it comes to investing in new ideas for future success, 13% points above on customer responsiveness and as well as having a work environment that is diverse and inclusive. - On the personal development front, employees working in the Top Quartile organisations rated them higher by 14% points in supporting their career & development goals and 16% points ahead in terms of managing their strengths and improvement areas.- Leadership among the Top Quartile companies is also rated to be highly engaging by their employees with Senior Leadership being rated more than 10% points above in recognising efforts and results, and in being able to provide clear direction about the future as well as in owning responsibility for solutions. Commenting on their third consecutive year of recognition, Aries NP Sunu, Country Head of HR, PT Bank DBS Indonesia said, "Being recognised as Kincentric's Best Employer for three consecutive years is indeed another testament to the continuous effort at DBS Indonesia in constantly improving our employee journey and experience. This award serves as a continuous reminder that we need to consistently improve our performance, working culture, and engagement for our people to be the best, be the change, and be the difference."Dedev Parulian, Head of HR, Olam Indonesia, PNG, and Timor said, "It is a proud moment being assessed among Indonesia's Best Employers. Olam Indonesia has put in great efforts to create the best working place and environment for our employees, especially in terms of building People Capabilities and Fostering High-Performance Culture. These HR best practices have also enabled us to build and maintain a high level of Employee Engagement."Kincentric's global research has shown that given the present challenges around talent retention, employees who do not see good career opportunities or agree with their organisation's response to their well-being are four times more likely to leave. Copyright 2022 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)
HONG KONG, Dec 17, 2021 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Demonstrating organizational agility, leadership transformation and a high level of employee engagement, DBS and Hilti have been named as 2021 Best Employers in Hong Kong, according to Kincentric's premium assessment that identifies organisations who demonstrate outstanding people practices and workplace excellence. Employee Engagement, Organisational Agility, Engaging Leadership and Talent Focus were the key attributes assessed. Kincentric identifies Best Employers that are in the Top Quartile and research shows that excelling across these four areas leads to better business results. According to Kincentric's insights, the Hong Kong's Best Employers are 24%* stronger on Employee Engagement, 26%* better on Organisational Agility, 19%* committed on Engaging Leadership and 27%* focussed on Talent. This clearly demonstrates a high level of decisive and agile people centric business decisions that these organisations have had to take through the pandemic. Stephen Hickey, Regional Leader for APAC at Kincentric said, "We are in the midst of a talent evolution that's shaping the future of work. Kincentric's Hong Kong Best Employers have demonstrated excellence in the workplace, by creating differentiated employee experiences and agile, inclusive cultures leading to stronger, more sustainable business results."According to Kincentric employee research data, only 5 in 10 employees feel their organization is attracting or retaining the people they need to achieve business goals; 11 percentage point declines in favourable perceptions of senior leaders demonstrating care and concern for employees; and only 55% of employees seeing strong career development opportunities for high performers.Globally there is increased talent mobility, greater difficulty for organisations to attract and retain the talent they need, challenges in giving people the work / life balance they desire, and many leaders struggling to paint a clear vision for the future of their company that is inspiring, engaging and motivating. Given the present challenges around talent retention, employees who do not see good career opportunities and organization's response to their well-being are four times more likely to leave.The Kincentric Best Employers 2021 marks 21 years of the Best Employers program. The brand has evolved since starting as Hewitt Best Employers, becoming Aon Hewitt Best Employers to Aon Best Employers and since 2019 to Kincentric Best Employers.* Indicates % higher than their peersAbout KincentricKincentric, a Spencer Stuart company, helps organisations unlock the power of people and teams to ignite change and drive better business results. With decades of experience and specialist expertise in areas such as culture, employee engagement, leadership assessment and development, HR and talent advisory, and diversity, equity and inclusion, we use data-driven insights to architect solutions that add value, enhance agility and increase organizational effectiveness. For more information, visit kincentric.com. Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)
SINGAPORE - Employers can look forward to the next tranche of Wage Credit Scheme (WCS) payouts in March next year. To qualify, they will have to pay the mandatory Central Provident Fund (CPF) contributions on this year's wages for their qualifying employees to the CPF Board by Jan 14, said the Ministry of Finance and the Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore on Friday (Dec 17). The move is part of the Government's efforts to support businesses in transformation and share productivity gains with workers. More than $2 billion in wage credits have been disbursed to employers during the pandemic so far, said the authorities. This includes the $940 million in WCS payouts to more than 98,000 employers in March this year. To qualify for the upcoming tranche, employers must have given Singapore citizen employees, who earned a gross monthly wage of up to $5,000, a wage increase of at least $50 this year, and/or have sustained the salary rise (at least $50) previously given to employees in 2019 and/or last year. The payouts in March will be credited directly to employers' registered bank accounts through PayNow Corporate or Giro. Employers who have not set up a PayNow Corporate account or registered for Giro are advised to do so by the end of February next year to receive their payouts in March. The WCS, which co-funds wage increases, was introduced in 2013 as a three-year scheme and then extended to 2020. In Budget 2021, it was extended by another year at a co-funding level of 15 per cent to further support wage increments and help companies build up their local workforce and emerge stronger from Covid-19. This followed earlier enhancements to the scheme in 2020's first Unity Budget, when government co-funding of qualifying wage increases in 2019 and 2020 were raised by five percentage points to 20 per cent and 15 per cent respectively. The gross monthly wage ceiling for employees was also raised from $4,000 to $5,000 for both years, enabling more to qualify for the wage credit. More on this topic Related Story Tax collection down by 7.3% last FY; $28.2 billion in grants given out by Iras Related Story In pursuit of resilience: Disasters, disruptions teach us that efficiency alone is not good enough
Singapore, Dec 14, 2021 – (ACN Newswire) – DBS and Olam International Limited have been named as Regional Best Employers in 2021 for the Asia Pacific region, according to Kincentric’s premium assessment that identifies organisations who demonstrate outstanding people practices and workplace excellence. DHL Express (Middle East), The Wawanesa Mutual Insurance Company and Intact Financial Corporation (North America) and Marriott Vacations Worldwide (Europe) are among the other regional Kincentric Best Employers, after getting recognized in multiple markets. Among the Regional Best Employers in APAC, DBS has been recognised as a Best Employer across China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, UK and USA. Olam International Limited has been identified as a Best Employer across Vietnam, Indonesia, Thailand and China. Kincentric Best Employers assessment looks at organisational excellence across critical people factors – employee engagement, organisational agility, engaging leadership and talent focus – leveraging the most objective measure possible – employee opinion. It identifies firms that demonstrate excellence in the workplace, by creating differentiated employee experiences and agile, inclusive cultures leading to stronger, more sustainable business results. Stephen Hickey, Regional Leader for APAC at Kincentric said, “We are in the midst of a talent evolution that’s shaping the future of work. Kincentric’s Regional Best Employers have worked towards achieving greater Employee Engagement, Organisational Agility, Talent Focus and Engaging Leadership. Research shows that they are differentiating through people practices, retaining key talent and leadership transformation.” According to Kincentric employee research data, only 5 in 10 employees feel their organization is attracting or retaining the people they need to achieve business goals; 11 percentage point declines in favourable perceptions of senior leaders demonstrating care and concern for employees; and only 55% of employees seeing strong career development opportunities for high performers. Globally there is increased talent mobility, greater difficulty for organisations to attract and retain the talent they need, challenges in giving people the work / life balance they desire, and many leaders struggling to paint a clear vision for the future of their company that is inspiring, engaging and motivating. Given the present challenges around talent retention, employees who do not see good career opportunities and organization’s response to their well-being are four times more likely to leave. The Kincentric Best Employers 2021 marks 21 years of the Best Employers program. The brand has evolved since starting as Hewitt Best Employers, becoming Aon Hewitt Best Employers to Aon Best Employers and since 2019 to Kincentric Best Employers.
Singapore, Dec 10, 2021 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - DBS and Woh Hup (Private) Limited have emerged as Singapore's Best Employers in 2021, according to Kincentric's premium assessment that identifies organisations who demonstrate outstanding people practices and workplace excellence.While DBS has been named Kincentric Best Employer for the sixth time in Singapore and across Asia Pacific, home-grown construction firm, Woh Hup (Private) Limited has been recognised for the first time. These two companies are particularly leading the way by creating engaging environments fostering organisational agility and building engaging leaders.Companies were evaluated against four research-based elements that are key to accelerating success: Employee Engagement, Organisational Agility, Talent Focus and Engaging Leadership. Kincentric identifies Best Employers that are in the Top Quartile and research shows that excelling across these four areas leads to better business results. Across each of the four parameters, the difference between the Top Quartile and their peers was at least 10 percentage points or more.Engaging Leadership, Agility & Talent Focus Trump Engaging Leadership, Organisational Agility and Talent Focus feature as the key factors that have enabled Singapore's Best Employers to do exceptionally well. According to Kincentric's insights, these Top Quartile companies are 10%* stronger on Engaging Leadership scores, 12%* better on Organisational Agility and 11%* committed on Talent Focus. This clearly demonstrates decisive and agile people centric business decisions that organisations have had to take through the pandemic. Andrew How, Market Leader, Kincentric Singapore, said, "The last two years have been like no other and this pandemic has significantly changed the nature of work. Kincentric Best Employers distinguish themselves based on how well they rise to these challenges and provide a first-class employee experience to their people along the way. The strength of their people practices is what positions Kincentric Best Employers to be able to meet the ever-changing nature of work and evolving employees' aspirations."Special Recognition for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I)For the first time, Kincentric introduced a Special Recognition Award for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion best practices. DBS, Atkins Design Engineering Consultants Pte Ltd (a member of the SNC-Lavalin Group) and MSD International GmbH (Singapore Branch) have been recognised in this category for their development of diverse, equitable and inclusive work cultures, and have created a safe and inclusive space for their employees. When evaluated, these organisations were found to have exemplified a robust and formal organisational approach towards DE&I, and were able to build an alignment between Employees, Managers and Leaders. Special Recognition for Social Service SectorTo highlight the best people centric organisations in this sector, the Kincentric Best Employers 2021 assessment has provided a Special Recognition to: AMP Singapore, Halogen Foundation (Singapore), Lutheran Community Care Services Ltd and TOUCH Community Services Ltd, for their contributions to the Social Service Sector this year. The assessment was based on a methodology to understand how well these firms engaged with their employees and demonstrated Best Employers' attributes. To qualify, Employee Engagement scores had to be on par or higher than those belonging in the Top Quartile. Trends from 2021 assessment - The current pandemic has accelerated the megatrends of digitalisation and fundamentally shifted how organisations work. The 2021 employee engagement data from Singapore validates that Top Quartile companies tend to fare better in Change Management (12%*) and their Senior Leadership have a much higher standing (17%*). - In addressing more complex business issues arising from greater levels of ambiguity and uncertainty, Top Quartile companies put in place interventions to establish a better brand in the community (14%*), practical learning programs (13%*), create psychological safety for their employees (13%*), provide better workplace flexibility (12%*) and managers are effective at developing a positive team atmosphere (11%*). - Kincentric has also found that Top Quartile companies do better in engaging the younger generations, notably the Geriatric Millennials (Age 35 to 44) (14%*) and Gen Z (12%*). Kincentric's global research has also shown that given the present challenges around talent retention, employees who do not see good career opportunities or agree with their organisation's response to their well-being are four times more likely to leave.Congratulating this year's Kincentric Best Employers, Mr. Andrew How, said, "These are challenging times. Leading organisations have demonstrated agility to respond effectively to disruptions while being connected to the needs of their employees. Look around your organisation today and you'll observe ways of working that are quite different to only a few years ago. This ability to stay agile to meet the demands of external customers and internal staff is a defining characteristic of Kincentric Best Employers."* Indicates % higher than their peers Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)
SINGAPORE - Employees who made claims for owed salaries or wrongful dismissal between April last year and March this year managed to recover $13 million in total from their employers. About 93 per cent of the 4,556 employees who made claims fully recovered their salaries or received compensation from their employers. Their cases were resolved at the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management (TADM) and the Employment Claims Tribunals. This was revealed by the Tripartite Alliance Limited (TAL) on Monday (Oct 18) in its annual report for the year ended March 31. Workers who want to make a wrongful dismissal claim must first undergo mediation with their employers at TADM. If this is unsuccessful, they will be referred to the Employment Claims Tribunals. In the previous financial year, TADM recovered around $16 million in salaries owed to employees in Singapore, with about 91 per cent of employees who filed claims fully recovering their salaries. The TAL was set up by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), National Trades Union Congress and Singapore National Employers Federation in 2016. It oversees TADM, the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (Tafep), and the Workplace Safety and Health Council. TAL said it has changed the way it engaged employers and employees amid the Covid-19 pandemic. TADM conducted advisory and mediation services through e-platforms and over the phone, assisting about 18,000 employees, self-employed persons and employers. MOM also enhanced the Short-Term Relief Fund in April last year. The fund is operated by TADM and provides financial help to lower-income local workers whose employers are unable to pay their salaries due to business failure. Support was increased from up to one month's salary, capped at $1,000 previously, to up to two months' salary with a cap of $4,600. The initiative now covers half of the workforce, up from 20 per cent before the enhancement. Meanwhile, Tafep engaged employers who were carrying out retrenchments to help them do so in line with tripartite advisories. It also helped to resolve disputes relating to retrenchment benefits. The unit managed twice the number of complaints, inquiries and feedback in the latest financial year, compared with the previous one. More on this topic Related Story Employment disputes to be fully managed online by 2023 Related Story Mediation a 'first, necessary' step to tackle workplace discrimination, even with new laws: Koh Poh Koon More than 10,000 companies adopted at least one tripartite standard, benefiting over one million employees. "In particular, more employers adopted the tripartite standard on flexible work arrangements following the announcement of the Enhanced Work-Life Grant to sustain the use of these arrangements during and beyond the pandemic," said TAL. The grant provides eligible companies with $2,000 for every local worker on flexi-work per year and $3,500 per local, full-time PMET (professional, manager, executive and technician) employee on job-sharing arrangements, subject to caps. The Workplace Safety and Health Council also shifted its engagement efforts online by organising e-forums and webinars which included topics such as safe management measures for businesses. Nearly 38,000 companies joined the BizSafe programme, which aims to help companies build workplace safety and health capabilities. TAL chairman Stephen Lee said that like many organisations, TAL's operations were also affected by the pandemic and it needed to quickly change the way it worked. He said in the report: "This meant that we had to disrupt some established work processes and find new ways to reach out to our customers... With a motivated and passionate workforce, I am confident that TAL is well placed to overcome the challenges brought by the pandemic, no matter how it continues to evolve." More on this topic Related Story Fair employment guidelines to become law, new tribunal to deal with workplace discrimination
SINGAPORE - More than 43,900 employers will receive JSS payouts totalling over $900 million from Sept 30 under the Jobs Support Scheme (JSS) to support the wages of over 570,000 local employees. With this payout, more than $27.6 billion in JSS support would have been disbursed since the introduction of the scheme at the Unity Budget in February 2020, said the Ministry of Finance (MOF) and Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (Iras) in a statement released on Tuesday (Sept 21). Employers who have made mandatory CPF contributions for their local employees for the months of April to July 2021 by the stated deadlines will qualify for the payouts. The September payouts will cover wages from April to July 2021, and include the enhanced JSS payouts during the phase two and three (heightened alert) periods in July and August. The four-month payout coverage is higher than the usual three-month coverage to provide cashflow support to firms affected by the protracted crisis, said the MOF and Iras. The payout for wages paid after July 31 will be disbursed in December 2021. Eligible employers will be notified by post of their payout amount later this month. They can also log-in to myTax Portal to view the electronic copy of their letter. Employers who have registered for PayNow Corporate as at Sept 24, 2021 or have existing Giro arrangements with Iras can expect to receive the JSS payouts from Sept 30. Other employers will receive their cheques from Oct 15. Fitness chain Gymmboxx, which has seven gyms across the island, welcomed the payouts. "Increasing the scope of coverage would be ideal, but during this period of economic uncertainty, any help, big or small will go a long way," said its spokesman Sarina Goh on Tuesday. "JSS was a big help in retaining our staff, as we did not introduce any salary reduction schemes amid months of zero revenue. At the same time, we were able to send our staff for courses to further enhance their skills in coaching and sports science." Literary non-profit organisation Sing Lit Station (SLS), which has five full-time employees and one part-time worker, also benefited from the JSS. Between October 2020 and July 2021, SLS engaged three trainees under the SGUnited Traineeships Programme. "JSS along with the SGUnited Traineeship Programme enabled SLS to retain its staff and convert one of the trainees to a full-time position, while creating new opportunities for them," said its spokesman. More on this topic Related Story $1.1b Covid-19 relief package for firms and workers in S'pore Related Story New task force to help S'pore workers get jobs in 10 key sectors $23 million in payouts withheld for review About $23 million in JSS payouts for September 2021 are being withheld from 500 employers, as part of Iras' anti-gaming efforts to ensure that payouts are fairly and correctly disbursed. This is pending their review and submission of supporting documents to Iras to substantiate their eligibility. These 500 employers make up about 1.1 per cent of all qualifying employers for the payouts. Employers will receive their payouts once Iras has verified the authenticity and accuracy of the information submitted. Their payouts would be adjusted or denied if issues are found during the review. MOF and Iras reminded employers to contribute the right amount of CPF for their employees, based on actual wages paid. Employers' CPF contributions are used to determine the amount of JSS payout. Other than having their JSS payouts denied, offenders can be charged under Section 420 of the Penal Code and face up to 10 years of imprisonment and a fine. Businesses or individuals who wish to report any malpractices or potential abuses of the JSS may do so by e-mail at jssreport@iras.gov.sg or online at the website. More information on the scheme can be found at the Iras website. More on this topic Related Story SGUnited traineeship and attachment schemes benefit 9,500 job seekers Related Story Govt has recovered $250m of JSS grants that it wrongly disbursed: Chan Chun Sing
PETALING JAYA, MALAYSIA, Aug 24, 2021 - (ACN Newswire via SEAPRWire.com) - Kitakerja.my, a social initiative focusing on matching Malaysian jobseekers in the Bottom-40 ("B40") income bracket to domestic employers, is calling for more Malaysians to join hands in building an ecosystem of jobseekers and employers while at the same time assisting in the economic recovery one job at a time.From left: Co-founder Mohd Nizam Abdul Rahim, and Co-founder Choong En Han.Kitakerja.my is the brainchild of two young Malaysians pooling their resources together to help fellow Malaysians in the B40 bracket who lost their jobs.Kitakerja.my co-founder Choong En Han said, "Over the past 18 months, our whole nation has been focused on two numbers, COVID-19 new cases and death rates, but there is another number that has slipped into our lives without many people realizing it, and that is the nation's unemployment rate."There are more than 770,000 unemployed Malaysians now in the country according to the Department of Statistics June 2021 report. It was also reported that about 100,000 Malaysians lost their jobs in 2020 due to the pandemic, according to former Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri M. Saravanan in a report dated Dec. 9, 2020."We started kitakerja.my to give unemployed Malaysians primarily in the B40 income bracket a platform in which they can be matched to jobs offered by employers. Jobs have become scarcer given all the lockdowns we have endured since March 2020. Together with employers and jobseekers, we can assist each other while in our own way, help the economy to recover and progress, one job at a time," Choong explained."We have seen firsthand how severely businesses have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Retrenching employees is always the last resort for any business. We want to do our part in helping Malaysians affected by the pandemic to rebuild their lives, particularly those in the B40 group who are most vulnerable to financial shocks," Choong added, "We need to act now and be a part of the solution and be the movement for a better Malaysia, otherwise, Malaysian household income levels will continue to deteriorate."Mohd Nizam Abdul Rahim, fellow co-founder who mooted the initiative with Choong, said, "Our resources are limited, and we really need the help of fellow Malaysians who have the skills to help us build, promote and develop this initiative. Currently, kitakerja.my is matching jobseekers and employers manually but we are seeking solutions to automate the process.""We are inviting tech-based experts, trainers and Malaysians in general to become a part of this movement. If you have the skills and ideas to make kitakerja.my a better platform to help Malaysians in need, please talk to us. Your contribution can also be as simple as sharing our website kitakerja.my or message via WhatsApp to keep the conversation going.""Many are suffering silently, but it should not be this way. Malaysians should come together this time with the aim to rebuild the nation as we celebrate the country's 64th National Day. Hopefully employers that are hiring could give our fellow Malaysians a chance in getting employed. With jobseekers being employed, the multiplier effect of increased private consumption would be kickstarted and ultimately everyone wins in the country," Nizam said.Besides matchings for B40 jobseekers, kitakerja.my also has plans to make them more employable through training and development programmes in which vocational skills will be emphasized.Kitakerja.my is a nation-building and social initiative by Malaysians for Malaysians. Kitakerja.my will be a social enterprise once all the infrastructure is in place. Choong and Nizam are open to discussing possibilities that can help B40 jobseekers upskill or reskill. #jomkitakerjabersamaPlease contact the below for more information:Choong En HanTel: +60 12-540 8338Email: han@kitakerja.my Copyright 2021 ACN Newswire. All rights reserved. (via SEAPRWire)
SINGAPORE- A Singaporean who attended a job interview with a multinational corporation was once asked about his two years of national service with the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF). The question of the foreign human resources manager was: "You wrote in your curriculum vitae that you spent two years with the SAF; what is SAF?" This story was related by NTUC deputy secretary-general Chee Hong Tat, who spoke on Thursday (July 22) at a virtual masterclass event by Human Capital Singapore on key trends impacting Singapore's economy. Mr Chee said an important factor that affects the "lived experiences" of local workers is how their employers and HR managers treat them at work. "These experiences are powerful in shaping perceptions, more so than our policy explanations and statistics. When the emotions in our hearts feel different from the logic in our heads, most people will follow their hearts. It is what makes us human," he added. "As a proud NSman who had served and defended his country, it was hurtful for him to be asked 'What is SAF?'." The anecdote illustrates the limitations of a foreign HR manager who is not familiar with Singapore, he said. Meanwhile, good HR practices - including working closely with unions - ought to be recognised, added Mr Chee. There is already a differentiation for such employers versus those with poor HR records who do not put in effort to develop their local workforce. But it could be more explicit, he said, and suggested that this could be done by giving the former more favourable consideration when it comes to government tenders, projects, and grants. He cited how the Land Transport Authority, in its bus package tenders, specified that "maintaining harmonious union-management relations" is one of the factors considered in evaluating the bids from participating companies. This gives a clear and direct incentive for public transport operators to forge a strong relationship with the National Transport Workers' Union, said Mr Chee, who is also Senior Minister of State for Transport. "Good employers who invest in building a strong Singaporean core and develop strong tripartite relations add social value, and we should recognise their contributions in tangible ways by giving them a competitive advantage." A more explicit differentiated approach will "allow us to take firm action against the small minority of black sheep," he added. "This will set the correct tone and the right set of incentives for companies and employers to support the larger social and economic objectives we want to achieve in Singapore."
SINGAPORE - More than 140,000 employers will receive Jobs Support Scheme (JSS) payouts totalling more than $2.2 billion from June 30. This will support the wages of more than two million local employees, said the Ministry of Finance (MOF) and Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (Iras) in a statement released on Tuesday (June 22). With this payout, more than $26.7 billion in JSS support would have been disbursed since the introduction of the scheme at the Unity Budget in February 2020. Employers who have made mandatory CPF contributions for their local employees for the months of January to March 2021 by the stipulated deadlines will qualify to receive the payout, said the MOF and Iras. For the payout in June, employers in the aviation, aerospace and tourism sectors will receive 50 per cent support for the first $4,600 of gross monthly wages paid in January, February and March 2021. Those in food services, retail, arts and entertainment, land transport, built environment, and marine and offshore sectors will receive 30 per cent support for wages paid during the same period. Employers in all other sectors — excluding biomedical sciences, precision engineering, electronics, financial services, information and communications technology, media, postal and courier, online retail, and supermarkets and convenience stores — will receive 10 per cent support. Eligible employers will be notified by post of their payout amount later this month. They can also log in to myTax Portal to view the electronic copy of their letter. Employers who have registered for PayNow Corporate by June 25, 2021, or have existing Giro arrangements with Iras, can expect to receive the JSS payouts from June 30. Other employers will receive their cheques from July 5. As announced earlier, to help businesses during phases two and three (heightened alert), the JSS will be enhanced to support sectors that have been significantly affected by the safe management measures from May 16 to July 11. Sectors which are significantly affected will receive 50 per cent support for this period. Other sectors that are affected will receive 30 per cent support for the period of restrictions, and 10 per cent support thereafter from July 12 to 25. Details of qualifying sectors can be found at this website. The enhanced payout will be disbursed in September. More on this topic Related Story Govt extends Jobs Support Scheme by up to 6 months Related Story Retail, construction, arts and F&B firms welcome wage support, but need more help MOF and Iras reminded employers in their statement to contribute the right amount of CPF for their employees, based on actual wages paid. "Employers' CPF contributions are used to determine the amount of JSS payout. The penalties for any attempt to abuse the JSS are severe," they said. Other than having their JSS payouts denied, offenders can be charged under Section 420 of the Penal Code and face up to 10 years' imprisonment and a fine. Businesses or individuals who wish to report any malpractices or potential abuses of the JSS may do so by e-mail to jssreport @ iras.gov.sg or online at this website. As part of the checks for JSS eligibility, a small number of employers will receive letters from Iras asking them to conduct a self-review of their CPF contributions and to provide declarations or documents to substantiate their eligibility for JSS payouts. Their June 2021 payouts will be withheld pending the self-review and verification by Iras and disbursed after the completion of the review. More information on the scheme can be found at this website. More on this topic Related Story What will happen to some firms when wage subsidies under Jobs Support Scheme end Related Story Some S'pore companies fear they won't survive without wage support scheme
SINGAPORE - The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on jobs would have been worse if not for the strong three-way partnership between the government, unions and employers, said Manpower Minister Josephine Teo in her May Day Message on Tuesday (April 27). The tripartite partnership allowed the swift implementation of measures to cut costs and save jobs, she added. In particular, the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) exemplified the value of "constructive unionism" as it had in past crises, calling on employers and workers to rally together to sustain businesses and save jobs, said Mrs Teo. "Where employers have exhausted ways of cutting business costs in other areas, the unions worked with employers on necessary measures to manage excess manpower, including wage cuts necessary to avoid retrenchments," she noted. "Employers too helped to preserve jobs and maintain a strong Singaporean core even if they had to restructure." Mrs Teo said NTUC also launched the NTUC Care Fund (Covid-19) to provide a one-off $300 financial assistance to distressed union members. For self-employed persons, NTUC launched a training fund to provide them with an allowance while they underwent skills courses. It also administered the Self-Employed Person Income Relief Scheme. "These initiatives, together with NTUC's ability to work closely with unions, workers, employers and the Government to implement changes quickly, helped cushion the impact of the crisis," added Mrs Teo. Singapore is fortunate that this "strong spirit of tripartism" complemented the Government's efforts to cushion the impact of the pandemic, she said. "We have seen how it was not straightforward for countries to get tripartite consensus on crisis measures," said the minister. "For instance, in France, unions called for a nationwide strike to denounce the French government's pandemic response, disrupting essential services for many citizens." Going forward, Mrs Teo said the Government must always seek to be pro-worker and pro-business at the same time, to strengthen Singapore's tripartism. It is also in everyone's interest to identify opportunities that will help both businesses and workers emerge stronger from the crisis, such as expanding the coverage of the Progressive Wage Model for more essential workers, she added. NTUC, which celebrates its 60th anniversary this year, has continued to champion worker causes through updated approaches, said Mrs Teo. For example, its Job Security Council leverages on the labour movement's networks to help those displaced from work to find new jobs quickly. NTUC's Company Training Committees have also helped bridge reskilling efforts for workers and business transformation plans, she added. "Together with employers and the Government, NTUC is building a more resilient workforce that is ready for the future," she said. More on this topic Related Story $4m boost for Singapore workers left in lurch when businesses fail Related Story Trade unionist awarded for efforts to protect, encourage transport workers amid Covid-19 Keep workplace safety a priority: SNEF Employers must continue to stay vigilant and keep workplace safety and health as one of their priorities, amid a spike in workplace incidents earlier this year, said Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF) president Robert Yap. In his May Day message, Dr Yap said workplace safety and health are an integral part of the safe reopening of the Singapore economy. He also urged employers take the opportunity to transform their business, as the pandemic has accelerated the adoption of digital technologies. To do so, employers must identify new capabilities that will be needed for future jobs, while engaging their employees and unions to prepare them for changes. "Employers should proactively invest in the training of their employees to meet their skills demand," said Dr Yap. Meanwhile, workers must also adopt a growth mindset by embracing lifelong learning, being resilient amid constant changes and taking ownership of their career development, he added. More on this topic Related Story SNEF using digitalisation to help transform retail sector Related Story Engineer eases into new career with six-month conversion programme "Workers must continue to upskill and reskill so that they can remain relevant and grow in their career," he said. Dr Yap also noted that SNEF has been working with the Ministry of Manpower and NTUC to enable employers to implement progressive and inclusive employment practices. For example, NTUC and SNEF formed a PME (Professionals, Managers and Executives) Taskforce last October to enhance the employability of PMEs and build a strong Singaporean core. SNEF is also part of the Tripartite Workgroup on Lower-Wage Workers, which is coming up with recommendations on improving the wages and working conditions of lower-wage workers. "SNEF looks forward to strengthen and deepen this strong tripartite partnership to prepare both employers and workers for the post-Covid-19 economy to emerge stronger together," said Dr Yap. More on this topic Related Story First of six workshops held to gather ideas on how to uplift, improve lives of low-wage workers Related Story Greater confidence in S'pore job market over course of Covid-19 pandemic year: IPS study
SINGAPORE - Some 27,000 employers hired an average of two locals each between September and November last year, with support from the Jobs Growth Incentive (JGI). This is higher than the median of one local hire by the same employers in the same period in 2019, said Manpower Minister Josephine Teo during the 20th edition of her jobs situation report on Wednesday (March 31). In all, the JGI supported the hiring of about 130,000 locals between September and November last year, in the first three months of the scheme, said Mrs Teo during a visit to local company Pacific Logistics Group. Nearly all, or 99 per cent, of the employers were small and medium-sized enterprises. About six in 10 of them hired one to two local workers each. The remaining four hired more. The $1 billion wage subsidy scheme was launched last August to spur the hiring of locals. Eligible employers receive up to 12 months of wage support of 25 per cent for each local hire. Last month, the Government announced a seven-month extension of the scheme until September this year, with an additional $5.2 billion allocated. The JGI was also enhanced from March 1 for employers who hire mature workers, people with disabilities and former offenders. They will receive up to 50 per cent in wage support per hire for up to 18 months. The latest Ministry of Manpower figures showed that the scheme supported hiring across sectors. Nearly four in 10 hires were in growth sectors such as wholesale trade, professional services, as well as information and communications. One in five hires were in food services and retail sectors. About half of all hires were not employed at the point of hire, and more than a quarter had been out of work for more than six months. Six in 10 of all hires were previously employed in a different sector, and the same proportion earned the same or higher wages compared with their previous jobs. Nearly half of the overall hires were mature workers aged 40 and above, while one-third were 50 and above. However, the pace of hiring supported by the JGI has been slowing. In the first two months of the scheme, more than 110,000 locals were hired by 26,000 firms. Manpower Minister Josephine Teo during a visit to Pacific Logistics Group in Tuas on March 31, 2021. ST PHOTO: TIMOTHY DAVID More on this topic Related Story 150,000 S'pore employers to get $3b in Jobs Support Scheme payouts from end-March Related Story No drop in pay for over 60% hired under jobs incentive scheme Mrs Teo said she had expected a higher take-up rate of the scheme in the first two months of its implementation, as many businesses were backfilling job positions that were lost due to the pandemic. Matching job seekers to jobs based on their existing skills was also likely easier for employers, as there was a larger pool of job seekers in the initial months of the JGI, she added. "In the months ahead, if there is sufficient hiring momentum, I think it will require more effort in terms of jobs and skills matching," said Mrs Teo. Unemployment rates have been gradually declining since the last quarter of last year, from 4.8 per cent among Singaporeans and permanent residents last October to 4.3 per cent in January. Overall unemployment rate fell from 3.6 per cent to 3.2 per cent in the same period. On Wednesday, Mrs Teo urged employers to be open-minded towards job seekers from diverse backgrounds. Employers who hire seniors aged 60 and above can get additional support on top of the JGI, through the Senior Worker Early Adopter Grant and the Part-Time Re-employment Grant. Those who need help to reskill new hires can tap Workforce Singapore's (WSG) career conversion programmes, which provide support of up to 90 per cent of wage and training costs. Local job seekers who need help with their job search can also approach WSG and NTUC's Employment and Employability Institute. More on this topic Related Story S'pore employers adopting wait-and-see approach on hiring, say observers Related Story S'pore's employment level saw sharpest decline in two decades in 2020
SINGAPORE (THE NEW PAPER) - From next month, employers must pay a one-time placement fee that used to be borne by incoming foreign domestic workers (FDWs). Single mother Lynda Lee who has relied on FDWs from Indonesia for the last 10 years is resigned to looking elsewhere to replace her former maid. This is because a new ruling by the Indonesian authorities to pass the cost of the FDW placement fee to employers from next month will add an extra cost of up to $3,000. The one-time fee to cover expenses such as transportation, accommodation and medical examinations incurred by new FDWs coming to Singapore used to be clawed back from the maid by deducting her salary for months. A Ministry of Manpower (MOM) spokesman told The New Paper that it has received feedback from employment agencies here that the Indonesian authorities are enforcing a "zero placement fee policy" from Jan 1 next year. The ruling means employers must now pay this fee to enable new Indonesian FDWs to come to Singapore debt-free. Like many employers, Ms Lee, who lives with her two young children and 84-year-old parents, is baulking at the extra expense. The sales manager, 52, said she will consider other nationalities to replace the helper who had just left her employment. She told TNP: "It already costs so much to hire a new maid. I have no choice but to look elsewhere." Indonesian maid Rini Supriyati said that $340 was deducted from her salary for nine months to settle her debt when she began working here 11 years ago. The 35-year-old said: "It was difficult as I had to support my husband and three-year-old son. This new rule will help new maids." But industry players TNP spoke to feel the rule may end up disadvantaging both the employer and FDWs. Ms K. Jayaprema, president of the Association of Employment Agencies, said employers may look for cheaper maids from other countries like Myanmar. She said the placement fee is $2,000 on average but can rise to $3,000, and takes about six months for a FDW to pay off. Of the 252,000 FDWs in Singapore as of June this year, 127,000 are Indonesian. The minimum wage of an Indonesian is $550 a month, and $570 and $450 for Filipino and Myanmar FDWs respectively. Ms Jayaprema said: "What happens if the FDW decides to leave a month or two after the employer pays the fee? There is currently no recourse for this." More on this topic Related Story Would-be employers face long wait for maids in S'pore with fewer entry approvals, travel restrictions and fee hikes Financial burden Mr Brian Tan, director of maid agency Nation Human Resources, said the Covid-19 pandemic has already been a financial burden on employers who must pay up to $1,700 for an incoming FDW's swab tests and quarantine at dedicated facilities. He added: "We hope that MOM can consider speaking to the Indonesian government to help alleviate some of the burden on Singapore employers. The MOM spokesman said: "Employment agencies are in discussion with their Indonesian recruiters on how they can meet the requirements. "Employers who have urgent needs and are facing delays in bringing in FDWs from Indonesia can discuss their options with the employment agencies. "MOM has in the last few weeks been approving a larger number of FDWs from various countries to enter Singapore." In a radio interview, Centre for Domestic Employees chairman Yeo Guat Kwang expressed his concern about the unintended consequences this policy will have on employers. "If an employer is paying a high price to hire an Indonesian FDW, there could be a perception among employers that the higher costs of hiring equates to a more qualified FDW. More on this topic Related Story Coronavirus: Foreign maids entering Singapore to be issued stay-home notice; affected employers to get support "We are concerned that if the FDW fails to meet the expectations of the employer... due to cultural mismatch, perceived lack of relevant skills or communication issues, then it will lead to a breakdown in the employment relationship," he said. "The FDW may end up being sent back to the agent or, worse, repatriated in the early stages of employment."
SINGAPORE - Three new features have been rolled out on the national jobs portal MyCareersFuture to strengthen progressive hiring practices among employers. A key thrust of the portal is to "provide as many job seekers as possible a fair chance at the roles advertised", said Workforce Singapore (WSG), the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (Tafep), and the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) in a joint statement on Tuesday (Nov 10). The features aim to set a new standard for other job portals to follow, they said. They are: 1. Prompting employers to adhere to TGFEP when placing job advertisements An "Employer Prompt" feature reminds employers to adhere to the Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices (TGFEP) when crafting job postings, and before they are published on MyCareersFuture. 2. Better guidance for employers in crafting neutral job ads Social listening technology is used to review all job postings published on MyCareersFuture, and potentially discriminatory terms or mentions are flagged to employers. Employers are guided on how they can improve their job postings, so they are better able to attract and find the most suitable candidates. Employers will be expected to amend discriminatory job advertisements and Tafep will investigate any breaches of the TGFEP. 3. Making it easier to report possible discrimination The "Report Discriminatory Job Ads" feature allows job seekers to conveniently report any discriminatory job posting they come across on MyCareersFuture. More on this topic Related Story New jobs portal launched targeting mid-career workers and fresh grads Related Story About 10,600 company attachment opportunities for mid-career job seekers Tafep will review the reports and investigate any breaches of the TGFEP. The announcement comes amid concerns from local job seekers that they are not getting a fair deal in a tough job market, and that some employers are biased against Singaporeans. In August, a fresh group of 47 employers were placed on the Fair Consideration Framework (FCF) watch list for potentially discriminatory hiring practices. Since January, the Ministry has suspended the work pass privileges of 90 employers under the FCF, of which 45 were due to posting of discriminatory job advertisements. The FCF was introduced in 2014 to maintain a strong Singaporean core in PMET jobs, and sets out requirements for employers to consider the local workforce fairly for job opportunities, including jobs advertising requirements. WSG, Tafep and MOM said in their statement that all employers are expected to ensure they do not use phrases that indicate a preference for certain groups of employees. They cited the example of a private school which posted a discriminatory job advertisement on MyCareersFuture in July, stating its preference for candidates under the age of 30 for the position of Legal Manager. As the position involved more than 60 business trips a year, the employer assumed that older employees might not be able to cope with the frequent travel. More on this topic Related Story Coveted roles among over 36,000 openings on national jobs portal for Singaporeans Related Story How Tafep dealt with unfair hiring and retrenchment practices For breaching the TGFEP, the employer was barred from hiring foreign employees, and from renewing the work passes of its existing foreign employees for 12 months. WSG director for digital experience for career services, Dr Joyce Tan, said: "As the labour landscape continues to evolve especially amid Covid-19, it is timely that we look into strengthening how we detect unfair employment practices." Tafep general manager Faith Li said that technology can be a key enabler for employers to hire fairly, which in turn increases their talent pool. "We look forward to working with more job portals so that more employers and job seekers can benefit from fair and progressive employment practices."
SINGAPORE - Objective reasons such as merit should be the basis for retrenchments, but employers should also lean in favour of retaining Singaporeans and permanent residents in their workforce. The tripartite advisory on managing excess manpower and responsible retrenchment was updated for the second time this year to incorporate the key principles of the National Trades Union Congress' (NTUC) Fair Retrenchment Framework. The updates, released on Saturday (Oct 17), were made jointly by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) and the Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF). The advisory continues to state that retrenchments should be a last resort, after exhausting all other cost-cutting measures based on latest guidelines from the National Wages Council. In the event that retrenchments are inevitable, employers should select employees to let go based on objective criteria such as merit and preserving those with skills to ensure business sustainability. At the same time, they should also take a long-term view of their manpower needs, including the need to maintain a "strong Singaporean core". "Retrenchments should generally not result in a reduced proportion of local employees. This can be achieved by retaining proportionately more locals during a retrenchment exercise," the guidelines state. When business activities pick up later, employers should make a "deliberate effort" to strengthen their local workforce by hiring locals when they are able to do so. Singapore will remain open and welcoming to foreigners who can help grow the country's economy and create good jobs for locals, the guidelines add. More on this topic Related Story askST: What happens if you are retrenched? Are you entitled to payouts? Related Story Enduring short-term pain to protect jobs in the long term Related Story Employers may implement temporary wage cuts to save jobs: National Wages Council Local employees are also encouraged to acquire new capabilities from foreign employees with specialised skills, while companies should put in effort so that these skills can be transferred to local employees in the long term. The updated guidelines also spell out how employers can conduct a retrenchment exercise in a responsible and sensitive manner. These include notifying affected employees earlier than what is contractually or legally required of employers, and informing them of the retrenchment in person as far as possible. Responsible employers should also ensure that human resources personnel and union representatives for unionised companies are on site to take feedback and answer questions from retrenched employees. Affected employees should also be given the time and space to adjust to the news of retrenchment, before they are asked to vacate the workplace. If necessary, counselling support should also be offered to retrenched employees to support their emotional needs. In response to media queries, a spokesman for MOM said the ministry expects employers to follow the advisory when conducting retrenchments. "If companies act irresponsibly in cost-saving measures or retrenchments, the Government will consider denying them future government support or suspending their work pass privileges. So far, the authorities have not had to do so," the spokesman added.