Second Minister for Manpower Josephine Teo officially launched the Tripartite Standard on Flexible Work Arrangements (FWAs) at a learning visit to precision engineering firm Feinmetall on 6 October 2017.
The new standard was jointly developed by the Ministry of Manpower (MOM), NTUC, and the Singapore National Employers Federation.
According to MOM, there are currently more than 250 companies that have committed to the latest standard. Local small- and medium-sized enterprises make up at least one in five of these early adopters.
More than 210,000 employees of the early adopters will be able to benefit from FWAs.
Win-Win for All
In his latest blog post on labourbeat.org titled “Workplace Flexibility: The X factor to the Way We Work”, NTUC Champion for Women and Family Desmond Choo said that FWAs could achieve a win-win situation for both employers and employees.
“Workplace flexibility does not make for a choice employer, but it is a crucial pillar. Besides improved customer satisfaction and productivity, they also gain access to a larger pool of talent. In an economy where talent is king, access is a real competitive advantage.
“For employees, the benefits of FWAs can include significantly improved work-life harmony, increased satisfaction at work and enhanced well-being. When employees feel that flexibility is available to them, it improves working conditions, morale is higher, absenteeism is lower, and productivity is greater,” he said.
Commenting on the standard, Mr Choo said: “With the launch of the Tripartite Standard on FWAs, more companies can take that crucial first step towards becoming an employer of choice. The Labour Movement will be ever ready to help such companies co-develop talent and work-life strategies for an engaged and happy workforce of tomorrow.”
The Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) is currently working with tripartite partners to get more employers to adopt the new standard. Companies that do so will be listed on TAFEP’s website and can use a logomark for their recruitment and marketing efforts.
TAFEP is also conducting workshops to help companies meet the requirements of the standard.
More to Come
The Tripartite Standard on FWAs is the second standard to be rolled out, after the one on term contract employees was launched in late July this year. MOM added that more standards will be launched in the months to come.
As announced by Manpower Minister Lim Swee Say in March this year, standards fill the gap between employment laws which require all employers to comply and advisories which provide a reference guide for all employers on best practices.
See also:
- Flexible Workplace: How One Mother Benefited
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