By Shukry Rashid
Over 1,400 small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) have benefited from the Lean Enterprise Development (LED) Scheme since it was launched in October 2016 as a 2-year pilot programme. The number of SMEs that has benefited is already beyond the initial target of 1,000 within two years.
The update was presented by Manpower Minister Lim Swee Say to 700 attendees representing 600 companies during the inaugural LED Symposium held on 3 November 2016 at the Grand Copthorne Waterfront Hotel.
SMEs can get financial support to implement lean manpower solutions to raise productivity and employees’ skills. The financial support comes from the Capability Development Grant by SPRING Singapore, the Enhanced iSPRINT by the Info-communications Media Development Authority of Singapore (IMDA) and the Inclusive Growth Programme by NTUC’s e2i (Employment and Employability Institute).
Minister Lim said that Singapore’s challenge is to ensure that the sharp drop in workforce growth will not be the bottleneck of the economy.
The LED Scheme is led by a taskforce which comprises key agencies like SPRING, NTUC, Workforce Singapore and the Economic Development Board.
Minister Lim also said that the scheme works as a one-stop support to help SMEs in building new capabilities, capacities, venture into new markets and strengthen human capital.
“You don’t have to worry about which agencies among us will support you in which capabilities. We are a one-stop service. You can just come to any one of us, and we will optimise the scheme for you,” he added.
SMEs and the Future
NTUC Industrial Relations Department Director (Progressive Wage Model) and LED taskforce co-chair Desmond Choo hopes that the 1,400 companies that have benefited are the start to a ripple effect to the entire Singapore.
As SMEs employ 70 per cent of the workforce, he said that any productivity improvement by SMEs would make a huge impact.
He added: “At the same time, we also know SMEs tend to lag behind in transformation. All the more, the Labour Movement – through the Future Jobs, Skills and Training capability – must then help them along this transformation journey.”
According to Mr Choo, there are two ways the Labour Movement can help SMEs.
First is to help SMEs see how they may be affected by transformation in their industries, and prepare them for the future. This can be done with the Labour Movement’s network with multinational companies and their expertise, and the Labour Movement’s position on national platforms like the Sectoral Manpower Plans.
Second is to determine how these changes translate into jobs and how the Labour Movement can mobilise workers for the transformation.
“This is even more critical because workers now know they need to change but do not know what to change to,” he added.
Customised for SME
Mr Choo said that the Labour Movement can also help SMEs by customising the help for transformation. For example, an SME with 10 employees may find it hard to organise a transformation workshop. But with the Labour Movement’s network of companies, the SME can leverage on the expertise of different employers from various sectors.
“So we can do things for them that they wouldn’t be able to do individually. I think that is where the Labour Movement plays a big role,” he added.
Mr Choo added that there is no ending point of this transformation as disruptions happen all the time.
“Companies and workers alike have to accept that they need to continually learn and transform for them to be able to leverage on the opportunities available,” he urged.
Source: NTUC This Week
