She was a housewife for 16 years. But in 2001, she decided to re-join the workforce. It was not easy because she had no experience and skills then.
Fortunately for Flora Ng, the National University Hospital (NUH) took her in and provided the necessary training for the job.
Twenty years later, she still works at the hospital as a Senior Patient Associate handling registration and cashiering at the Emergency Medicine Department (A&E).
“I also guide new colleagues and assist with job training. I enjoy meeting people and rendering service as part of my work,” said Flora.
At 66, she is past the current retirement age and nearing the re-employment age limit. But Flora is not ready to sign-off permanently.
“I would be glad if given the choice to continue working as I find fulfilment in my job,” she said.
Flora is fortunate once again.
Her employer supports the continued employment of their mature workers.
Many other older workers like Flora, will get the chance to continue contributing to the economy if they wish to do so, should the Government proceed with its plan to raise the statutory retirement and re-employment ages next year.
Staying the Course
At his visit to NUH on 4 February 2021, NTUC Deputy Secretary-General Heng Chee How called for the Government to proceed, without further delay, with the planned raising of the statutory retirement and re-employment ages come July 2022 and the agreed deferred improvements to the CPF contributions due in January 2022.
At a virtual media event after the visit, Mr Heng shared that all of the workers he spoke with want to be given the opportunity and the choice to contribute at work, for as long as they wish.
Ahead of Budget 2021, he also urged the Government to help employers defray part of the cost of their enhanced CPF contributions, as was the plan before the deferment.
In 2019, Singapore announced that by 2030, it will raise the retirement age to 65 and re-employment age to 70, along with increases in the Central Provident Fund (CPF) contribution rates for older workers.
This will be done progressively over the decade.
The retirement age, which is currently at 62, will go up to 63 in 2022 before being raised further to 65. Similarly, the re-employment age of 67 will go up to 68 next year, until it reaches 70.
The initial adjustment to the CPF contribution rates was slated for this year. Unfortunately, COVID-19 forced the planned enhancements to be deferred by a year to 1 January 2022.
“It is important that we do keep pace with implementation because this is not done haphazardly, or just as a matter of negotiation.
“It was done with a purpose to better enable our mature workers, older workers, to continue to have the chance and the choice to make the contribution and better save for their retirement adequacy,” said Mr Heng.
At the start of this year, NTUC has taken the lead in raising the organisational retirement and re-employment age ceiling, as earlier announced. NTUC’s social enterprises will follow suit from 1 July 2021.
There are now about 100 unionised companies that have raised the retirement age or re-employment age, or both. The number has doubled from 2019.
Getting Future-Ready
One of the biggest challenges Flora faces is keeping up with new technology. But she is gung-ho and ready to master new skills.
“NUH offers me learning opportunities that help enhance my soft skills and help me perform better at work.
“For example, I find the courses on communication skills and customer service were especially useful for me as I handle patients at the front line,” she shared.
The passion for one’s profession is key to staying on. And for Flora, the fulfilment she finds in her job has kept her going all these years, and beyond.
“I look forward to continuing to work as long as my health permits,” she said.
