Model ID: 30feaddb-01ce-428c-90a3-adc46dc6e4d4
Sitecore Context Id: 30feaddb-01ce-428c-90a3-adc46dc6e4d4;
Eligible small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) partners of NTUC U SME can now leverage the NTUC U SME’s “NTUC In Your Workplace” initiative to bring additional personalised benefits worth up to $2,300 per worker into the SMEs’ workplaces. This initiative was launched today by NTUC Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng during a visit to Lim Kee Food Manufacturing Pte Ltd (Lim Kee). This initiative will be made available to eligible NTUC U SME partners to help them innovate the way they manage their workforce’s health and wellbeing.
NTUC In Your Workplace is NTUC U SME’s first foray into equipping and supporting local SME businesses and workforce by tapping on the products and services of the NTUC Social Enterprises (SEs) and partners. Eligible partner SMEs will be able to provide attractive savings and benefits to ensure that their workers’ daily needs and livelihood are covered. This is in line with NTUC U SME’s key focus to support the SMEs and enhance the lives of their workers.
As the first SME recipient of the initiative, Lim Kee’s sixty workers will enjoy up to $140,000 worth of total savings and benefits (inclusive of total NTUC Membership savings) per year. This ranges from daily grocery savings to personal training and family care support; an additional support from the NTUC Membership savings; and the company’s regular staff benefits.
To participate in the initiative, the partner SME must achieve at least 80 per cent NTUC membership coverage of its workforce and attain NTUC U SME’s 3B criteria: Better Workplace, Better Worker and Better Job (Annex A). Currently, 10 per cent of 400 partner SMEs have been assessed to be eligible for this initiative and NTUC U SME will be working with more SMEs to help them achieve the 3B criteria to ultimately bring better welfare, savings, and benefits to SME workers.
By achieving the 3Bs, eligible SMEs will enjoy savings such as sponsored refrigerator with pantry snacks from NTUC FairPrice; free LHUBGO account with more than 75,000 online courses; and complimentary trials at NTUC Health Senior Care Centres for staff who require assistance for respite care. This is on top of the benefits that workers will enjoy when they sign up for the NTUC Membership.
The initiative’s savings and benefits were curated by NTUC U SME with the SMEs to identify their welfare and training needs. According to NTUC LearningHub’s Employer Skills Survey 2021 report, which was conducted with two hundred local business owners, SMEs are least likely to send their staff for training compared to MNCs and large private companies, citing constraints and lack of resources. Thus, NTUC In Your Workplace’s LHUBGO access account would provide eligible SMEs with up to 75,000 online courses to motivate their workers through training and development. With work from home as the default, online courses would be an efficient method to upskill workers. For workers who must return to workplaces, the pantry snacks serves as an incentive to workers while the complimentary care centre trial will provide respite support and relief for workers swarmed with family responsibilities.
NTUC Secretary-General Ng Chee Meng said, “As NTUC’s representative to support local SMEs and their workers, NTUC U SME has come a long way in its engagement of SMEs and introducing win-win initiatives that will give partner SMEs an added support to hiring and retaining workers; and help SME workers enjoy better work prospects. I am pleased to share that NTUC U SME has surpassed their 400 SME goal and is on track to reaching 500 by end of 2021.”
NTUC U SME Director Yeo Wan Ling said, “We are delighted to bring NTUC In Your Workplace to our partner SMEs as this initiative will serve as a big support for them and help create happy and resilient SME workers. As one of Singapore’s oldest manufacturers of local breakfast and snack delights, Lim Kee has worked with NTUC U SME to transform their staff welfare and business marketing needs to meet the demands of the market. With their positive feedback on this initiative, we look forward to helping more partner SMEs and their workers.”
Lim Kee’s Head of Business Development and second-generation management Mr Ang Khim Wee said, “With NTUC’s support in wellness and training through the initiative, we are able to concentrate on our business goals to emerge stronger from this pandemic. When our workers are adequately covered in welfare and training, they are able to contribute to work productively.”
###
