One: Why is tripartism particularly important to Singapore’s economic survival and prosperity?
Two: How does Singapore’s tripartism actually work?
Three: How does today’s launch of four IR modules under the HR WSQ certification add value to our tripartism?
Why is tripartism critical to Singapore’s economic wellbeing? Singapore is not the only country that practises tripartism. What distinguishes our practice from those of many others is how long we have sustained it, and how we use it through thick and thin to strengthen our competitiveness.
It is well known that Singapore is small and does not have natural resources to back us up, unlike many other countries. What we have are our people, and our wits to organise ourselves to be useful to others, so that we can make a better living.
This means that we have not only to develop our people’s potential to the fullest, but also to ensure that there is fairness and smoothness in the organising, employment, deployment and treatment of our people. When we do it right, our system can respond faster, better and more cost-effectively to changes. This is a form of productivity. If we can do so better and longer than our competition, it gives us a sustainable advantage.
Tripartism is therefore the lubricant and performance enhancer of our economy.
Next, how does our tripartism actually work?
I would say that there is both a direct and indirect way through which tripartism makes its impact felt.
At the national level, the top leadership of the Manpower Ministry, the Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF) and the NTUC have forged long-standing and personal relationships. By working closely with each other on a wide range of issues and by tackling crises and difficulties together, the key people have a good feel of what each other is capable of delivering both to their own ground as well as to the tripartite relationship. And as younger people join the senior ranks, they get to know and work within that set of relationships and network, and in time learn how to play their role there for the common good.
The same concept applies through the ranks, and there is thus also a strong network of contacts and collaboration at the staff and operational levels. This is a critical part of effective tripartism, because it enables the consensus, direction and guidance from the top to be correctly and promptly supported and translated into action and results.
It is the smooth interplay between these two levels that enables our National Wages Council (NWC), the SPUR programme, Workfare and even CPF cuts and restoration to be negotiated and designed for timely, win-win outcomes.
Beyond this more direct exercise of tripartism, there is also a less obvious but equally important dimension. The overall tripartite approach to industrial relations and competitiveness enhancement sets the tone for bipartite relations and human resource management in both unionised and un-unionised companies. It works like yeast.
There is one clear difference though.
In unionised companies, the practice of labour-management relations is more structured, and there is a legal basis to that as well. Effective HR practitioners, line supervisors and managers in unionised companies therefore become more aware of and learn on-the-job how to work that relationship to mutual benefit. Less effective management personnel do so by trial and error, and experience “hit and miss” results.
In un-unionised companies, however, there is no direct operational need to know about industrial relations. Yet, it would be a big mistake to assume that there is no value or need to know about this important subject. Beyond the details and technicalities, human resource management and development will always be about understanding and leveraging human nature so that both the individual and the company grow and thrive. Knowing the backdrop and context under which to do so will stand all managers, supervisors and HR practitioners in good stead to do a fine job.
It is in this connection that these four IR modules under the HR WSQ certification will be valuable. They cover both strategic and tactical areas, and will provide a foundation upon which to grow and strengthen this most intangible yet critical strength of our economy.
I am happy that many of our affiliated unions have given their support for this certified training. Some have already convinced their companies to take advantage of this by proactively sending relevant personnel to be trained. I am sure that this enthusiasm in strengthening the ground level practice of tripartism will be most fruitful.
I urge all companies and the HR fraternity to join these early adopters. Investing in a stronger tripartism at all levels is our wisest choice.
Thank you.
