Part of the Ministry of Manpower’s Lean Enterprise Development (LED) Scheme, the Inclusive Growth Programme (IGP) helps businesses develop more efficient processes through automation and re-designing work processes to enhance productivity.
Administered by NTUC’s e2i (Employment and Employability Institute), IGP also benefits workers through gains-sharing by companies.
Depending on the nature of the productivity project proposals, companies can receive up to 50 per cent in funding to realise their projects.
According to e2i, they have been expanding their partnerships with SMEs on hiring, training and productivity solutions.
“As an enabler, we connect SMEs to a wide network of partners and initiatives to help them stay competitive and grow in today's fast changing business environment; at the same time helping SME workers to improve skills, job value, and career progression,” said Gilbert Tan, CEO of e2i.
Since its launch in 2010, e2i has partnered industry associations, solution providers and SMEs partners, with a commitment to impact some 105,000 workers with an average wage increase of 18 per cent.
To date, some 2,050 companies have embarked on 2,740 productivity projects. 70 per cent of the companies are SMEs.
“LED is to help small companies transform themselves. Whether it’s a small store in the heartlands or not, it can be part of the LED scheme. It is about transforming your company using technology, data and re-organising the process more efficiently. It’s to make a company more innovative and productive in order to be able to operate in today’s environment.” - Minister of State for Manpower Teo Ser Luck, during a visit to Johong Hardware & Paints, a company who has successfully tapped on IGP.
