In 2017, seven out of 10 retrenched locals assisted by the Taskforce for Responsible Retrenchment and Employment Facilitation found jobs within six months.
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) revealed the figure on 19 September 2018 in a statement that outlined the taskforce’s first report card since it was formed in 2016.
In 2017, a total of 9,120 local workers from 1,247 companies were retrenched. One in four of those retrenched took up the taskforce’s assistance, which included job matching services.
The taskforce is made up of representatives from MOM, Workforce Singapore (WSG), NTUC and NTUC’s e2i (Employment and Employability Institute).
The report card also showed that 90 per cent of companies that retrenched workers last year paid retrenchment benefits.
The remaining 10 per cent cited financial constraints as a key reason for not giving retrenchment benefits to affected workers.
The taskforce’s Chairman and CEO for WSG Tan Choon Shian said: “Many of the jobseekers that were placed, as well as their hiring companies, made use of WSG’s Adapt and Grow programmes and services to facilitate the matches. It was important that such individuals and employers kept open mindsets and were prepared to accept potential recruits or hiring opportunities that may not have seemed like obvious fits in the first instance.”
Mr Tan also acknowledged the efforts of retrenching employers which ensured that the needs of their affected workers were addressed, as well as the unions who gave support to such individuals.
He said: “The taskforce will continue to educate companies on responsible retrenchment practices and improve our outreach and assistance to retrenched locals to help them secure gainful employment opportunities.”
