New report finds 'room for growth' in executing people-related initiatives in the workplace
Most companies in Singapore have adopted measures to take care of their employees, but a new report has said that the "depth" of their execution has room for progress.
The report from the National Volunteer and Philanthropy Centre (NVPC) revealed a 94% adoption rate of initiatives that support employee well-being, professional development, and inclusion.
However, the signal indicating organisations' deep commitment to these initiatives is just 22%.
"Most companies have taken steps to care for their employees—but the depth of execution and level of investment in this impact area still has room for growth," the report read.
Employee well-being support
According to the findings, more than 50% of organisations display supportive attitudes towards employees' well-being and professional development.
More than half of firms reported providing a moderate to high amount of resources for training courses, while the majority also said they offer moderate to high flexibility to employees.
It found, however, that just 38% of employers offer leave policies for employees who need to take care of their parents.
This indicates that "institutionalised support for employees' caregiving responsibilities remains an area for growth," according to the report.
Diversity, inclusion practices
Meanwhile, the report also revealed a diversity and inclusion gap in many organisations, particularly in recruitment.
Nearly half of employers (49%) said they are not willing to employ individuals who typically face hiring discrimination, such as ex-offenders and people with disabilities.
Just 42% expressed moderate willingness and nine per cent have high willingness.
Nearly half of employers (49%) also said they are not open to allocating extra resources to diversity and inclusion, while 29% are not putting emphasis on ensuring that individuals from different ethnicities and nationalities are treated with respect.
"More can also be done to create a diverse and inclusive culture at the workplace, as many companies appear hesitant to employ individuals who face hiring discrimination, or allocate resources to facilitate diversity and inclusion," the report read.
The NVPC's report surveyed 1,100 companies in Singapore to determine how corporate purpose and impact are practised across the broader economy.
While adoption for people-related initiatives is high, initiatives for other impact areas fall behind:
- Environment (68%)
- Governance (67%)
- Economic (50%)
- Society (30%)
Society, which covers corporate volunteering, recorded the lowest adoption rate but the highest commitment level of 80%, according to the report.
"While few companies have launched initiatives focused on corporate volunteering and donations, those that have done so demonstrated a strong level of commitment," the report read.
