Employers encouraged to support the workforce amid expanding government efforts
Employers in Singapore are being urged to "rethink" how they can better support employees across different stages of life in the wake of the national government's expanding policies to support the workforce.
The Singapore government recently announced that it will be expanding childcare leave for working parents, and will also be covering the related costs to ease the burden on businesses.
Leanne Chin, chief financial officer at ADP APAC, said the expanded support for families recognises that raising children and building careers are not competing priorities.
But she also urged employers to take their own steps to support workers at different life stages.
"As policies increasingly help employees outside the workplace, employers also have an opportunity to rethink how work can better support people across different stages of life," Chin said.
Supporting Singapore's caregiving workers
The CFO cited ADP's recent research, which revealed that 64% of Singapore's workers who are also caregivers are struggling to remain productive when under pressure, including 24% who admitted they are overloaded by stress.
Despite this, only 16% of these caregiving employees have strongly agreed that they get all the support they need from their leaders, while just 18% feel supported from their colleagues.
"For employers, the goal is not to simply to offer more flexibility, but to ensure the workplace continues to adapt to changing employee needs over time," Chin said.
This means regularly reviewing workplace arrangements to optimise flexibility, creating clear and accessible development opportunities, and designing benefits that support different life stages, according to the CFO.
"Just as importantly, employers need to create an environment where workers can manage responsibilities outside work without feeling they have to sacrifice career progression," Chin added.
"Organisations that get this right will be better positioned to retain talent, sustain productivity, and stay resilient as the workforce evolves."
Businesses across Singapore have welcomed the government's initiative to expand childcare leave and cover the related costs.
Hao Chuo, chief executive of the Singapore National Employers Federation, said the reimbursement for leave costs will give employers more flexibility in supporting employees with caregiving responsibilities.
"The enhanced reimbursement support can also help employers adopt measures to address operational challenges arising from staff absences, including engaging temporary manpower where appropriate," the chief executive said as quoted by Channel News Asia.
