Upbeat - TAFEP

Upbeat
JAN-MAR ’15
A TAFEP Quarterly
Supporting the young adults, working
parents and the older workers
This year, as we raise our flag and celebrate 50 years of independence, we take a look back
at Singapore’s journey in creating fair and progressive employment practices through the
eyes of our pledge signers – National Kidney Foundation, SSTC Institute and Scania.
Without a nanny’s help
Mdm Angeline Chang (second from right), with her daughter, was able to work out a flexible work arrangement that allowed her to successfully manage
her work and family needs.
Madam Angeline Chang, 32, Director of Student
Services/Registrar, SSTC Institute is a proud mother
of two. Both her children were born during her 10
years with the school. For each child, Angeline was
able to spend the precious early period to raise her
baby while still holding a full-time job. This was made
possible by the tremendous support she received
from her employers.
When serving her maternity leave, Angeline wanted
more time at home. She sat down with her directors
and together worked out a flexible maternity leave
schedule that was specially tailored to her needs.
With her supervisors’ full consent, she returned
to work, on a half-day schedule for another four
months. This allowed her to juggle professional
aspirations and family commitments with ease.
She was also able to bring her newborn to her
workplace because her thoughtful employers had
set up a mini-nursery near her work station. This
enabled her to work and care for her newborn in
a conducive environment. Angeline said, “This
arrangement allowed me to have ample time to
recuperate after the delivery and to care for my
baby without a nanny’s help. This also meant quality
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bonding time with my baby.”
SSTC Institute is well aware of the curveballs life
can throw you. It is with this philosophy in mind
that the school never says no when an employee
puts in an urgent request for time-off. This allows
employees to be better focused at work, and yields
positive business results. “Being a full-time working
mother is one of the most difficult jobs on earth.
With the support and understanding from more
employers like SSTC, young parents will definitely
feel empowered, as it will be easier for them to
achieve work-life harmony,” shared Angeline.
Such commitment to provide ideal workplaces
for working parents to pursue their careers and
manage personal or family commitments stems
from the school’s founder. SSTC Institute’s
founder, Madam Rose Yeo, understood at firsthand the demands of having a family. Unwilling
to compromise on her career or family needs,
Madam Yeo initiated useful practices to support
working parents. Thirty-seven years on, SSCT
Institute is still a fine example of how creative
solutions can lead to favourable working
conditions that helps retain talent.
Against ageism
An experienced senior nurse at NKF, sharing her expertise with younger colleagues via a regular on-line meeting.
The National Kidney Foundation (NKF), Singapore’s
largest dialysis provider, cares not only for its
patients but also for its employees. Particularly,
NKF has demonstrated its appreciation of its older
employees by offering re-employment contracts to
them since 2009.
ideal workplace environment should be one that is
against ageism. NKF’s strategy has resulted in high
employee retention rates and an enviable position
as an employer of choice.
NKF also puts in place training programmes to
help older workers acquire the necessary skills
to adapt to changing workplace practices and
technologies. Diversity training for managers and
employees is also provided to create and sustain
an age-inclusive workplace.
Senior Clinical Nurse Manager, Pat Chuah, in
her late 60s, may be over the stipulated age for
retirement but she continues to serve the community
meaningfully. Her extended employment means
that she can still enjoy workplace benefits with no
change to her position or salary. In Pat’s words, an “NKF constantly strives for an ideal workplace to
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ensure that employee engagement level continues
to be high, the workplace culture is trusted and
leaders are credible and respected”, said Irene
Leng, NKF Director of Human Resources.
With an inclusive and harmonious work culture that
is combined with fair and progressive employment
practices, Pat continues to contribute actively to
the job she loves and provide quality care to NKF
patients.
Not just an intern
Scania Trainee, Mr Jayswaran is attracted to the structured learning environment where his opinions are valued.
An internship is often a young adult’s first daunting
step into the working world. The account of
Jayswaran S/O Rathakrishnan, 23 or Jay, from
Scania proves that conducive work culture helps
to make the journey less overwhelming. In fact, his
internship with Scania was so rewarding that he
knew Scania was the place that he wanted to carve
his career at after completing his national service.
attracted me to return. I felt like I was not just a
trainee. My colleagues are very willing to share their
knowledge and help me become better at my job,”
Jay said. Apart from good mentors, it is important
for Management to communicate effectively with
their staff and take feedback seriously.
As an international company with presence in over
100 countries, Scania is guided by ethical and
social standards derived from their core values. The
company ensures that all employees are treated
with dignity and respect. The company values
contributions from trainees like Jay as much as any
other employee.
In March 2014, Jay returned to Scania as a trainee.
Even though he was a fresh entrant, his colleagues
viewed him as one of them and his opinions were
highly valued. He was also given similar opportunities
as the rest of the employees to develop his skills
in servicing and repairing vehicles. Until today,
Jay remains thankful for the structured learning It is important for companies to remain open-minded
environment in Scania where he could observe and and be adaptable to changes. Scania’s commitment
learn from his seniors at work.
to being a fair, responsible and inclusive employer,
ensures that it continues to attract the right talent.
“The supportive environment in Scania is what
www.tafep.sg
Spotlight
Passing the Baton
Tan Hwee Leng, 60, has worked as a laundry attendant
at Crowne Plaza Changi Airport Hotel for the past seven
years. Experienced staff like him are highly valued in the
manpower-stretched hospitality and service sector. The
contribution of Mr Tan is not limited to his dedicated
service. He is also a mentor to his co-worker, Ms Nurul
Asyikhin.
Crowne Plaza Changi Airport Hotel’s structured
mentorship programme pairs newcomers with
seasoned employees. This allows staff like Mr Tan to
share his knowledge with younger, less experienced
colleagues. Under Mr Tan’s guidance, Ms Nurul, 23,
continues to perfect her skillset despite challenges that
she faces due to her mild intellectual disability. Upbeat
speaks with Ms Nurul and Mr Tan to find out more about
their mentor-mentee dynamics.
Crowne Plaza Changi Airport Hotel’s structured mentorship programme
pairs newcomers like Nurul and Nigel with seasoned employees like Mr
Tan Hwee Leng.
Upbeat: What’s a typical day like for you at work?
Mr Tan Hwee Leng: Other than my regular day-to-day
tasks, my supervisors entrusted me with the training
of new colleagues in the department. We strive for
excellence and ensure that clean and crisp clothes are
delivered to hotel guests. I will share tips with younger
colleagues on how to iron and press certain materials,
as well as inculcate in them the right values.
Nurul: The laundry department, like what Uncle Tan
said, is responsible for all linen used in the hotel. I start
my day by collecting laundry from the rooms before
sending it back to the department for washing and
ironing. My colleagues and I will then press the clothes
before delivering them back to the guests.
Upbeat: Describe your mentor-mentee relationship.
Mr Tan: I have been mentoring Nurul since she joined
six years ago in 2009. When she first started at the
laundry department, she was fresh out of school and
had no prior experience. As her mentor, I teach her
everything she needs to know about working in the
laundry department, step by step. I also impart to
her the right work attitudes and values. Nurul is now
a skilled worker and very proficient in her day-to-day
tasks at the laundry room. I am very proud to see that
she can work independently and deliver all her tasks
with minimal assistance.
Nurul: Uncle Tan is a very patient mentor. Step by step,
he will show me how to go about doing my duties. I will
then try it myself. Sometimes I will forget what he has
taught me, but he will patiently take me through each
step again.
Upbeat: As an older worker and the more
experienced colleague, do you feel that it is
important to mentor younger colleagues? Why?
Mr Tan: Yes, it is important to share with them my
experience. As a hospitality service provider, the
satisfaction of our guests is very important to us. Being
new, my younger colleagues may not be seasoned
enough to manage work as intuitively as we do. They
may be slower and more prone to making mistakes. But
by teaching and guiding my younger colleagues well,
we can work better together to make our guests happy
and increase their satisfaction levels. When my less
experienced colleagues become good at their jobs, the
team can support one another better, and our workload
can be shared. Work is also more enjoyable and less
stressful when there is good teamwork.
Upbeat: What are some of the benefits of being a
part of this mentoring programme?
Mr Tan: Despite my age, I am thankful for the opportunity
to further develop my skills in management and
mentoring. When I see my younger colleagues become
independent workers, I feel a sense of satisfaction.
Nurul: If I did not have a mentor, I think I would
experience more stress and feel stretched at work. I
would also need more time to learn the ropes since I
am unfamiliar with the work. With a mentor like Uncle
Tan, I know that I can approach him any time for advice
about how to do my work and this helps me to support
the laundry team better.
By harnessing the strengths of staff like Mr Tan and Ms
Nurul, Crowne Plaza Changi Airport Hotel has achieved
better employee engagement and optimal productivity.
This has contributed to their strong standing as
an Employer of Choice and a winner of the TAFEP
Exemplary Employer Award in 2014.
Many organisations are keenly applying mentorship as
a means to nurture and retain their best talent. Find out
more about managing a multi-generational workforce,
check out TAFEP’s website at www.tafep.sg.
www.tafep.sg
Hot News
Sustaining Work-Life. How?
Republic Polytechnic staff have assurance of top-level commitment to initiate work-life harmony
in the workplace.
Managing a student population
of 14,000 and more than 1,000
employees is no mean feat.
How does Work-Life Sustained
Excellence Award (2014) winner,
Republic Polytechnic (RP) find
the sweet spot in balancing
the needs of its students, its
staff and the organisation?
What is the secret behind
creating sustainable work-life
integration? RP shares with
Upbeat its top five tips.
1 Get Buy-in.
The boss’ word matters. RP’s top-level commitment led it to invest in facilities for staff welfare such as a
staff recreation room. Now more employees are able to enjoy downtime. This in turn helps them stay
focused at creating an enriching educational experience for RP’s students.
2 Listen.
Open communication. Feedback. Discussions about staff’s needs. These are frequent at RP. Facilities
such as in-house childcare centres and nursing rooms are a big help to parents and mothers who are
returning from their maternity leave. These were put in place as a result of listening closely to its staff
beyond their needs for professional growth.
3 Think [Out of the box]
Sharing sessions and surveys were the traditional ways of gathering feedback. RP harnessed technology so
that employees can now submit work-life suggestions through three channels – via an online 3i portal, a physical
dropbox and a mobile app. One of the most successful initiatives launched as a result of a 3i idea was the
telecommuting work arrangement. A six-month trial was first implemented to test its feasibility and it became a
permanent scheme after it received positive feedback from staff.
4 Benchmark. And Review.
As employees go through different stages of their lives, their needs change. It is important for the organisation
to continually update its HR policies and work-life initiatives to stay relevant. For instance, RP grows with its
employees by adding amenities such as a blood pressure monitor to enable more mature workers to monitor
their health. RP makes such changes consistently by reviewing and course-correcting outdated policies after
studying its employees’ evolving needs.
5 Own it.
Employees play a pivotal role in ensuring that work-life initiatives are successful and sustainable in the long
run. While the management provides opportunities for flexible work arrangements, employees have to take
ownership of work-life programmes, and earn their superiors’ trust by managing their work responsibilities and
personal commitments equally well.
Think you have the right set of tools to enable work-life? Everyone has a part to play - both employers and
employees can contribute to a sustainable work-life strategy in their company. You will need open and honest
communication about needs and challenges to find a win-win situation.
Be the next Work-Life Sustained Excellence Award winner like RP; visit www.tafep.sg to learn more about toolkits
you can use today or find out more about the Tripartite Advisory on Flexible Work Arrangements at www.mom.
gov.sg/fwa-advisory.
www.tafep.sg
Events Calendar
Attention all Employers and HR practitioners, Industrial
Relations practitioners, Managers and Supervisors!
Sign up for the following events at www.tafep.sg
Date
Event
Event Details
6 Jan, 3 Feb
& 3 Mar
Fair Employment Practices
Information Sharing
Attend this session to find out more about Fair Employment Practices - the Why,
What and How. This monthly session is held on the first working Tuesday of the
month.
7 Jan
Fair & Responsible
Employment Practices
Seminar
Deepen your understanding of your responsibilities under the Employment Act
and relevant tripartite guidelines. Don’t miss this chance to gain useful insights
on being a fair, responsible and effective employer.
8 Jan
& 5 Mar
Fair Recruitment &
Selection Workshop
Hiring the right person for the job is often the first step towards achieving your
company’s goals. Learn about the right assessment tools and skills to evaluate
whether a candidate has the relevant skills, experience and potential for the job.
9 Jan
Creating an Inclusive
Workplace (Workshop 1)
Engage your diverse workforce to achieve your organisation’s outcomes.
Attend the first of two progressive workshops and learn practical steps to build
an inclusive and harmonious workplace. Participation for CIW workshop is by
invitation only. Email to [email protected] for more information.
14 Jan
Managing Multi-Generational
Workforce Workshop
Learn what keeps Generation X, Generation Y and Baby Boomers in your workforce
so that your organisation keeps valuable skills, knowledge and relationships. Find
out how you can maximise theeir engagement and contribution and build a high
performing multi-gen team.
22 Jan
& 11 Feb
Optimizing Local Talent
Join us to learn how you can put in place an action plan to train and develop the
careers of Singaporeans and retain them in your workforce to achieve business
sustainability and growth.
10 Feb
Fair Employment Grievance
Handling Workshop
Have you had to deal with grievances from upset employees? In such situations an
established grievance handling procedure will be invaluable. Attend this workshop
to understand how you can put in place the right processes and prepare managers
to deal with grievances.
13 Feb
Creating an Inclusive
Workplace (Workshop 2)
This is the 2nd part of two progressive workshops with practical steps to build an
inclusive and harmonious workplace.
CONFERENCE ON FAIR AND PROGRESSIVE EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES
9-10 April 2015
Suntec Convention Centre
Inclusiveness: Advancing workplaces in Singapore
Attention CEOs and Senior HR practitioners! Need a fresh perspective on fair, responsible and
progressive employment practices?
Find out more at www.tafep.sg
Registration for the Conference opens in early March 2015.
www.tafep.sg