Incentives added to WorkPro to encourage age-friendly practices

SINGAPORE — More incentives to reward a wider pool of companies that are willing to implement and sustain age-friendly practices such as flexible work arrangements have been introduced to the Government’s WorkPro scheme, announced Senior Minister of State (Health and Manpower) Amy Khor yesterday.

Under the revised scheme, companies will receive a S$10,000 cash incentive under the Work-Life Grant for piloting such arrangements even if they do not incur costs and an additional S$10,000 if they proceed to implement them company-wide. Currently, they can only claim the grant after they have incurred expenses.

In addition, employers who achieve a 20 per cent utilisation rate for flexi-work arrangements in their company will be eligible for a S$25,000 cash incentive each year. At present, they have to achieve a rate of 30 per cent to receive up to S$40,000 per year. The changes take effect next month.

With Singapore having one of the most rapidly-ageing populations and a tight labour market, Dr Khor, speaking at the Age Management Seminar, highlighted the need to “adjust the work environment to better meet the needs of mature workers” while motivating companies to tap into this growing pool of workers who can offer a wealth of experience.

When asked if a low take-up rate was the reason for enhancing the programme, she said the objectives of WorkPro — first launched in April last year to improve workplace practices to attract and retain mature workers and back-to-work locals — have been met, with more than 1,000 companies applying for the scheme.

“We need to get feedback from our programme partners as well as employers to see how we can further improve these programmes. So we are enhancing it to further improve our support for employers and workers,” she added.

Other changes include two new compulsory health management programmes under the Age Management Grant that companies have to undergo to get the full grant, a bid to get companies to be more hands-on in creating workplace health programmes for mature workers instead of outsourcing such programmes.

To get the first tranche of the grant, companies must send an employee for the Workplace Health Promotion Facilitator’s Course, which will train staff to plan, design and evaluate workplace health programmes.

For the second tranche, a health provider must be appointed to carry out a survey of mature workers in the company to identify suitable health-related workshops for them.

The grants have been helpful, but they only go so far in addressing challenges in implementing flexi-work arrangements and job redesign, said employers TODAY spoke to.

Ms Tan Lee Lee, senior director of people development at The American Club Singapore, noted that such practices can be difficult for the hospitality industry. “Some of the jobs in our industry are very fixed. If you work in the kitchen, there is a fixed job ... The job redesign takes a longer period to implement, so those are the areas that we didn’t immediately jump on,” she said.

Ji Mei Flower business manager Mok Keng Houng echoed similar sentiments, saying cash incentives to defray costs of implementing schemes are helpful, but more could be done to offer companies greater guidance through sharing of best practices and consultation sessions.

As one of the six award winners recognised for exemplary efforts to implement age management practices under WorkPro, Mr Mok recognises the importance of retaining mature workers, with about 60 per cent of his 70-strong staff above 40 years old.

“They have a lot of experience and know the business very well. So it is very good for us in terms of business continuity because they are able to pass on their wealth of knowledge to the newer (employees),” he said.