leading practices for managing mature employees - tafep - leading...this six-month long study,...

Leading Practices forManaging Mature Employees

CONTENTS1 ExecutiveSummary

2 Introduction2.1 RationalefortheStudy2.2 Objectives2.3 Methodology2.3.1 Definitions2.3.2 ParticipatingOrganisations2.3.3 FeaturedOrganisations

3 Findings3.1 MatureandOlderWorkforce:AFundamentalShift3.2 IssuesandChallenges3.3 LeadingPracticesofManagingMatureandOlderWorkforce3.4 InterventionsforManagingMatureandOlderWorkforce

4 LeadingPracticesforManagingMature&OlderEmployeesinSingapore4.1 FlexibleWorkArrangements(FWA)4.2 Re-EmploymentPolicy/Pre-RetirementPlanning4.3 OrganisationalCulture4.4 TrainingofMatureandOlderWorker4.5 PhysicalWorkEnvironment(Ergonomics)4.6 JobRe-design4.7 HealthandWellness4.8 RespectfromColleagues4.9 RecognitionandRewards4.10 TappingonGovernmentSchemes4.11 TrainingSupervisors4.12 WorkplaceSafetyandHealth4.13 Mentoring4.14 EngagingMatureandOlderEmployees

5 TheWayForward5.1 DemographicRealities5.2 ConcludingThoughts

6 References

7 CorporateProfiles

8Acknowledgements

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20

Thissix-month longstudy,conductedbySingaporeHumanResources Institute (SHRI) fromAugust

2009 to January 2010,was commissioned by the Tripartite Alliance for Fair Employment Practices

(TAFEP)aspartofitscontinuingeffortstoencourageandassistcompaniestoadoptfairandresponsible

employmentpracticesinthefaceofarapidlychangingworkforce.

NewtrendsandchallengesareemergingasSingapore’sworkforceages,withmoreemployeesworking

beyondthetraditionalretirementage.Thereisaneedthereforetoaddresstheseissuesbyproviding

practicalhelptocompaniestodealwiththegrowingpresenceofmatureandolderemployeesinthe

workforcewhilemaintainingacompetitiveedge.

TheGovernmentofSingaporehasalreadyintroducedanumberofinitiativestoencourageorganisations

to value the contributions of mature employees and reap the many benefits of employing them.

Employerswillalsoneedtobepreparedfortheupcomingre-employmentlegislationtobeintroduced

inSingaporeby2012.

ThepurposeofthisstudyistoassesstheexistingdemographicrisksloomingoverSingapore,identify

leadingpractices incorporatedby successful organisations operating inSingapore and recommend

strategiesemployerscanimplementtotacklethechallengesofmanagingmatureandolderemployees.

Thefindingspresentedinthisreportweredrawnprimarilyfromthefollowingsources:

• Responsesreceivedfrom77organisationsoperatinginSingapore(including61onlineresponsesand16in-depthinterviewswithrespectiveseniormanagementteams)fromabroadspectrumofindustries

• Secondaryanalysesofleadingpracticesadoptedbyorganisationsoperatinginafewrapidlyageingnationsoftheworld

• SingaporeHumanResourcesInstitute(SHRI)proprietarydata

ExecutiveSummary

02 ExecutiveSummary

1

03ExecutiveSummary

ThestudyalsohighlightsleadingpracticesadoptedbyafeworganisationsoperatinginSingaporeandrecommends

approachesorganisationscanadopttoconvertthechallengeofanageingpopulationintoabrilliantopportunity.These

include branding the ‘mature’ and ‘older’ workforce, conducting more industry-focused awareness programmes,

increasing networking opportunities between those already re-employed and those approaching retirement age,

managingmulti-generationaldynamics,clarifyingthere-employmentselectioncriteria,andre-structuring/re-designing

thejobandbenefits.Thisstudyisacalltotheorganisationsandsocietyatlargetochangeitsthoughtprocessesand

lookbeyondconventionalboundaries.Theonlywayorganisationsandsocietiescansecuretheircompetitiveedgeisby

embracingthepoolofmatureandoldertalentforce.

Key Findings

• InSingapore,the impactoftheageingworkforce isbeingfeltbythemajorityoforganisationsacrossindustries.

• Participating organisations have shown encouraging response in re-employing mature and olderemployeesaged62yearsandabove.

• Thoughmany companies surveyed have either re-employed or do encourage re-employingmatureemployees,themajorityhaveyettoevaluatethepresentandfutureimpactoftheageingworkforceontheirindustryandorganisations.

• Almosthalfoftherespondentsbelievetheexitofolderworkforceduetoretirementtranslatesintoalossininstitutionalknowledge.

• Rising health and insurance costs, concern about physical abilities, and adaptability/willingness tochangewererankedasthetopthreechallengesfacingcompanieswithmatureandolderemployees.

• Providingtrainingtoupgradeskillsofemployees,hiringretiredemployeesasconsultantsortemporaryemployeesandregularlymeasuringsicknessabsencearethethreemostpopularandpreferredstandstakenbyorganisationstoaccommodatematureandolderemployees.

• Recognising,valuingandacceptingwork,providingoptionsofflexibleworkarrangements,traininganddevelopment,andreinforcingafairrewardsystemstandoutassomeofthemostpopularinterventionsthat organisations would like to adopt to attractmature employees to re-join the workforce and/orcontinuetowork.

• Nearly50%of theparticipatingorganisationshavebenefited fromvariousgovernmentschemesandprogrammessuchasAdvantage,Work-LifeWorks!(WoW)andFlexi-Works!

Thefindingsofthisstudywillprovidemanyinsightsintomanagingmatureemployeesatworkandpreparecompanies

tofacetheinevitableandimminentchallengesaheadasSingapore’sworkforceages.

2.1 Rationale for the Study

TheUnitedNationshasidentifiedglobalageingasoneofthetopthreesocio-economicissuesfacing

PlanetEarthinthe21stcentury(togetherwithglobalwarmingandglobalterrorism).In2006,almost

500millionpeopleworldwidewere65orolder.Singaporehasthefastestgrowingratioofoldtoyoung

peopleintheworldinAsia,afterJapan.By2020,aboutoneinsixSingaporeresidentswillbe65years

orolder.AsoneofthefastestageingpopulationsinAsia,Singaporefacesthehumancapitalchallenge

ofmanagingamatureandolderworkforce.

ThisdemographicrealityisalreadyaffectingSingapore’semploymentlandscape,andwillbringabout

even greater challenges as the following five factors converge to dramatically change Singapore’s

workplaces:

• Talentshortage

• Ageingworkforce

• Industryperceptionsofemployingandmanagingmatureandolderemployees

• Matureandolderemployees’adaptabilitytotheirchangingenvironment

• Impendinglegislationonthere-employmentofolderworkersin2012

Thesefactorswillhaveasignificantimpactontheessentialmixoftalent,knowledgeandskillsofthe

humancapital pool. The increasingaverageage (82 yearsasperCentral IntelligenceAgency2009

estimates)ofthepopulationwillnotonlyaffectsocialsystemsandcommunities,butwillalsohavean

effectontheworkoforganisations.

While therearechallenges,manyopportunitiesalsoexist.Thepotentialpayoff fororganisationsthat

understand the complexities and recognise the opportunities associatedwith the employment and

engagementofanageingworkforceissubstantial.Forexample,matureemployeesformaninvaluable

humancapitalbasetoensuresustainablegrowthanddevelopmentofSingapore;organisationscan

thusembraceareadilyavailable,experiencedtalentpooltosolvetheir ‘talentchallenge’andremain

competitive.

04 Introduction

Introduction

2

05Introduction

More of such examples and leading employment practices regardingmature employees will be highlighted in this

benchmarkingstudyasitdelvesintothedynamicsituationsalreadyatplayinsomeorganisationsoperatinginSingapore.

2.2 Objectives

Thissix-monthlongstudybeganinAugust2009whentheTripartiteAllianceforFairEmploymentPractices(TAFEP)

commissionedSingaporeHumanResourcesInstitute(SHRI)ResearchCentreto:

• AssesstheexistingdemographicrisksloomingoverSingapore

• IdentifyleadingpracticesincorporatedsuccessfullybyorganisationsoperatinginSingapore

• Recommendstrategiesemployerscanusetotacklethechallengesofmanagingmatureandolderemployees

2.3 Methodology

Thefindingspresentedinthisreportweredrawnprimarilyfromthefollowingsources:

• Onlinesurvey

• Organisationalvisitsandin-depthinterviewswiththeseniormanagementteamsofparticipatingorganisations

• SingaporeHumanResourcesInstitute(SHRI)proprietarydata

• Otherpublishedreports

Allsourcesofinformationarenotedinthereferencesectionofthereportorexhibits.

2.3.1 Definitions

There isnouniversallyagreedupondefinitionof theterminology“olderworker”; itvariesbycountryandevenwithin

countries. Definitions have also shifted over recent years due to increasing life expectancies andmore active and

productivelifestyles.Forthepurposeofthestudy,thefollowingdefinitionshavebeenused:

• Matureemployees-thosebetween40and55yearsofage

• Olderemployees-thoseabove55yearsofage

06 Introduction

Exhibit2Sector

Exhibit1Industry

2.3.2 Participating Organisations

Atotalof77organisationsfromabroadspectrumofindustries,sectorsandsizes,andoperatinginSingapore,

participatedinthestudy.

2.3.3 Featured Organisations

FeaturedorganisationsarethosejointlyidentifiedbytheTripartiteAllianceforFairEmploymentPractices(TAFEP)and

SingaporeHumanResourcesInstitute(SHRI).Visitsandin-depthinterviewswiththeseniormanagementteamswere

conductedtoassesstheirleadingHumanResources(HR)practicesonemploymentofmatureandolderemployees.

Theseorganisationshaveage-inclusivepracticesinplaceandhavebeenembracingmatureandolderemployeesquite

successfully.

07Introduction

Alexandra Hospital

Cargill Group of Companies

Cherie Hearts Group International

Chevron International

Comfort DelGro

Housing & Development Board

Land Transport Authority

McDonald’s Singapore

National Healthcare Group

NTUC Club

Panasonic Asia Pacific Pte Ltd

PhillipCapital Singapore

Public Utilities Board

Royal Plaza on Scotts

Singapore General Hospital

Singapore Power

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.

08 Findings

Findings

This chapter features and examines the online responses from 61 organisations operating in Singapore

(representing nearly 50,000 employees) on the practices, issues, challenges and expectations ofmanaging

matureandolderemployeesinSingapore.

3

3.1 Mature and Older Workforce:

A Fundamental Shift

Arapidlyageingworkforceisbringingaboutafundamental

shift in Singapore’s employment landscape. This

fundamentalchangehasfarreachingconsequencesfor

theeconomyandorganisationsoperating inSingapore.

Many employers have already experienced a shortage

of skilled and qualified employees.With a reduction of

younger employees entering the workforce, it would

become increasingly important for organisations to

engageamorematureandolderworkforceandleverage

on their experience and expertise in order to maintain

theircompetitivenessintheindustry.

Themajority of organisations across abroad spectrum

of industries have already employed mature and older

employees and do encourage them to remain in the

organisation(Exhibits 5 and 6).

09Findings

Exhibit6How far do you agree with the following statement?

Exhibit5Age profile of employees from companies surveyed

3%

13%

46%

21%

71%

51%

33%

13%

2%

43%

3%

2%

40 to less than 55 years old

55 to 62 years old

Above 62 years old

0 Between 1% and 10%of employees

Between 11% and 30%of employees

Greater than 30%of employees

90%

77% 8% 15%

5% 5%

Yes No

10 Findings

While it is heartening to note thatmost organisations have re-employedmature and older employees, themajority

haveyettograspthebiggerpictureandhowtheageingworkforceisimpactingorwillimpacttheirindustryandtheir

organisationsinthefuture(Exhibits 7 and 8).

Interestingly,almosthalfoftherespondentsbelievethatamajoramountofknowledgeislostwhensenioremployees

retire(Exhibit 9).

Exhibit7What impact will ageing of the work-force have on staffing in your industry?

Exhibit8In your opinion, within the next five years, how likely is it that your organisation will face a shortage of qualified employees?

Exhibit9How much knowledge loss do you think occurs when employees retire or otherwise leave your organisation?

3.2 Issues and Challenges

AsSingaporeentersaperiodinwhichthe55-to64-year-oldssurfaceasthefastestgrowingsegmentintheworkplace,

manyrespondentsareawarethattheywillfaceseveralissuesandchallengesinmanagingmatureandolderemployees.

Risinghealthandinsurancecostshasbeenrankedasthetopchallengefollowedbytheviewsthatjobsmayrequire

physicalabilitiesbeyondmatureandolderemployees’abilitiesandthattheyareoftenunwillingtochange,orlearnnew

thingsortechnology(Exhibit 10).

Theconcernaboutescalatinghealthandinsurancecostsindicatesastereotypethatolderpeoplearemorelikelytofall

illorinjurethemselves;olderworkersareassumedtobelesshealthyandlessproductivethantheiryoungercolleagues.

Otherresearch,however,hasrevealedthattheoppositeistrueofolderworkers (Refer to 4.7).

11Findings

Exhibit10Which of the following issues and challenges related to managing mature and older employees apply to your organisation?

As average age of employees rises,health and insurance costs go up

Jobs may require physical abilities beyondmature and older employees’ abilities

Mature and older employees are oftenunwilling to change or learn new things/technology

Jobs are not currently structured and re-designedfor part-time and/or flexible schedules

Concerned that younger manager will not be ableto supervise mature and older employees

Flexible schedules are not often available

Believe that many mature and older employees wanthigher salaries when returning to work,

even if starting at non-executive levels

Unable to find appropriate level of work for mature andolder employees with technical or professional backgrounds

Mature and older employees often lack diversityeducation and understanding of culture,language and modern workplace issues

Concerned that mature and older employees have feweryears to work and training investment is not worth it

Believe that more training must beprovided to mature and older employees

Mature and older employees areunable to handle stressful situations.

Mature and older employees don’twork well with others/difficult to work with

Lack of respect by co-employees

67%

43%

38%

38%

38%

26%

26%

18%

16%

15%

15%

13%

7%

7%

7%Other (Please specify) • Portabilityofwelfareandbenefits

• Inadequateretirementfund

• Youngerexecutivesneedopportunitiesforcareerdevelopment

12 Findings

Company Seeking Doctor’s Advice For Job Design

Hazenberg Bouw, a Dutch construction company, accommodates its ageing workforce

throughjobadaptationandmedicalsupervision.Thisinvolvesacompanydoctorexamining

olderworkersandofferingadviceontheappropriateworkloadsforemployees.Someofthe

jobadaptations include:switchingtosupervisorypositions;mentoringofyoungerworkers,

withtheyoungerworkerscarryingoutthemorestrenuoustasks;andtheadjustmentofthe

paceofwork.

Olderworkersareusuallysparedphysicallydemandingworkbymeansofflexibleworking

patterns, jobdesign,andhealthandwell-beingmeasures.While thecompanyviewsolder

workersasbeinglessproductivewithrespecttophysicallydemandingtasks,itvaluestheir

contributiontoworkqualitythroughtheirgreaterexperience.

Over70%oftheorganisationsfeelthattheyarereadytomanageamatureandolderworkforce.Justoveraquarterof

themcitereasonslikebusinessrequirements,unavailabilityofproperinfrastructure,lackofadequateknowledge,skills

andcompetencies,etc,fortheircurrentunpreparedness(Exhibit 11).

Exhibit11Do you feel that your organisation is ready for managing a mature and older workforce?

• Needsuitableemployee-relatedbenefitsfortheiragetype

• Nopropermanpowerplan

13Findings

14 Findings

3. 3 Leading Practices of Managing Mature and Older Workforce

Asnoted inExhibit 12,providing training toupgradeskillsof employees,hiring retiredemployeesasconsultantsor

temporaryemployeesandregularlymeasuringsicknessabsencearethemostpopularandpreferredstandstakenby

theorganisations toaccommodatematureandolder employees.Themajorityoforganisationsarealsoconsidering

optionssuchasshiftingemployeesfromonecareertracktoanother,reducingworkschedules,providingopportunities

foremployeestotransfertojobswithreducedpayandresponsibilities.

Exhibit12Your organisation’s stand on different approaches to accommodate mature and older employees

25%

30%

31%

31%

33%

34%

36%

41%

44%

44%

46%

48%

48%

55%

64%

75%

78%

23%

20%

25%

25%

30%

28%

27%

26%

20%

31%

26%

22%

36%

30%

16%

7%

10%

52%

50%

44%

44%

38%

38%

37%

33%

37%

25%

28%

30%

16%

15%

20%

18%

12%

Providing options of working from home

Design and monitor phased return-to-work plans andconducting fitness-for-work assessments

Regularly organise counselling sessions

Provide support for mature and older employees who maydevelop long-term health conditions and/or become disabled

Regularly organise fitness awareness programmes andworkshops (Yoga, meditation, etc)

Providing part-time work arrangements with continuation of benefits

Shifting employees from one career track to another

Regularly monitor health and well-being of employees

Providing training to upgrade skills of employees

Hiring retired employees as consultants or temporary employees

Providing opportunities for employees to transfer jobs with reduced pay and responsibilities

Regularly assess risks that may arise due to occupation professionals

Enabling employees to ease into retirement by reducing their work schedules

Addressing age bias issues in the workplace by offering programmes such as mentoring or diversity training

Providing part-time work arrangements without continuation of benefits

Provide financial advice

Providing options of seasonal working (working one semester only)

No No, but considering Yes

15Findings

Lifestyle Leave and Career Breaks

ANZAustraliahasoptionstosupporttheemploymentofolderworkers.Thebankrecognisesthatemployees

whoareapproachingretirementmaywishtobeginmakingadjustmentstotheirlifestylepriortoleavingpaid

employment.

AspartofthisprocesstheyhaveintroducedLifestyleLeave,whichisapurchasedleavearrangementthat

allowsemployeestopurchaseuptoanadditionalfourweeksofannualleaveeachyearbasedonthe46/52

model.Thepurchasedleavemaybetakeninoneblockoraccessedaslittleasonedayatatime.Employees

canchoosetoworkanine-dayfortnightbyaccessingonedayofpurchasedleaveeverysecondweek.

Whilethepurchasedleaveisavailabletoallemployees,thosewhoarenearingretirementareencouraged

toconsiderusingtheleavetopursueoutsideinterestssuchasvolunteerworkandhobbies,ortoworka

littlemoreflexibly.Thebankalsoallowsemployeestotakeextendedleavewithoutpaytotakeupvolunteer

positions.

OtherareasthatANZwillbeconsideringincludeflexibleandcustomisedworkingarrangements,knowledge

management (including how to retain people asmentors), life planning, learning and development, and

project-basedwork.

16 Findings

Exhibit13Do you regularly connect with your already retired employees?

No69%

Yes31%

Invite them to annual dinner or reception

Develop a database of contact details of former staff, and asking staff for contact details when they retire

Invite them to public lecture series,cultural and social events

Invite them to join a Friends Scheme

Established a mature and older employee Job Bank

Send newsletters andother communication materials

Invite them to present on newdirections to the organisation

Branding of the initiative through development of mature and older employee logo and slogan

Formed retirement associations

28%

25%

18%

12%

12%

2%

7%

10%

10%

Overaquarteroftherespondentsregularlyconnectwiththeiralreadyretiredemployeesinoneformoranother,including

invitationstoannualdinners,publiclectureseries,culturalandsocialevents,andFriendsSchemes(Exhibit 13).

17Findings

Exhibit14What would you like to conduct to attract and retain the mature and older employees to re-join workforce or continue to work?

Exhibit15Has your organisation participated in various government schemes and programmes relating to manpower issues?

Nearly50%oftheparticipatingorganisationshavebenefitedfromvariousgovernmentschemesandprogrammes,the

popularonesincludeAdvantage,Work-LifeWorks!(WoW)andFlexi-Works!(Exhibit 15).

3.4 Interventions for Managing Mature and Older Workforce

Recognising,valuingandacceptingthework,providingoptionsofflexibleworkarrangements,traininganddevelopment

andreinforcingafairrewardsystemstandoutassomeofthemostpopularinterventionsthatorganisationswouldliketo

adopttoattractmatureandolderemployeestore-jointheworkforceand/orcontinuetowork(Exhibit 14).

62%

61%

5%

16%

46%

49%

51%

56%

57%

51%

5%

7%

8%

18%

21%

21%

• Alternativepensionscheme

• Matureandolderemployeesascoachandmentorforothers

18 Findings

Fast Facts

• Atage55,painterPabloPicassocompletedhismasterpiece,Guernica.

• Clara Barton founded the American RedCrossatage59.

• AlbertEinsteinat theageof59achievedmajoradvancementsinhisgeneraltheoryofrelativity.

• BenjaminFranklinattheageof70helpeddrafttheDeclarationofIndependence.

• At58,CaptainChesley“Sully”Sullenbergersuccessfully landed USAir flight 1549 ontheHudsonRiver,andsavedthelivesofall155passengersonboard.

Change the Attitude Towards Older Employees

VolvoPenta,aSwedishcarmanufacturer,hasintroducedaprogrammetochangetheattitudetowards

older employees and facilitate internal mobility. The programme allocates funds to older workers for

personaldevelopmentandtrainingwhichwouldallowadvancementwithinthecompany.

Overall,organisationswelcomedthenationalinitiativeof

conductingthisstudy.

The participating organisations felt it necessary to

educate employers in their respective industrieson the

advantages of employing older employees and create

moreknowledge-sharingplatformstodealwiththeissue.

They also suggested providing guidelines (including

suggestions related to compensation and benefits) to

Human Resource (HR) practitioners to deal with the

issueandequipthemwithhigherlevelsofcompetencies

to identify and implement necessary changes at their

workplaces.

19Findings

LeadingPracticesforManagingMatureandOlderEmployeesinSingapore

20 LeadingPracticesforManagingMatureandOlderEmployeesinSingapore

Decliningfertilityandincreasedlifeexpectancieshaveresultedina“greying”ofthepopulationaroundtheworld.This

demographicshift isexpectedtohaveaprofoundeffectonbusinessandsocietiesat large.Ithasgenerallybeen

acknowledged,thoughinvaryingproportions,thattheimpactofSingapore’sageingworkforcewillbefeltinmostof

thesectorsoftheeconomyandoccupations.

Itisthusnecessarytoreviewhumancapitalpoliciesandpracticessuchasflexibleworkingarrangement,re-employment

policy,health,safetyandergonomicstrategies,retentionofolderemployees,workenvironmentstrategies,etc,to

maintain the competitive advantage. This chapter outlines examplesof leadingpractices adoptedby16 leading

organisations(operatinginSingapore)totackletheissue.

4.1 Flexible Work Arrangements (FWA)

FlexibleWorkArrangements (FWA) is a term for employmentpracticeswhere flexibility exists inwork structures.

FWAdifferfromthetraditionalnormsintermsofhoursworked,lengthofcontract,orplaceofwork.Accordingto

WorkplaceFlexibility2010,aflexibleworkarrangementincludes:

• Flexibilityintheschedulingofhoursworked,suchasalternativeworkschedules(e.g.flexi-timeandcompressed

workweeks),shiftsandbreakschedules

• Flexibilityinthenumberofhoursworked,suchaspart-timeworkandjobshares

• Flexibilityintheplaceofwork,suchasworkingathomeoratasatellitelocation

InAlexandraHospital(AH),aunitcalledSilverConnectionisdedicatedtohelpingmatureworkersremainmeaningfully

employedwhilefulfillingtheirpersonalgoals.Allemployees(includingmatureandolderemployees)canoptforFWA

includingpart-timing,jobsharingandflexi-hourschemes.

Public Utilities Board (PUB) has arrangements for flexible working hours, part-time employment, telecommuting

SchemeandSpouse/ParenthospitalisationleavetoenableitsstafftoachieveWorkLifeHarmonybalance.Arich

arrayofprogrammesandactivitiesorganisedbytheStaffWellBeingCommittee(SWBC)andthePUBRecreation

Clubensuresthatstaffstayhealthy,productiveandhappy.CAREOfficersandanexternalcounsellinghotlineservice

assiststafftodealwiththeirpersonalissuesandcrises.

4

21LeadingPracticesforManagingMatureandOlderEmployeesinSingapore

Flexi-work@ Housing & Development Board (HDB)

Housing&DevelopmentBoard(HDB)isSingapore’spublichousingauthorityandastatutoryboard

under theMinistryofNationalDevelopment.HDB isamatureorganisationwith35%of its8,700

employees,aged50yearsandabove.

HDBoffersavarietyofflexibleworkarrangements,includingflexi-hours,part-timeemployment,and

telecommutingoptions.Thesearrangementsareofparticularbenefittomatureandolderemployees

withcaregivingresponsibilities.

OtherWork-Lifeinitiativesbenefitingmatureandolderemployeesarethecompany’sflexiblebenefits

scheme,whichgives$400ayeartoeachemployeeforhealthandotherexpenses,anemergency-

leavepolicy,unrecordedtimeoffforfamilyandpersonalmatters,and12daysofunrecordedstudy

and/orexaminationleaveforemployeespursuinghigherqualificationsandothereducationaltraining.

4.2 Re-employment Policy/Pre-retirement Planning

As part of a set ofmeasures to enable older employees towork longer, the SingaporeGovernmentwill enact re-

employmentlegislationby2012.Re-employmentwillrequireemployerstoofferjobstoemployeesreachingtheretirement

age,butitneednotbeforthesamejobposition,and/oronthesamesalaryandterms.

Re-employmentoffersmorebenefitsthanraisingtheretirementagebecauseof:

• Flexibility-Bothemployerandemployeescanworkoutare-employmentofferthatisagreeabletobothparties,

takingintoaccountthecompany’srequirementsandtheneedsoftheolderemployees.

• Sustainability-Wagesandbenefitscanbeadjustedtoreflectthevalueofthejobandthecontributionofthe

employeessothatcompaniescanremaincompetitive.

“Our employees are our greatest asset. They are key to our continued success and

form a firm foundation for future growth. ComfortDelGro supports the employment

of older workers as we believe in harnessing their rich and diverse experience and

knowledge to strengthen our workforce capabilities. We have put in place initiatives

to ensure that our older workers work in a safe and conducive environment. We have

instituted policies to ensure that our re-employment offers follow good practices

on pre-retirement planning/counselling, flexible job arrangements and employment

terms.”

Ms Daisy Chan, Group Human Resource Officer, ComfortDelGro


Inresponsetothegovernment’seffortstohelpolderworkersremaineconomicallyproductive,SingaporePower(SP)has

increasedthenumberof‘re-employmentafterretirement’casessinceFY05/06.The‘re-employmentafterretirement’

ratejumpedfrom22%inFY05/06to84.7%inFY08/09.

Dependingonindividualmedicalfitness,pastperformanceandabilities,theolderstaffmaybere-employedinthesame

roleoradifferentpositionforacontractperiodofoneortwoyears.Re-employedstaffcontinuetobeeligibleforthe

annualperformancebonuswhichservesasanincentivetomotivateandrecognisegoodperformance.

Re-employment @ Alexandra Hospital (AH)

AlexandraHospital (AH)stronglyencouragesre-employmentofmatureandolderemployeesandhas

madeconcertedeffortstoachievethisasoneoftheircorporategoals.Re-hiringisalsobasedonthe

workers’healthandperformance,withpre-retirementplanningandconsultationprovided.Theworkers

arere-hiredonrenewableone-yearcontracts.Thehospitalalsodoesnotcutthewagesofitsemployees

aftertheyturn60,eventhoughitisallowedtoreducewagesbyupto

10%undertheRetirementAgeAct.

Anemployeewhowasre-hiredtotakeonadifferentroleis70-year-old

MrWilliamLow.‘’UncleWilliam’’,asheisaffectionatelyknowninAH,

usedtoworkasahospitalhealthattendant.IT-savvy,heisnowworking

asaneventcoordinatorwithinAH,andhandleseventlogisticssuchas

soundsystemsandlighting.


While working as an occupational therapist at

Alexandra Hospital, Mrs Rosalind Tan was also a

volunteer gardener there. When she retired at 62,

she was offered a different job which matched her

interest – landscaping the hospital’s environment.

Since then, she has been a Senior Executive in the

Operations Department, managing the hospital

landscape and environmentally-friendly projects.

“If I can make a difference helping other people,

improving the environment, why waste my time at

home? When I went into it, I got hooked on it, and

I have continued till today,” says Rosalind.

Pre-retirement Planning

Retirementplanningmustnotbereservedonlyforthosepersonsaged65yearsandabove.Itisnevertooearlyortoo

latetostartplanningforthefuture.Earlyandthoughtfulpreparationforretirementcansignifythebeginningofanew

andsatisfyingdimension inone’s life.Organisationsmaydowell to leverageonthisopportunitytoattractandretain

employeesbyprovidingpre-retirementoptionstohelpemployeessecuretheirfuture.

Inordertopreparethemforthesocialandphysiologicalchangesthatcomewithage,LandTransportAuthority(LTA)

sendstheirmatureandolderemployeesabove50yearsoldtotheSeniorEmployabilityGuidanceProgramme(SEG).

SEGalsoequipsthemwiththenecessarytoolstohelpthemstayrelevantandemployable.

OntopofSEG,LTAhasputinplacetheContinuingEducationSchemeforMatureOfficers(CESMO)toencouragemature

employees to upgrade themselves professionally throughpart-time academic certification/qualification programmes.

CESMOprovidessponsorshipforemployeesaged50andabovewhointendtotakeupprogrammesthatareofvalueto

LTAatlargebutneednotnecessarilybeofdirectrelevancetotheircurrentwork.Byintroducingthisscheme,LTAhopes

toequiptheseemployeeswiththenecessaryskill-setsfortheirsecondcareertoensuretheyaregainfullyemployedand

cancontinuetocontributetotheeconomy.

Pre-retirement Planning @ Housing & Development Board (HDB)

InDecember2008,Housing&DevelopmentBoard (HDB)put inplacea

structuredRe-EmploymentFramework toconsider the re-employmentof

employeesreachingtheretirementageof62,upto65.Toprepareemployees

forretirement,discussionsontheirretirementplansandthere-employment

opportunitiesavailableinHDBareheldatleastoneyearbeforetheyretire.

Employeeswillalsobeencouragedtoattendretirementplanningclasses.

Those foundsuitable for re-employment areofferedaone-year contract,

renewableonayearlybasisuptoage65,andsubjecttothere-employment

criteria.HDB,togetherwiththeHDBStaffUnion,alsoprovidesassistance

inidentifyingalternativeemploymentopportunitiesintheeventthatHDBis

unabletoofferre-employment.


“It’sgreatthatstaffmyagehavetheopportunitytocarryonworkingin

HDB,” shares 63-year-old Higher Corporate Administrative Executive,

AlbertSim,currentlyonhissecondre-employmentcontractwithHDB.

Beforehisre-employmentin2008,Albertwasinchargeofthemicrofilming

ofHDB’shardcopyfiles,itsmailliftsystemandsupervisingabout10staff.

Now he takes on project-based work, like the conservation of HDB’s

historicalrecords.Thetraininghehasreceivedinthepasthasequipped

himforhisnewroles.

Pre-retirement Planning @ Singapore Power (SP)

SingaporePower (SP)Group isa leadingenergyutilitycompany in theAsiaPacific.Withassetsof

S$26.3 billion as at endMarch 2009, it is one of the largest corporations in Singapore. SP owns

andoperateselectricityandgastransmissionanddistributionbusinessesandprovidesenergymarket

supportservicesinSingaporeandAustralia.

SP has aworkforce of over 2,700 employees inSingapore, and nearly 56%aremature and older

employees(aged40yearsoldandabove).Astrongadvocateofre-employmentofolderemployees,it

signedtheEmployers’PledgeofFairEmploymentPracticesin2008.

TheHR policies of the company include pre-retirement job counselling and employability (capacity

building), alongwith a comprehensive range ofworkplace health programmes, performance-based

totalrewardsystem,qualitylifeprogrammesandmore.

ProgrammessuchasTurningPointinLifehavebeenrolledouttohelpemployeesaged59andabove

prepare for retirement and equip themwith the know-how to remain socially active, and dealwith

financialandinsurancematters.


V Sandourajan Pandian (Technician from Gas LeakVehiclePatrolTeam,SPPowerGrid)checkingtheflameionisationdetector toensure it is inworkingconditionbeforesettingoffforpatrolduties.

TanKowTee(TechnicianfromSPServicesLtd)checksaccuracy of meters for residential customers andrespondstoqueriesfromoffices/smallbusinesses.

Pre-retirement Planning @ National Healthcare Group (NHG)

National Healthcare Group (NHG) is a leader in public healthcare in Singapore, with a vast and

integratednetworkofprimaryhealthcarepolyclinics,acutecarehospitals,nationalspecialtycentres,

virtualspecialtycentresandbusinessdivisions.Together,NHGinstitutionscomprise9,100employees,

35%ofwhomarematureandolderemployees(abovetheageof40),withnearly2%above62years.

The organisation actively re-hires its retirees and is the first healthcare organisation to sign a

Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Healthcare Services Employees’ Union (HSEU) to

implementtheprovisionsandrecommendationssetoutintheTripartiteAdvisoryontheRe-employment

ofOlderWorkers2008.

NHG’smatureworkersattendpre-retirementplanningandcounsellingatleastthreeyearsbeforethey

reach thestatutory retirementageof62.Employeesaged55 to62attendprogrammes including

Seniors Employment Guidance organised by National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) or other

relevantcoursesconductedbytheCentreforSeniors,etc,tolearnabouttheadaptationsneededfor

continuedemploymentandhowtoleadpro-activehealthylifestylesafterretirement.



Pre-retirement Planning @ Public Utilities Board (PUB)

PublicUtilitiesBoard(PUB)isthenationalwateragencyofSingaporeresponsibleforthecollection,production,distribution

andreclamationofwaterinSingapore.Fromrainwatercollectiontousedwatertreatment,theentireloopismanagedby

PUBwhichhasover3,000employees,nearly70%ofwhomarematureandolderemployees,including27%whoare

abovetheageof55.

Mature employees provide workforce stability. Re-employment of its employees, who have reached the statutory

retirementageof62,isoneofthekeysourcesofrecruitmentatPUB.WiththesupportfromPUBEmployees’Union

(PUBEU),PUBre-employsretiredemployeeswhopossesstherequiredskillsandcompetenciesforthejobvacanciesto

befilled.Employeesmaycontinueinthesamejobtheywereinpriortotheirretirementorbere-deployedtoanewjob

withadifferentscopeanddifferentresponsibilities,dependingontheneedsoftheorganisation.

Asaresponsibleemployer,PUBalsoco-developedwithPUBEUandimplementedtheTransitionTrainingProgramme

(TTP)foremployeeswhowillreachthecompulsoryretirementagewithinthenext10to12years.ImplementedinMarch

2007,theprogrammeaimstobetterprepareitsmatureemployeesforemployabilityand/orretirementwellbeforethey

reachthecompulsoryretirementage. Theprogrammeconsistsof fourmodulesandcovers topicssuchaschange

management,managingone’sfinancialandothercommitments,forwardplanning,acquiringofnewlifeandtradeskills

andhowtheseopenupnewcareeropportunities,andhealthmanagement.Feedbackfromtheparticipantshasbeen

verypositive.

NationalTradesUnionCongress(NTUC)andPublicServiceDivision(PSD)haveinvitedPUBtoshareitsre-employment

approacheswiththepublicsectormanagementandunion.

,

“Employees at PUB have a sense of mission and fulfillment and they love to stay. Nearly

70% of our employees fall in the mature and older category. Interestingly, our attrition rate

is as low as 3%. Our employees are productive and engaged. They are committed and

provide workforce stability. Hence, we do not see age as an issue as long as the employees

are able to perform their job well.”

Mr Lawrence Tan, Director Human Resources, PUB

DirectorofHumanResources,PUB, receivingtheCertificate of Commendation at the 2008AARPInternationalEmployerAwardluncheon.The awardwas given in recognition of PUB’scommitment to create innovative humanresources practices that address issuesrelevanttotheage-50-and-aboveworkforce.


4.3 Organisational Culture

Organisationalcultureisthesumofthevalues,customs,traditionsandmeaningsthatmakesanorganisationunique.It

isoftenreferredtoasthe“characterofanorganisation”sinceitembodiesthevisionoftheorganisation’sfounders.The

valuesofanorganisationalcultureinfluencetheethicalstandardswithinanorganisation,aswellasmanagerialbehaviour.

Manyleadingorganisationshavetriedtoinstilanage-inclusiveculturewhereseniormanagementwalkthetalk.They

showcasecorporatevaluesandstandardsofbehaviourthatspecificallyreflecttheobjectivesoftheirorganisationtowards

employeesofdifferentages.Suchorganisationsgenerallyhaveanedgeoverothers;bycreatingapositiveenvironment

whereemployeesfeelvaluedandrespectedregardlessofage,employerswillenjoyhigherlevelsofstaffperformance.

Organisational Culture @ Royal Plaza on Scotts

RoyalPlazaonScotts,a5-starhotel inSingapore,believes increatingaworkingenvironment thatvalues individual

employeesandevenurgesthemtoenjoytheirwork.Thehotel’sdeliverystandards,basedontheacronymS.E.R.V.I.C.E.,

encompassthefollowingvalues:Seamless,Empowered,Refreshing,Versatile,Individualised,CharmingandExtraordinary.

A staunch believer in engaging employees, the management

hasconducteda trainingsession to identify thevital areasof staff

satisfaction. All department heads were committed to accept

feedback positively and encouraged to find out ‘what happened’

ratherthan‘whodidit’.Inaddition,theymadeconcertedeffortsto

explaintothestaffthereasonsforalldecisionsmade.

RoyalPlazaonScottsalso inspires itsemployeeswithaLife-Long

Philosophyconsistingoffoursimpleprinciples:BeThere,Play!,Make

TheirDayandChooseYourAttitude.

In Play!, employees are encouraged to have funwhile atwork. In

MakeTheirDay,employeesshowtheirgratitudetocolleagueswho

havemadetheirdaybywritinglittlenotesofthanksandthenposting

themonanoticeboardinthestaffcafeteria.

“Older employees have experience and expertise that are not easily replaced. We value our mature staff who bring valuable experience and wisdom, and are inspiring role models for younger staff. We consciously adjust our employment practices so that we can optimise on the experience of our mature staff while at the same time help them find fulfillment as they continue working.”

Prof Tan Ser Kiat, Chief Executive Officer, SingHealth Group

Organisational Culture @ Cherie Hearts Group International

CherieHeartsGroupInternationalPteLtdwasfoundedasa

single childcare centre in Singapore in 2001. Presently, the

companyhasexpandedtoprovidechildcareandinfantcare

services all over Singapore and other ASEAN countries to

becomethelargestSingaporechildcarechainwithnearly60

centres. Cherie Hearts offers a one-stop education service

thatsupportsthePhysical,Intellectual,Emotional,Socialand

Language (PIESL) development of children. Nearly 50% of

theirover700employeesareinthematureandoldercategory

(above theageof40)withnearly5%above theageof60.

Withtheirgoodemployeepractices,clarityofpurposeanda

senseofdirection,theyaretouchinghearts,mouldinglives!

Theorganisationculture is relationship-basedand there ismutual trustbetweenemployerandemployee.

Therehavebeenoccasionswhereemployeeshavehad toworkonSaturdays.GroupPresident andCo-

founderDrGurchranSinghwoulddeclarethefollowingMondayoff inappreciationoftheirgoodworkand

supportfortheorganisation.

Thegroup’ssurprisingly lowstaff turnover rateof0.2speaks louder thanwords. Inanutshell, valuing the

contributionsandprovidingflexibleworkingconditionsaresomeofthestrategiesofthegroupinattracting,

retainingandengagingtheirstaff.

“Age is just a number. Mature and older employees could sometimes be more dedicated or equally charged up to the organisation. They are quite energetic. In our organisation, the founders themselves play good role models by respecting the senior employees because of their invaluable experiences. This then percolates down across all segments of employees.”

Ms Wenda Ng, President, Overseas Operations, Cherie Hearts

CherieHeartsrespectsandrecognisestheexperiencethatmatureandolderemployeesbringtotheworkplaceand

hasreapedsignificantreturnsintheformofresponsiblebehaviourandcommitment.


Open Door Policy @ PhillipCapital

Established in 1975,PhillipCapital is a groupof companieswhich offers a full range of quality and

innovativefinancialservicestoretail,corporateandinstitutionalcustomers.Currently,inSingaporethe

companyhasnearly700employees(global3000)witharound10%oftheminthematureandolder

category.

Thetopmanagementofthecompanybelievesinestablishinganopendoorpolicybasedontrustand

mutualrespect.Thematureandolderemployeesareregardedasnurturersofthenextgeneration.

Aspromotersof fair employmentpolicies, the companybelieves in creatingopportunities for talent

developmentandgrowthandrewardsthebestirrespectiveoftheirage.

“Our organisation treasures the experience of mature professionals who can

bring value to a young team. Thankfully, we have a wealth of experience

which has helped us to build for the future.”

Mr Eugene Cheng, HR Director, PhillipCapital, Singapore


4.4 Training of Mature and Older Workers

TheSelf-Directed LearningSchemeatHousing&DevelopmentBoard (HDB) offers employees aged50 and above

up to a credit of $500 to takeupanyLearningandDevelopment courseof their interest. Thecourses,whichmay

notnecessarilyrelatetotheirworkfunctions,areaimedatbroadeningemployees’ intereststopreparethemfortheir

retirement.Toenhancetheversatilityandemployabilityofemployeesabove40yearsofage,theyarealsoencouragedto

takeupcoursesleadingtoformalqualifications(e.g.certificate&diploma)underHDB’ssponsorshipprogrammes.Again,

sponsorshipisnotconfinedtocoursesthataredirectlyrelatedtotheemployee’simmediatejobneeds.

“Choosing to retain and retrain older workers, many of whom are in good

physical and mental shape has also paid off for another group – the patients.”

Mr Liak Teng Lit, Chief Executive Officer, Alexandra Hospital

Training @ Alexandra Hospital (AH)

AlexandraHospital (AH)believes in the fact thathealthcare is a100%knowledgesector and that there is

a constant need for upgrading the knowledge and skills. It also emphasises its need for competent and

compassionateemployeesandbelievesitsmatureandolderemployeeshavethesecharacteristicsinthem.

Theyencourageemployeestoundergotrainingandupgradeskillsannually.



Training @ Public Utilities Board (PUB)

PublicUtilitiesBoard(PUB)hasastructuredEducationalUpgradingProgrammetohelpemployees

whohaveonlypartialeducationornoeducationtotakedifferenteducationalupgradingpaths.Since

2002,cumulativelymorethan900employees(majorityoverage50)haveundergonetheprogramme

and another 100 or so are presently enrolled. Many of thesemature andolder employees have

successfullygraduatedanddisplayed,intheprocess,theirwillingnessandabilitytolearn.

MrNathans/oMuniyandy,aTechnicalOfficerwiththeWaterReclamation

(Plants)Department,joinedPUBasaTechnicianin1998at37.Hestudied

part-timeandattainedaNITEC inElectricalTechnology.From2002 to

2005,heattainedaHigherNITECinElectricalEngineeringunderPUB’s

sponsorship.

PUBcontinuedtosponsorMrNathanfortheDiplomainWaterTechnology

(DWT)atNgeeAnnPolytechnictillhegraduatedinFebruary2008.For

hisexemplarycommitmenttowardscontinuallearningandtraining,MrNathanwasawardedtheLife

LongLearnerAwardin2007whichrecognisesindividualswhopersevereinupgradingtheirskillsand

takeonnewchallengesorstayrelevantatwork.

Another Technical Officer with the Water Reclamation (Plants)

Department, Mr Shaikh Mohd Riad, also received the Life Long

LearnerAwardin2008.Hishardworkborefruitwhen,attheage

of 41, he graduated with honours in Bachelor of Electrical and

ElectronicEngineeringfromNanyangTechnologicalUniversity(NTU)

in2008,underPUB’sco-sponsorshipscheme.

Priortohis5-yearpart-timedegreeinNTU,MrShaikhdida5-year

part-timeDiplomainElectricalEngineeringatSingaporePolytechnic.Asanadultlearner,itwastough

asMrShaikhhadtojugglewithwork,familyandclasses.Throughself-discipline,positiveattitudeand

sheerdetermination,hecompletedhisalmostdecade-longlearningjourney.

Training @ McDonald’s Singapore

InMcDonald’sSingapore,aseriesofoperationalandtrainingchangeswasrecentlyincorporatedtocater

totheneedsofmatureworkers.Theseincludedchangestotheorientationprogrammeandre-designing

ofstafftrainingmaterial.

“We’ve always been bullish about people investment. There is always room

for great service, regardless of the economic climate. Training and taking the

time to sharpen our people’s skills will in turn provide long-term value for both

employees and employers.

Ms Patricia Yong, Head of Human Resource and Development,

McDonald’s Singapore

Twokeyadjustmentsweremade to ensureanoperations-friendly environment formatureworkers at

McDonald’s:

• VisualsandGraphics -Previous trainingaidswere text-heavy,andmostly inEnglish.Thesewere

revisedtoincludemorevisualsandgraphicstomakethemforaccessibletomatureworkers.

• CashRegisters-Existingcashregisterswereupgradedtotouch-screenmodels,whereeachmenu

itemisnowrepresentedvisually,thuseliminatingtheneedformatureemployeestostraintheireyes

toreadthesmallprint.Italsomakesiteasierforemployeestoenteracustomer’sorder,ensuringa

morespeedyservice.


McDonald’s company policy on hiring mature and older employees is driven by

an inclusive work culture and an employee value proposition which aims to give

every employee an opportunity to learn and benefit from - regardless of age”.

Training and Multi-skilling @ ComfortDelgro

ComfortDelGroistheworld’ssecondlargestpublic-listedpassengerlandtransportcompany.ComfortDelGroSingapore

comprisesover10,000employees,nearly60%ofwhomarematureandolderemployees(aged40yearsandabove).

Throughtheemploymentoftechnologyandextensivetraining,theorganisationisleadingtheindustrynotjustinSingapore

butalsoglobally.ComfortDelGrohaslongrecognisedthesignificanceofamatureandolderworkforce.

“The automobile industry is labour intensive and faces difficulty getting

young people on board. It is among the first few industries to feel the

pinch of the ageing workforce. It has been our constant endeavour to

train and retrain our employees to upgrade their skills and give them

multiple skill sets in order for them to stay relevant. We also re-design

our jobs at the workplace to make the workforce more productive.

In fact, from our experience, our older employees are a stable and

reliable lot. They are cautious at work and possess competencies that

are very much required for the industry we are in.”

Ms Daisy Chan, Group Human Resource Officer, ComfortDelGro

To stay ahead in the competition, the Group has a structured training process (technical and non-technical). The

technicaltrainingincludesprogrammesonsafety,security,operations/engineeringrelatedskillsandtechnical/standards

certification.Operational and frontline staff (themajority ofwhomaremature andolder employees) alsogo through

rigoroustrainingprogrammestoensurethatservicestandardsaremetandimproved.Forexample,BusCaptainsand

TrafficInspectorsareregularlyprimedontheusageofappropriateservicelanguagefordifferentcustomersituations.

Tohelpreinforcethelearningforthematureandolderemployees,aservicepledgeintheformofapocket-sizecard,

detailingthesetofbehavioursisgiventofrontlinestaff.BusCaptainsalsoattendrefreshercoursesondefensiveandfuel

economydriving.Tohelpmatureemployeesadaptbettertochanges,theyaresentonchangemanagementcourses

andgivenregularsupervisionandcounselling,whereappropriate.


Learning Capacity @ Cargill Group of Companies

InCargillGroupofCompanies,aprivatelyheldinternationalprovideroffood,agriculturalandriskmanagement

productsandservices,allemployeesarehighlyencouragedtoacquire/upgradeskillsandcontinuallydevelop

competenciesandskills throughout their

careerwiththecompany.

“LearningCapacity”,oneof thepillarsof

CargillGroup’sLeadershipModel,shapes

thislearningjourney.Theorganisat ion

createsanenvironmentwhereemployees

candevelopandpursuetheirpassionto

learn, be adaptable and nimble, gain a

broadperspectiveanddevelopconceptualstrength.Anemployee’slearningcapacityandachievementsare

alsoregularlyassessedaspartofCargillGroup’sannualperformancemanagementprocess.


“Great decisions come from great debates, and great debates are shaped by

people that bring a variety of perspective. Having the diversity that’s necessary

for the quality of debate to be at the highest possible level is clearly a business

imperative.”

Mr Greg Page, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Cargill Group of Companies

“I’ve been working for Singpapore General Hospital

(SGH) for almost 50 years. SGH provides a continuous

learning environment for all her staff, and often

sends us for training, even for older workers like

me. Every day at work I learn new things, even at

my age. Even though I work in Housekeeping, my

opportunity for learning extends beyond my area

of work, e.g. computer skills. My managers and

supervisors take good care of us. I am the longest

serving staff in the Housekeeping Department.”

Mdm Yun Yit Siong, 70, Hospital Attendant, SGH

4.5 Physical Work Environment (Ergonomics)

‘Ergonomics’isderivedfromthewords‘lawsof’(nomos)and‘work’(ergon).Ergonomicsinvolvesadaptingthejoband/

ortheequipmentandthehumantoeachotherforoptimalsafetyandproductivity,andthishasadirectcorrelationwith

anageingpopulation.

ComfortDelGro employs special measures to engage its mature employees by creating an age-friendly working

environment,e.g.olderBusCaptainswithnightvisionproblemsarerosteredtodriveonlyduringthemorningorday

shifts.Largerfontsincirculars/memoranda,biggerLCDmonitorsinsteadofCRTmonitorsandtogglingbetweenmultiple

systemsarebutafewoftheotherinitiativestoaccommodatematureandolderemployees.

Ergonomically Friendly Workplace @ Chevron

Chevronisoneoftheworld’slargest

integrated energy companies.

Headquartered in San Ramon,

California, it conducts business

in countries all around the

globe. Singapore is the regional

headquarters for the downstream

operations in Asia-Pacific, which

include the manufacturing, supply

and trading, marketing, and

lubricants businesses. Chevron

Upstream also has a presence

in Singapore through shipping,

global gas and power generation

businesses.

Chevron’sinitiativeshelptopromote

active ageing and well-being. Its

employee wellness programme

focusesonemployeehealthandwell-beingwhichparticularlybenefitsolderworkers.

Their ergonomically friendly workplaces are remarkable. Each employee receives individual health-

related statistics periodically from ergonomists employed by the company. The report also advises

employees on the necessary steps required tomaintain their health. There is an on-site nurse and

doctor intheofficeandolderemployeeshavetoattendcompanyhealthscreeningsmorefrequently

thanyoungeremployees.


Everglow Nurses’ Programme

National Healthcare Group (NHG) advocates the continual re-design of jobs not just to attract mature

workerstoenterhealthcarebutalsotoprovidecareerdevelopmentopportunitiesfortheiremployees.Ms

ManickamMaragtham,54-year-oldNurseClinicianfromtheInstituteofMentalHealth(IMH),wasawarded

ascholarshiptostudyaPostgraduateDiplomainHigherEducationin2009.“IwasdelightedtohearthatI

wassuccessfulinmyapplication.Initially,Iwasscepticalaboutbeingovertheageof50,whetherIwillbe

benchmarkedagainstmyyoungercolleagues.NowItrulybelievethatNHGhadembarkedonthisjourney

formatureprofessionalslikemetogrowanddeveloptillweretire.”

NHGhasintroducedEverglowNurses’Programmewhichinvitesretirednursestooptforcreativejobsin

theareasof training,promotingpatientsafetyandmaintainingclinicalstandardsofcare.Everglow isan

opportunitytoremainintheworkforceunderaflexi-hourworkscheme.

MrHarbhajanSingh,67,SeniorNurseManageratTanTockSengHospital(TTSH),isoneofthelongest-

servingmalenursesinSingapore,havingspent49yearsasanurse.Re-employedafter62,hechanged

portfolios and learnt new skills to provide administrative support to the hospital’sNursing Services.He

continuallyupgradeshiscomputer,writingandcommunicationskillstohelphimperformmoreeffectively.In

2008,hewontheActiveAgersAwardpresentedbytheCouncilforThirdAge.


4.6 Job Re-design

Jobre-designisthedeliberatepurposefulplanningofthejob,includingallitsstructuralandsocialaspectsandtheireffect

ontheemployee.Manyfactorsaffectjobdesign,suchasmanagerialstyle,unions,workingconditions,andtechnology.

4.7 Health and Wellness

Inanearlierpartofthestudy,itwashighlightedthatlocalemployersareconcernedthatamatureandolderworkforce

mayresultinhigherhealthandinsurancecosts.However,recentsurveysconductedbyAustralianBureauofStatistics

(ABS)havefoundthatmatureworkersarelesslikelytotakesickleaveandexperiencework-relatedinjuriescompared

toyoungerworkers.Section5.2elaborates,andsuggestssteps thatemployerscanundertake tohelpboost their

workforceproductivity.

4.8 Respect from Colleagues

McDonald’s retention and re-employment of older employees imbue a family-style working environment. As the

company’sworkforcespansavastrangeofages,thisallowstheolderemployeestosharewiththeyoungeronestheir

lifeexperienceorskills,suchasbeingmorepatientwithcustomers.Matureandolderemployeesareoftenaffectionately

addressedas“Uncle”or“Aunty”bytheyoungercrew.


Health and Wellness @ Public Utilities Board (PUB)

PublicUtilitiesBoard(PUB)alsoaddressesarangeofemployeehealthissuesandconcerns-management

&unionwell-being,socialwell-being,physicalwell-being,economicwell-being,andmentalwell-being-ina

holisticmannerthroughitsStaffWellBeingCommittee(SWBC).

SWBCalsomonitorsemployees’healthandsatisfactionthroughsurveys,feedback,healthscreeningsand

fitnesstests. Itconstantlydevelopsnewpoliciesandprogrammestocreateanenvironmentconduciveto

developinghealthyemployeesandcatertotheirchangingwork-lifeneeds.PUB’sRecreationClubsupports

andorganisessports,socialandCorporateSocialResponsibilityactivitiessuchasfestivalcelebrations,inter-

departmentgames,volunteeringopportunities,hobbyworkshopsandmovienights.

Health and Wellness @ Alexandra Hospital (AH)

Asahealthcareprovider,AlexandraHospitalfullyrecognisesthesignificanceoftakingcareofthehealthand

well-beingofitsownemployees,especiallymatureandolderones.ItsHealthForOlderPersonsProgramme

(HOP@Work) empowersworkerswith knowledge to improve their health and is tailored to eachworker’s

educationalbackground.Theextensiveprogrammecoverstopicssuchasexerciseandhealth,eatingright,

officeergonomics,etc.Messagescommunicating thesignificanceofmaintaininghealtharevisible inevery

nookandcornerofthehospitalcampus,whetherinthecanteenoralongstaircases.Besideshealtheducation,

olderworkersreceiveadviceonlifestylepracticesthroughhealthinterventionprogrammesconcerningweight

management,hypertensionmanagementandfallprevention.Employeesgetapersonalisedhealthreportcard

basedonindividualhealthassessments.

“Most patients in a hospital are in the older age group. Older employees are more

empathetic. They are gentler, more patient and accommodating when dealing with

patients compared to younger employees. We love having them around.”

Mr Liak Teng Lit, Chief Executive Officer, Alexandra Hospital

Caring for Mature and Older Workers @ Land Transport Authority (LTA)

LandTransportAuthorityofSingapore(LTA)isastatutoryboardundertheMinistryofTransportthatspearheadsland

transportdevelopmentsinSingapore.LTAcomprisesover4,000employees.Nearly40%arematureemployees,with

14%ofthetotalemployeepopulationhavingmorethan20yearsofexperiencewithLTA.

“LTA values its mature and older employees and encourages extension of service beyond

retirement. Staff are offered continued contract renewal based on performance, good

conduct, job availability and health. We continue to motivate them through our performance

driven culture and by investing in training and development programmes for them. We

also tap on these mature and older employees’ wealth of knowledge and experience by

engaging them as mentors to coach younger employees.”

Ms Alice Tan, Group Director (Corporate Services), LTA

LTAcaresforitsemployeeswithcustomisedhealthandwellnessprogrammes

such as health interventionprogrammesand talks, aswell as activities such

as taiji and yoga for itsmature employees. LTA recognises the contributions

thatthesematureemployeeshavemadetowardstheorganisation.Hence,by

takingcareofthemthroughspecificprogrammes,LTAensurestheseemployees

continuetoremainemployableandengagedwiththeorganisation.

“Being re-employed after my official retirement is an affirmation by the organisation that

my numerous years of service have been recognised, appreciated and valued.”

Mr Joseph Philip, Senior Engineering Officer, Road Projects, LTA


4.9 Recognition and Rewards

Awardsthatrecogniseemployeecontributionsgobeyondsurfaceappreciation.Theygodeepertoinspireengagement

totheorganisation.

InComfortDelGrowheretheaveragelengthofserviceofanemployee

is a commendable ten years, Long Service Awards are presented

to recognise mature workers for their years of contribution to the

organisation.In2008,theGroupwentonestepfurtherandinaugurated

itsPassionAwardtorecogniseengagedemployeeswhoshowgreat

passion for their jobsandwhogomore thananextramile to serve

customers.Eightofthe10finalistswerematureandolderemployees,

withtheoldestbeinga62-year-oldSeniorBusCaptain.

Recognition and Rewards @ Panasonic Singapore

PanasonicCorporation,basedinOsaka,Japan,isaworldwideleaderinthedevelopmentandmanufacture

ofelectronicproductsforawiderangeofconsumer,business,andindustrialneeds.InAsiaPacificRegion,

Panasonichasa longstandingpresence. InSingapore,Panasonichasmore than5,000employees.Due

toitshistory,Panasonichasahighproportionofmatureemployees.Forexample,intheregionalHQoffice

PanasonicAsiaPacificPteLtdalone,30%ofits500plusemployeesarematureandolder.

The company advocates fair employment practices. Its compensation and benefits strategy consistently

recognises efforts and performances, and rewards. The company is committed to the personal and

professionaldevelopmentandfulfillmentofitspeople,andprovidestherightmixofonandoff-the-jobtraining

forcareeradvancement.Thebenefitprogrammesensurethateveryemployee(includingmatureandolder)is

takencareofpersonally,financiallyandprofessionally.

“Panasonic is a forward-looking organisation with enlightened human-resource

practices and policies. It is a company brimming with opportunities to unleash

the fullest potential of every staff member. We have created an environment that

encourages bonding and camaraderie among us. This is what makes Panasonic

the place where everyone is rewarded with an exciting and personally enriching

career.”

Mr Kwok Cheong, GM HCM Group/Asia Pacific Recruiting Centre,

Panasonic Asia Pacific Pte Ltd

“At Chevron, we believe in the power of Human Energy. As an international energy

company, our people are our greatest assets. Diversity is one of Chevron’s key values

and we practise an age-inclusive culture at Chevron. Furthermore, our unique ‘pay

for performance’ model ascertains our objective of fair employment practices.”

Ms Adrienne Wong, Area HR Manager (Cambodia/Indonesia/Malaysia/Singapore),

Chevron International Pte Ltd


Recognition @ Singapore General Hospital (SGH)

Singapore General Hospital (SGH) is the nation’s flagship tertiary hospital, with a 7,000-strong multi-generational

diversifiedworkforceanda rich190yearsofmedicalhistory. Togetherwith theNationalSpecialtyCentresonSGH

campus, it provides 35 clinical specialties, of which Haematology, Renal Medicine, NuclearMedicine, Orthopaedic

Surgery,PathologyandPlasticSurgery(Burns)areestablishedasnationalreferralcentres.ItisthetrainingsiteforDuke-

NUSGraduateMedicalSchoolandNUSYongLooLinSchoolofMedicine.Committedtothephilosophyofputting

“Patients.AttheHeartofAllWeDo”,SGHstrivestoprovidethebestandyetaffordabletertiarycaretoherpatients.This

pursuitofexcellencealsoextendstoitsage-friendlypeoplepolicies.

“To SGH, older workers with their years of experience, wisdom and loyalty can be a valuable resource especially in a healthcare industry. SGH does not discriminate against the hiring of mature or older workers so long as the candidates meet the job requirements and are prepared to take on the job.”

Ms Esther Tan, Deputy Director, Human Resources, SGH

SGHgivesemphasistotheabilityandcompetenceofeachemployee,notage.Thehospitalhasintroducedprogrammes

likejobcounselling,automationandjobre-designtocustomisetrainingtailoredformatureandolderemployees.

SGHhasmovedawayfromaunilateralsalarycutforanolderworkerwhochoosestoextendhis/herretirementagefrom

60to62.Instead,theyareassessedbasedonasetofobjectivefactorssuchasperformanceandjobscope.Older

workerswhoarestillproductiveandperformingthefulljobscope,willhavenosalarycutuponextensionofretirement.

Thisisawelcomemovefortheolderworkers,manyofwhomarestillproductiveandhaveexperiencesthatarevery

muchvaluedbythehospital.

SGHhasalsobeensupportiveoftheSilverConnectionmovementattheSingHealthclusterleveltoencouragemature

employeestorefresh,retrainandremainemployable.ResignationrateofolderemployeesinSGHisaslowas2.9%,

basedon2009figures.Itseemstheemployeesfeelrecognisedandappreciated.Thestatisticsandparticipationofthe

olderemployeesinhospital-wideinitiativesshowtheirhighlevelofcommitmentandloyaltytothehospital.Theyalso

reflectahighlevelofengagement.

“[Behind SGH]…is an agile, motivated and competent workforce committed to putting ‘Patients At the Heart of All We Do’. We will strive to strengthen connectivity with our employees so that everyone can find fulfillment as we give our best for patients.”

Prof Ang Chong Lye, Chief Executive Officer, SGH


4.10 Tapping on Government Schemes

By2012,theSingaporeGovernmentwillenactre-employmentlegislationtoenablemorepeopletocontinueworking

beyondthecurrentstatutoryretirementageof62.

SincetheTripartiteGuidelinesonEmploymentofOlderEmployeeswasannouncedinMarch2010,twooutofthree

unionisedcompanieshavealreadysignalledtheircommitmenttore-hireolderworkers.Retrenchedworkerscanalso

seekre-employmentatvariousjobfairsorganisedinhousingestatesbyCommunityDevelopmentCouncils(CDCs)in

collaborationwiththeMinistryofManpower (MOM),theNationalTradesUnionCongress (NTUC)andtheSingapore

NationalEmployersFederation(SNEF).

Tochangetraditionalperceptionsofgrowingoldandtopromoteactiveageing,theCouncil forThirdAge(C3A)was

setup recently,evenas thegovernmentcontinues topromoteSingaporeasadevelopmentplatform for thehealth

andwellnesssector.“Silver”-themedconventionssuchastheSilverIndustryConferenceandExhibitionandthe50+

SingaporeExpoareregularlyheld.

Morecompaniesareslowlybutsurelyadaptingtheirhumanresourcepracticestoanolderworkforce.Allofthefeatured

organisationshavealready takenadvantageof availablegovernment schemessuchasADVANTAGE,GEMS,Flexi-

Works!,Work-LifeWorks!,SPUR,etc.Lastyear,twoSingaporecompanieswontheAmericanAssociationofRetired

Persons’(AARP)InternationalInnovativeEmployersAwardforadoptingmeasurestoattract,retainandengageworkers

aged50andabove.



Related Schemes for Companies to Tap On

• The ADVANTAGE!

Launched in 2005, The ADVANTAGE! provides an incentive of up to $400,000 toward a firm’s recruitment,

retentionorre-employmentofolderworkers.Accordingtogovernmentstatistics,morethan1,300companies

have benefited from the initiative by committing to recruiting 5,400 older workers, retaining 21,000 and re-

employing9,500.

Formoreinformation,logontowww.wda.gov.sg

• Tripartite Action Group (TAG)

Tripartite Action Group (TAG) is a peer support group that has been set up to help employers make their

organisationsage-friendly.ItismanagedbySingaporeNationalEmployersFederation(SNEF),tooperationalise

therecommendationsofthetripartitecommitteeonemployabilityofolderworkers.

Formoreinformation,logontowww.sgemployers.com

• Work-Life Works! (WoW)

Introducedin2004,thefundhelpscompaniesdefraycosttokick-startWork-Lifeinitiativesattheworkplace,in

particular,flexibleworkarrangements.Disbursementswillbetiedtokeyprojectmilestones.

Formoreinformation,logontowww.mom.gov.sg/work-life

• Flexi-Works!

Flexi-Works! isan initiativeby theSingaporeWorkforceDevelopmentAgency (WDA)and theNationalTrades

UnionCongress (NTUC) for companies tohirenewworkersonpart-timeor flexibleworkarrangements.The

schemeoffersagrantofupto$100,000tosupportacompany’seffortsintherecruitmentofworkersonpart-time

orflexibleworkarrangements.Theprogrammehasbeenenhancedandextendedtorunforanotherthreeyears

fromApril2010toDecember2012.

Formoreinformation,logontowww.ntuc.org.sg/flexiworks

• NTUC’s Senior Employability Guidance (SEG)

TheSeniorEmployabilityGuidance(SEG)preparesmatureandolderemployeesabove50yearsoldforthesocial

andphysiologicalchangesthatcomewithageandhelpthemstayrelevantandemployable.

4.11 Training Supervisors

SingaporePower (SP) incorporates technology into their structured training tohelp staff in their learning, soas to

enhancetheirskills.Trainingsimulatorsareusedextensivelyinstafftraining,e.g.incoachingstaffhowtoidentifyandfix

anelectricalfault.Thesehaveenablednewstafftoacquirenewskillsquicklyandprovidedmatureandolderemployees

withrefresherstokeeptheirskillsuptodate.Videorecordingsofcriticalincidentsarescreenedregularlytoeducateour

staffonthecorrectresponsestosuchincidents.Attachmenttrainingisalsoorganisedwherenewemployeeslistenin

whenolderemployeeshandlecustomers,eitherfacetofaceorviathetelephone.

4.12 Workplace Safety and Health

Due toan increase in thenumberofmatureemployees in theworkforce,ComfortDelGro focusesonworksite risk

assessmentsthatareconductedonaregularbasistoensurethattherequiredsafety/healthstandardscontinueto

bemetandimproved.Workplacehealthpromotionactivitiesarealsoheldregularlyandincludetopicsthatareuseful

tomatureandolderemployees,suchasstressmanagement talks,cardiopulmonaryhealthawarenessandhealthy

eating.Trainingonthecardiopulmonaryresuscitationtechnique,extendingregularvisioncareandsmokingcessation

programmesareotherinitiativesintroducedtoencouragetheolderemployeestoadopthealthylifestyles.

4.13 Mentoring

New hires atMcDonald’s Singapore are assigned a buddy to follow around for their first 30 days,with follow-up

sessionsconductedmonthlyaswell.Thebuddysystemprovidesopportunitiesforongoingconsultationandfeedback

whilethefollow-uptraininghelpstoreinforcelearningandfacilitaterecall.


Mentoring @ Chevron

Chevron’sstructuredAgeManagementProgrammeconsistsof

three pillars: Performance Management System (alignment to

businessneeds,de-linkingcompensationfromseniority),flexible

employmentandTRresponse(part-time,contract)andanage-

inclusive culture (anti-harassment training, supervisory training

and XYZ network, a speed-mentoring forum where senior

managersmeetwithGenYandGenXemployeestosharetheir

knowledge and also tomentor them on a voluntary basis on

work-relatedmatters).

“The so-called Silver Tsunami can contribute greatly to our workforce.

They serve as key contributors in retaining skills and expertise and in

developing a pool of key coaches/mentors for the next generation of

leaders.”

Mr Hong Shuen Yin, HR Consultant, Chevron Singapore

Mentoring @ Royal Plaza on Scotts

TheRoyalPlazaonScottsisa5-starleadinghotelinSingapore.Withnearly50%ofitsover300employeesinthe

matureandoldercategory, ithasan impressive line-upof featureswhichdeliver thehotel’spromiseofcreating

memorableexperiencesforBusinesstravellers.

“The mature employees are valuable assets to the organisation as they are able to share

their wealth of experience with the younger employees. The hotel taps on their expertise

by pairing the mature employees with the

younger generation of new hires to provide

guidance and encourage cohesiveness.

The hotel also implemented a buddy system

where a new mature employee is paired

with a younger co-worker or vice versa to

work together and learn from each other.

For example, younger employees may learn

from mature and older employees on how

to handle difficult customers while guiding

their older colleagues on the effective usage

of technology at the workplace.”

Mr Patrick Fiat, General Manager,

Royal Plaza on Scotts

While the hotel understands the importance of making

money,italsoknowshowcrucialitisforemployeesacrossallagegroupstoenjoyandfindmeaningintheirwork.

Themanagementstronglybelieveshappyandengagedemployeeswilltakegoodcareoftheirguests,andthiswill

resultincustomerloyalty.

RoyalPlazaonScottsisequippingtheworkforcenotjustwithrelatedskillscertificationbutalsogenericskilltraining,

e.g.MicrosoftWord,thuscreatingacultureofcontinuallearning.Inviewofthechangingworkforcedemographics,

thehoteltrainedthemanagersofrespectivedepartmentsinmanagingamulti-generationalworkforce.


“HDB has a lot to gain from the rich experience and institutional knowledge [of the mature workforce], especially in training up our younger officers.”

Mr Tay Kim Poh, Chief Executive Officer, HDB

4.14 Engaging Mature and Older Employees

Toattractmatureandolderemployees,RoyalPlazaonScotts

has developed recruitment strategies like implementing

FlexibleWorkingArrangements(FWA),shorterworkinghours

anddevelopingabenefitspackagespecifictothisgroup,etc.It

hasalsoimplementedahostoflow-costandhassle-freework-

lifeprogrammesincludingregularhealthscreeningandhealth

talks,yogacourses,sushi-makingclassesandothersaimed

atdevelopingitsemployeesaswellasenhancingthebalance

betweentheirworkandpersonallives.

ARecreationalCommitteesetupbythehotelwastaskedto

takecareofthewell-beingoftheirco-workers.Thecommittee

organisesmonthlyactivitieslikehealthawarenesstalks,coping

withchangesandcrisis,theannualdinneranddance,etc.Its

in-housecampaign“Onestepup,twostepsdown”,launched

a few years ago, encourages employees to take the stairs

whenever they are going up one level or two levels down.

This initiative, one ofmany to create awareness among the

older employees about the importance of a healthy lifestyle,

alsostrengthensthebondamongemployeesacrossdifferent

generations.


“As our population ages, the demand for healthcare

services is growing fast. Singaporeans are also

asking for better healthcare services. But as there

is a worldwide shortage of healthcare workers, we

need to find new solutions to build up our manpower

pool. So, our highly skilled and experienced mature

employees are precious assets which we should

definitely retain.”

Dr Lim Suet Wun, Chief Executive Officer,

National Healthcare Group & Tan Tock Seng Hospital

Active Ageing Celebrations@ NTUC Club

NTUCClub, the entertainment armofNTUC,was established inDecember 1986 to provide affordable

lifestyleoptionsforunionmembersandthepublic.Basedonthecorevaluesofcare,passion,trustand

serviceexcellence,theclubhasgrownbyleapsandbounds.Theclubstronglyencouragesre-employment

ofolderworkersandhastakenmanyinitiativesinthedirection.

“Our older workers are dedicated and produce good quality work. They are

usually more detail-oriented, focused and attentive. They take pride in their work

and have good communication skills. Maturity comes from years of life and work

experiences and these traits are reflected quite evidently in their daily work.”

Mr Charles Khng, General Secretary,

NTUC Club Attractions, Resorts & Entertainment Union

AspartoftheCouncilforThirdAge(C3A)ActiveAgeingCelebrations2009,theclubhelpedintroduce“U

LiveTheGoodLife”-anall-inclusive“one-stopshop”

carnivaltargetedatactiveagers55yearsandabove.

TheActiveAgeingCelebrationsorganisedunderthe

ActiveAgeingFestival umbrella is specially created

toorganiseactivitiesthatpromotetheactiveageing

lifestyle. The club is alsoworkingon various areas

suchastraining,healthandwellnessprogrammes,a

performance-basedwagesystemandjobre-design.

One such initiative has been the PortableMedical

BenefitsSchemewhichbenefitstheolderworkersin

termsofportabilityandlifetimecoverage.


“People often say that one is over the hill at this stage of life, but our senior

members have proven to be an active lot who are gainfully employed and

continue to demonstrate a zest for life through their strong participation

in many union activities, including competitive sports. NTUC Club has a

long history of working with our senior members, including those in their

sixties, seventies and beyond, and we are deeply encouraged by many

who continue to keep themselves active, fit and healthy.”

Mr Yeo Khee Leng, Chief Executive Officer, NTUC Club

“Old attitudes and set-ups belonging to the days when Singapore had a younger population and life expectancies were shorter must change for Singaporeans to face the new reality. One fifth of Singapore’s population will be 65 years and older by 2030. This is nearly one million people, three times the number today. Employers need to appreciate that older workers, with their years of experience, wisdom and loyalty, can be a valuable resource at the workplace. Companies can modify job specifications and operations or re-design work for their older employees. Workers must also play their part. They need to be ready to adjust to different responsibilities, and possibly lighter work at less pay.”

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong,

American Association of Retired Persons

(AARP) Conference 2008

TheWayForward

Fast Facts

• By2030,1inevery8oftheearth’sinhabitants

willbe65andolder.

• Atthegloballevel,lifeexpectancyrosefrom

47yearsin1950-1955to65yearsin2000-

2005andisexpectedtoreach75yearsin

2045-2050.

• Intheperiodfrom1950-1955to2000-2005,

totalfertilityfellfrom5.0to2.6childrenper

womananditisexpectedtocontinuefallingto

reach2.0childrenperwomanin2045-2050.

• 25%ofEuropeanUnion(EU)countrieshave

decliningpopulations.

• Japanistheworld’soldestcountrywithmore

than21%ofallJapaneseaged65andover.

• By2050,AsiaPacificwillbehometomost

oftheworld’selderlypeople,with998million

peopleaged60andabove.

48 TheWayForward

5

Theageingpopulationisemittingshockwavestopolicymakersandemployersalike.Thenumberofemployeeseligiblefor

retirementisrisingeachyear,andfeweryoungemployeesareenteringthemarket.Theimpactoftheageingpopulation

onbusiness,workplacesandsocietyisprofoundandneedsundividedattentionfromallwalksofsocietytofindafeasible

andsustainablesolution.Thehumancapitalimperativesincludepreservingtheknowledgeandexperienceofthesenior

workforcewhilecreatingandimplementingtalentmanagementprogrammesforthenextgenerationofemployees.

Thischapterattemptstosetthedirectionforthenextstepsonhowtoleveragefromthedemographicdividend.

49TheWayForward

5.1 Demographic Realities

TheUnitedNations (UN)has identifiedglobal ageingasoneof the top threesocio-economic issues facing

PlanetEarthinthe21stcentury(togetherwithglobalwarmingandglobalterrorism).In2006,almost500million

peopleworldwidewere65andolder.By2030,thattotalisprojectedtoincreaseto1billionthatis1inevery8

oftheearth’sinhabitants.

Theagedistributionof theworld’spopulation (Exhibit 16) isundergoingaprofoundand irreversiblechange

calleda“demographic transition”.Asmortalityand fertilityhave fallen, theagedistributionhasbeenshifting

graduallytoolderages.Allregionsoftheworldareexperiencingthischange.

The2007UNWorldEconomicandSocialSurveyanalysedtheimplicationsofageingforsocialandeconomic

developmentaroundtheworld.Livinglongerandhealthierlivesbringstremendouspotentialforeconomicand

socialdevelopmentandforpersonalfulfillment.

Inhispioneeringresearchwork,DavidEBloom,ProfessorofEconomicsandDemographyatHarvardUniversity

anddirectorofitsProgramontheGlobalDemographyofAging,arguesthatwiththerapidgrowthofanageing

population,thereisariseintherateofeconomicgrowthduetoarisingshareofworkingagepeopleinthe

population. This usually occurs late in thedemographic transitionwhen the fertility rate falls and the youth

dependencyratedeclines.Thisisaphenomenonwhichhecalls‘thedemographicdividend(ordemographic

bonus)’.Themagnitudeofthedemographicdividendappearstobedependentontheabilityoftheeconomy

toabsorbandproductivelyemploytheextraworkers.Becausepeople’seconomicbehaviourandneedsvary

atdifferent stagesof life, changes inacountry’sage-structurecanhavesignificanteffectson itseconomic

performance.ProfessorBloomalsonotesthatthisdemographicbonusprovidesawindowofopportunityfor

accelerated economic development. However, reaping its potential benefits depends on the generation of

productiveemploymentandopportunitiesforinvestment,andultimatelyontheexistenceofsocialandpolitical

conditionsthatcanprovideanenvironmentforsustainablegrowthanddevelopment.

Exhibit16Population pyramids for the world 1950, 2005 and 2050

Source:UnitedNations

1950

Male Female60+

15-59

0-14

Age

Percentage10 50 105

Male Female60+

15-59

0-14Age

Percentage10 50 105

Male Female60+

15-59

0-14

Age

Percentage10 50 105

2005 2050

50 TheWayForward TheWayForward

5.2 Concluding Thoughts

Theprevious sectionondemographic realitieshighlights the fact that theworkforce is ageing fast. The sooner the

companiesunderstandthisandacttoovercomethestereotypes,thebetteritisfortheirbusinesses.Suchproactive

effortswillenablethemtoadaptwelltotheimpendingre-employment legislation2012.Thetopthreeconcernsthat

employersinSingaporehaveregardingmatureandolderworkersmaybemitigatedwiththefollowingsolutions:

Employers’ Concern #1

Risinghealthandinsurancecosts

ProbableSolutions

• Regularlyassesstheworkforcedemographics/statisticsonemployeeabsenteeismandhealthcarecostsincurredandcomparethedatawithrespecttovariousage-groupsofemployees.

• Maintainpre-employmenthealth records toexcludepre-existing illnessandmedicalconditionsandcontinue tomonitorhealthandmedicalconditionswhilstinemploymentanddiscussthesamewiththerespectiveemployees.

• Matureandolderpeoplemaybemorepronetodiseases/illnessesbutthereasoncouldevenberelatedtoriskyhealthbehavioursratherthanage.

• Comparehealthcarecostswithothercomponentsofmanpowercosts.Forexample,arecentstudyreleasedbytheUSBureauofLaborStatistics,showedthatworkersaged55to64havebeenwiththeircurrentemployersforamedianof9.3years,whileworkersaged25to34haveamediantenureofonly2.9yearswhichindicatesthattheturnoverratiosandtherelatedcostsarehigherforyoungeremployeesascomparedtoolderones.

AccordingtoanalysesofdatafromtheUnumProvidentDisabilityDatabase(2005),“medicalcostsarereported

toriseatanestimated25%fromage40to50and35%fromage50to60.Ageislessafactorinhealthcare

coststhanthepresenceofsuchriskfactorsassmoking,obesity,lackofexercise,anddiabetes.”

Ina2002studyof135,000currentandretiredemployeesofalargecompany,44%ofexcesshealthcarecosts

forindividualslessthan45yearsofagewereaffectedbythepresenceofbehaviouralhealthriskfactors(obesity,

smoking,sedentarylifestyle,highbloodpressure),withorwithoutself-reporteddisease.Forindividualsaged

65andoverwithoutself-reporteddisease,8.2%ofexcesshealthcarecostswereaffectedbysuchfactors.

“Conceptions of “who is old” vary greatly across cultures, across historical periods, and

by industrial sector. We found in the IT sector that workers are considered old if they have

children. Ballet dancers and professional athletes may be considered old in their twenties

or thirties, airline pilots in their fifties, and Supreme Court Justices in their eighties. It

is important to investigate how employers and workers informally designate workers as

young or old, and whether such designations are associated with the attribution of positive

characteristics (e.g. wisdom and responsibility) or negative characteristics (e.g. unable to

learn new technology).”

Victor Marshall, Ph.D., University of North Carolina

51TheWayForward


Jobsmayrequirephysicalabilitiesbeyondmatureandolderemployees’abilities

ProbableSolutions

• Regularlyconductjobanalysistoassessrolesandaffectjobre-design,whereappropriate.

• Weightheoptionofcreatingpositionsthatwillsupportthefurtherutilisationoftheknowledgeandexperienceofmatureandolderemployees.Thiswillhelpconservetheinstitutionalknowledgewhichmaybepassedontotheyoungergenerationofemployees.

• Planvariableandinnovativecompensationschemesbasedonthevalueofwork.


Matureandolderemployeesareoftenunwillingtochange,orlearnnewthingsortechnology

ProbableSolutions

• Communicateclearlyandopenlywiththematureandolderemployeesconcerningtheexpectationstheorganisationhasfromtheirrole(s)anddonotjustdiscriminateandassume.

• AstudyofOrganisation forEconomicCooperation&Development (OECD)nationsconcluded thatverbalskills,communicationandintelligenceremainunchangedasapersonages.

• InanotherAustralianBureauofStatistics(ABS),datashowedthatAustraliansaged55to64arethefastestgrowingusersof information technology. International studies indicate that appropriate trainingprovided in a supportiveenvironmentcangreatlyassistolderworkerstolearnnewtechnologysystems.

Thisstudyhasdocumentedleadingpracticeswhichotherorganisations/employerscanadopttoreapthedemographic

dividend.Thefindingsfromthevariousorganisationalstudieswillservetohelpotherorganisationsembracetheleading

practicesandtolookbeyondmythsandstereotypes.Thereareprogressiveemployerslocallyandinternationallywhom

onecanemulateandlearnfrom.Therearegenuineissuesandconcernsbutallofthesecanbeaddressedandresolved.

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• Bloom,D.,D.Canning,andP.Malaney.2000.“DemographicChangeandEconomicGrowthinAsia.”PopulationandDevelopmentReview26(Suppl.):257–290.

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References6

53References

CorporateProfiles

7

Tripartite Alliance for Fair Employment Practices (TAFEP)

TheTripartiteAllianceforFairEmploymentPractices(TAFEP)wassetupin2006topromotethe

adoption of fair and responsible employment practices among employers, employees and the

generalpublic.

TAFEPpromotesfair,responsibleandmerit-basedemploymentpracticessothatemployeescan

realise their full potential and employers can achieve organisational excellence. Leveraging its

uniquetripartiteidentity,TAFEPworksinpartnershipwithemployerorganisations,unionsandthe

governmenttocreateawarenessandfacilitatetheadoptionoffairandresponsibleemployment

practices.TAFEPprovidesarangeofservices,toolsandresources,includingtrainingworkshops,

advisory services, and educationalmaterials, to help organisations implement fair employment

practicesandtocomplywithemploymentlegislation.

TAFEPalsoreceives feedback fromthepublicon theirdiscriminationexperiencesandprovides

advice and assistance to those who have experienced discrimination at the workplace. We

welcomefeedbackonadvancingfairemploymentinSingapore.

HireonMerit.BeaFairEmployer.

Logontowww.fairemployment.sgtofindoutmore.

54 CorporateProfiles

Singapore Human Resources Institute (SHRI)

TheSingaporeHumanResourcesInstitute(SHRI)isanot-for-profitprofessionalorganisationinSingaporerepresenting

over3,000HRprofessionals.Foundedin1965,SingaporeHumanResourcesInstitute(SHRI)iscommittedtopromulgating

sound,effectiveandappropriateHRpractices.Itisalsodedicatedtomaintaininghighstandardsofprofessionalismin

HRmanagementanddevelopment.SingaporeHumanResources Institute (SHRI)does this throughamulti-faceted

approachthatincludesactivitiesspearheadedbyitssubsidiaries,SingaporeHumanResourcesInstituteCorporationPte

LtdandSingaporeHumanResourcesInstitute(SHRI)Academy.

Specifically,theSingaporeHumanResourcesInstitute(SHRI)Groupproducesthousandsoflearningexperienceseach

yearthroughworkshops,conferences,seminars,dialoguesessionsandacademicprogrammes;hostssignatureevents

suchasTheSingaporeHRCongress,TheSingaporeHRAwardsandTheSingaporeHRChallenge;publishesHuman

Capitalmagazine,theResearch&PracticeinHumanResourceManagementjournalandotherpublications;provides

hundredsofweb-basedtoolsandresources;helpsmembersandHRpractitionersconnectinnumerousinterestareas;

conductsfuture-focusedandmarket-drivenresearch;andprovidesanationalandinternationalvoiceonHRissues.

In addition, Singapore Human Resources Institute (SHRI) has an HRCapability Development Centre dedicated to

advancing theHRprofession and the capabilities ofHRprofessionals to shapeHR’s role as the essential driver of

businessstrategyandorganisationalsuccess.SingaporeHumanResourcesInstitute(SHRI)alsohasaResearchCentre

thatprovidesaccurateandtimelyresearchandstrategicbusinessintelligencetofacilitateabetterunderstandingofthe

trendsthatareshapingtheHRindustryandthepeoplemanagementissuesfacingtoday´sorganisations.

AnationalprofessionalHRbody,SingaporeHumanResources Institute’sviewsaresoughtandvaluedbymembers,

thegovernment,privateorganisationsandlabourunionsinSingapore.TheInstituteisalsoanactivecontributortothe

globalHRcommunity,havingheldtheofficeofSecretary-GeneralandTreasureroftheWorldFederationofPersonnel

Management Associations (WFPMA) for the 2006-2008 term, aswell as the office of President of the Asia Pacific

FederationofHumanResourceManagement(APFHRM)forthe2005-2006term.

Logontowww.shri.org.sgtoknowmore.

55CorporateProfiles

Ourappreciationtoallparticipatingorganisationsfortheirsupportandtimewhichcontributedgreatlytothe

successfulcompletionofthisproject.Specialthankstothefollowingcompaniesfortheirinputs:

1. AlexandraHospital(AH)

2. CargillGroupofCompanies

3. CherieHeartsGroupInternationalPteLtd

4. ChevronInternational

5. ComfortDelGro

6. Housing&DevelopmentBoard(HDB)

7. LandTransportAuthority(LTA)

8. McDonald’sSingapore

9. NationalHealthcareGroup(NHG)

10.NTUCClub

11.PanasonicAsiaPacificPteLtd

12.PhillipCapital

13.PublicUtilitiesBoard(PUB)

14.RoyalPlazaonScotts

15.SingaporeGeneralHospital(SGH)

16.SingaporePower(SP)

Acknowledgements

8

56 Acknowledgements

Disclaimer

TheStudy‘LeadingPracticesforManagingMatureEmployees’was

undertakenonaconfidentialbasis.Allinformationprovidedhereisthe

generalexpressionoftherespondentsandnotanopinionofTripartite

AllianceforFairEmploymentPractices(TAFEP)orSingaporeHuman

ResourcesInstitute(SHRI).

Thisdocumentisnotwarrantedtobeerror-free,norsubjecttoany

otherwarrantiesorconditions,whetherexpressedorallyorimpliedin

law,includingimpliedwarrantiesandconditionsofmerchantabilityor

fitnessforaparticularpurpose.Wespecificallydisclaimanyliability

withrespecttothisdocumentandnocontractualobligationsare

formedeitherdirectlyorindirectlybythisdocument.Thecontentof

thispublicationiscopyrightedwithallrightsreserved.Nopartofthis

publicationmaybereproducedordistributedinanyformorbyany

meanswithoutpriorwrittenpermissionfromTripartiteAllianceforFair

EmploymentPractices(TAFEP).

©2010TAFEP.Allrightsreserved.Reprintingwithpermissiononly.TripartiteAllianceforFairEmploymentPracticesSingaporewww.fairemployment.sg

www.fairemployment.sg

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