We are 70!
Founded in 1955 as the Ministry of Labour and Welfare, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) is celebrating our 70th anniversary this year. Over the decades, MOM has been at the forefront of driving policies that empower workers, support businesses, and enhance workplace safety and harmony. While our founding mission remains unchanged at the heart of what we do, we have continuously evolved our approaches to stay relevant in an ever-changing landscape.
This significant milestone is a commemoration of the efforts of generations of MOM officers, and a tribute to the resilience and contributions of every worker, employer, and partner who has walked this journey with us. As we look to the future, MOM remains steadfast in meeting the evolving needs of the workforce and changing workplace, and bettering the lives and livelihoods of our people.
MOM 70th Anniversary: Celebrating Our People, Charting Our Progress, Championing Our Potential
MOM commemorated this milestone on 5 April 2025 with a dinner graced by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam as the Guest-of-Honour. The event brought together former manpower Ministers, past and present MOM officers, key partners and stakeholders to reflect on our shared achievements and reaffirm our commitment to empowering workers, supporting businesses, and promoting workplace harmony.
We unveiled the Ministry’s refreshed logo, symbolising our continued commitment towards transformation and championing human potential for a thriving Singapore. Additionally, MOM launched a commemorative book titled “Charting Our Path: 70 Years of Working Together and Lessons for Tomorrow”. The book outlines the transformation of Singapore’s workforce and workplace over the past 70 years, and the contributions of MOM in driving social and economic progress. As we look ahead, MOM will continue to undertake transformative shifts to empower Singaporeans for the future.
Times Have Changed. Our Commitment Never Will.
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Earn and Save Bonus
Retirement and Re-employment Act
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Tripartite Guidelines on Fair Employment Practices
Tripartite Guidelines on Flexible Work Arrangement Requests
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Productivity Solutions Grant for Job Redesign
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Overseas Markets Immersion Programme
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Career Conversion Programmes (for individuals)
Mid-Career Pathways Programme
Charting Our Path: 70 Years of Working Together and Lessons for Tomorrow
Charting Our Path details the major milestones in MOM’s history, from creating the conditions for industrial peace in the turbulent pre-independence years, to preparing the workforce with the skills needed to support economic growth and cushioning the impact of economic crises on workers and businesses. Through these historical accounts, it explains the Ministry's efforts to translate economic growth into socio-economic progress for Singaporeans.
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Read on to find out more about MOM's 70-year journey!
Milestones in our history
1950s-1960s: The Early Years
Chief Minister David Marshall meets 40 busmen at a Meet-the-People session to address concerns over the arrest of their leader, Fong Swee Suan, Secretary of the Singapore Bus Workers' Union, who was under emergency detention. (Photo credit: SPH Media)
Workers of the Hock Lee Amalgamated Bus Company on strike at the company’s bus depot on Alexandra Road on April 25, 1955. The strike escalated into a riot on May 12. The Ministry created a new framework for industrial peace during this turbulent era. (Photo credit: Ministry of Information and the Arts Collections, courtesy of National Archives Singapore)
The Ministry of Labour and Welfare was established in 1955 during a period of severe industrial strife. To attract foreign investments into Singapore and create jobs for its people, the Ministry introduced employment laws that helped to resolve labour disputes, as well as the Trade Unions Act to regulate union activities and achieve industrial harmony. This sowed the seeds for tripartism as the Ministry built a lasting partnership between unions, employers and government.
1970s-1980s: Industrialisation and Beyond
Clockwise from the left, National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) Secretary General Devan Nair (third), and Pioneer Industries Employees Union (PIEU) and Singapore Industrial Labour Organisation (SILO) General Secretary Phey Yew Kok (fourth) at National Wage Council’s (NWC) meeting.
With industrial peace established, Singapore turned to rapid industrialisation to tackle widespread unemployment. The Ministry supported this by upgrading the skills of our local workforce and calibrating access to foreign manpower. The National Wages Council guided wage reforms and encouraged women to participate in work. By the end of the decade, the focus shifted to raising productivity.
As regional competition intensified, Singapore’s strategy centred on raising wages to push industries up the value chain and boost productivity. The 1985 recession prompted a review of economic and labour policies, marking Singapore's crucial shift towards higher-value industries such as electronics, pharmaceuticals and financial services.
Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew speaking at the inauguration of Productivity Month in November 1983. National initiatives were organised to encourage workers and businesses to raise their productivity. (Photo credit: Ministry of Information and the Arts Collection, courtesy of National Archives of Singapore)
1990s: Developing Skilled Capital
MOM’s headquarters on Havelock Road has been the cornerstone of Singapore’s workforce development since its opening in 1991, supporting the mission to develop a productive workforce and progressive workplaces, ensuring better jobs and a secure retirement for Singaporeans. (Photo credit: MOM)
(From left) Deputy Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Minister for Manpower Lee Boon Yang, Minister for Education Teo Chee Hean, and MOM Permanent Secretary Tan Chin Nam, at the launch of Manpower 21 on August 31, 1999. (Photo credit: Ministry of Information and the Arts Collection, courtesy of National Archives of Singapore)
The Ministry of Labour was renamed to Ministry of Manpower (MOM) in 1998, reflecting its expanded role in developing Singapore's only resource – its people. Through the Manpower 21 plan, it set out to build a globally competitive workforce through skills training, talent attraction, and strong tripartite partnerships.
2000s: Through the Crises
A series of crises from 1997 to 2003 tested Singapore's economic resilience. MOM supported workers and businesses by strengthening job matching and wage flexibility measures. The Government also advocated for training and reskilling programmes, including the establishment of the Workforce Development Agency in 2003 to oversee continuing education and training.
(From left) MOM Permanent Secretary Yong Ying-I, Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong, Minister for Manpower Ng Eng Hen, and SNEF President Stephen Lee look on as NTUC Secretary-General Lim Boon Heng spells out the acronym of the Singapore Workforce Development Agency (WDA) at its launch on September 17, 2003. (Photo credit: Ministry of Information and the Arts Collection, courtesy of National Archives of Singapore)
2010s: Productive and Inclusive Growth
Introduced in 2007, the Workfare Income Supplement is a broad-based measure that tops up the salaries of lower-income workers to help them save for retirement. (Photo credit: MOM)
As workforce growth slowed due to demographic changes, Singapore needed to move beyond labour-intensive growth. MOM thus shifted its focus towards building a manpower-lean economy. Through initiatives like Workfare and the Progressive Wage Model, it also pursued inclusive growth by boosting productivity and uplifting lower-wage workers.
2020s: Managing our Migrant Workforce
Migrant workers have been crucial to Singapore's development since the 1970s. While this strategy enabled growth and met workforce needs, it required a delicate calibration of economic and social considerations. MOM will continue to transform the migrant worker ecosystem by fortifying housing standards, improving healthcare support and enhancing social well-being.
Over 2,000 migrant workers and volunteers came together with ACE Group for a nature walk in celebration of World Mental Health Day. (Photo credit: MOM)
2025 onwards: Pro-Worker, Pro-Growth, Pro-Singapore
As we chart the path ahead, MOM is committed to empowering Singaporeans to access good job opportunities and have a secure retirement. MOM strives to foster safe, fair and progressive workplaces. MOM will enable businesses to thrive and create quality jobs.