Companies must meet the Progressive Wage Model wage and training requirements for retail workers who are Singapore citizens or permanent residents.
What is it
The Progressive Wage Model (PWM) for retail workers was developed by the Tripartite Cluster for Retail Industry (TCR). It features:
- Training requirements that tap on the Skills Framework for Retail. This ensures that workers have the skills they need to carry out their jobs.
- Progressive wages set at each level. This ensures that workers are paid wages that correspond to their skills and productivity.
Employers must meet the PWM requirements to renew existing work passes or apply for new work passes.
Click here for an overview of the Retail PWM.
Who it covers
The PWM requirements are mandatory. They cover all Singapore citizens and permanent residents who fulfil both of the following conditions:
- Employed as full-time or part-time employees in retail job roles on a contract of service.
- Employed by firms which hire foreign workers, regardless of whether the firm is classified under the Retail Trade Singapore Standard Industrial Classification (SSIC) or another SSIC.
The retail PWM will cover the following retail job roles:
Responsibilities:
- Oversee end-to-end operations
- Ensure Standard Operating Procedures are followed
- Make decisions on customers' issues and service recovery
- Drive, analyse, improve and achieve sales and service performance
Responsibilities:
- Ensure operational demands are catered for
- Possess strong product and customer service knowledge
- Conduct trainings for roles in the store
- Perform responsibilities of an assistant retail supervisor
Responsibilities:
- Assist the retail supervisor to oversee the daily store operations
- Achieve store's sales target and maximise profitability
- Prepare monthly roster of the sales team
- Supervise, coach, counsel and coordinate the activities of retail assistants, cashiers and third-party staff
Responsibilities:
- Mentor and guide the work execution of other cashiers
- Plan resources to support smooth operation in the checkout department
- Conduct on-job-training for new cashiers
- Perform responsibilities of a cashier
Responsibilities:
- Mentor and guide the work execution of other retail assistants
- Handle customer enquiries on promotions and leading customer to products
- Conduct on-job-training for new retail assistants
- Perform responsibilities of a retail assistant
Responsibilities:
- Assist customers in the in-store checkout process
- Attend to customers' queries at the cashier counter
- Implement current promotional events during the checkout process
Responsibilities:
- Sell and explain the functions and qualities of products
- Assist customers by pointing out or demonstrating features and merits of products
- Manage and maintain store display standards and arrangement of products
- Stock-take and replenish stock according to company's Standard Operating Procedures
Companies may adopt different job titles, such as "Shop / Sales Assistant / Associate"
Wage requirements
Wage requirements for part-time employees are pro-rated on a 44-hours basis.
The TCR will undertake a review of the wage schedule in 2024.
| Job level |
Monthly gross wage requirements (excluding overtime payments) for full-time retail workers (35-44 hours per week) |
| 1 Sep 2022 - 31 Aug 2023 |
1 Sep 2023 - 31 Aug 2024 |
1 Sep 2024 - 31 Aug 2025 |
|
Retail manager
Retail supervisor
|
Left to market forces |
|
Assistant retail supervisor
|
≥ $2,240 |
≥ $2,395 |
≥ $2,635 |
|
Senior cashier / Senior retail assistant
|
≥ $2,035 |
≥ $2,175 |
≥ $2,395 |
|
Retail assistant / Cashier
|
≥ $1,850 |
≥ $1,975 |
≥ $2,175 |
Total monthly gross wage (for full-time work of 35-44 hours per week) refers to the sum of:
- basic wage,
- allowances, e.g. travel, food, housing, and
- productivity incentive payments.
It excludes:
- bonuses, e.g. Annual Wage Supplement,
- stock options,
- reimbursement of special expenses incurred in the course of employment,
- payments-in-kind, and
- Employer CPF contributions.
Additional PWM gross wage requirements for overtime
Employers must meet additional requirements for full-time employees who fulfil both of the following conditions:
- work more than 44 hours a week.
- are covered by Part 4 of the Employment Act.
Employers must pay these employees according to both of the following conditions:
| Job level |
Hourly gross wage requirements for part-time retail workers |
| 1 Sep 2022 - 31 Aug 2023 |
1 Sep 2023 - 31 Aug 2024 |
1 Sep 2024 - 31 Aug 2025 |
|
Retail manager
Retail supervisor
|
Left to market forces |
|
Assistant retail supervisor
|
≥ $11.75 |
≥ $12.56 |
≥ $13.82 |
|
Senior cashier / Senior retail assistant
|
≥ $10.67 |
≥ $11.41 |
≥ $12.56 |
|
Retail assistant/ Cashier
|
≥ $9.70 |
≥ $10.36 |
≥ $11.41 |
Averaging of gross wages
Because the retail sector sees seasonal fluctuations in sales revenue throughout the year, the TCR has agreed for the averaging of the wage requirements for retail employees covered by the retail PWM over a 3-month period.
For a given month, employers must fulfil either one of these conditions:
- The gross wage paid for that month is at least that month's wage requirements (inclusive of OT pay, if any).
- The past 3 months' average gross wage is at least the average of past 3 months' wage requirements (inclusive of OT pay, if any).
More details and worked examples are in Annex D of the TCR's report.
Training requirements
Employers must ensure that their Singapore citizen and permanent resident retail workers meet the following training requirements:
- All Retail PWM job roles: 1 Workforce Skills Qualification (WSQ) module from the list of approved modules.
- If employer has attained in-house approved training organisation (ATO) status: 1 in-house WSQ training module with prefix “RET” in the Technical Skills & Competencies (TSC) code can be used to meet training requirements as well.
Employers will be given a grace period to comply with the training requirements:
- For new hires: six months from the new hire's date of employment.
Through proper training, retail workers will be able to increase their productivity and offer good retail experiences to customers.
More details on training requirements are found in Annex C of the TCR's report.
Find out more
For more information: