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Written Answer by Minister for Manpower Mrs Josephine Teo on Tripartite Standards on Fair and Progressive Workplace Practices

Employment practices

NOTICE PAPER NO. 365 OF 2021 FOR THE SITTING ON 10 MAY

QUESTION NO. 956 FOR WRITTEN ANSWER TO QUESTION FOR ORAL ANSWER NOT ANSWERED BY END OF QUESTION TIME

MP: Ms Carrie Tan

To ask the Minister for Manpower what are the Ministry’s plans to ensure more companies adopt the Tripartite Standards on implementing fair and progressive workplace practices and become part of the Human Capital Partners Programme as exemplary employers.

Answer: 

  1. The Tripartite Standards and the Human Capital Partnership (HCP) Programme are two key initiatives that MOM and the tripartite partners have launched to encourage more companies to adopt progressive employment practices, and to recognise and support exemplary employers.
  2. Since we launched these two initiatives in 2017, the tripartite partners have developed a total of eight Tripartite Standards, including those on Recruitment Practices, Grievance Handling, Age Friendly Workplace Practices, and Flexible Work Arrangements. More than 10,000 organisations have adopted at least one Tripartite Standard, covering over 1,000,000 employees. The tripartite partners have also recognised about 600 HCPartners, employing over 200,000 locals.
  3. Adopters of Tripartite Standards and HCPartners are also publicly recognised, including on the MyCareersFuture website, so that jobseekers can identify them as progressive employers.
  4. We are strengthening our efforts to encourage employers to adopt progressive employment practices. The Tripartite Alliance for Fair & Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP) actively reaches out to companies through its promotional campaigns and briefings to members of Trade Associations and Chambers (TACs). TAFEP also organises regular clinics on Tripartite Standards to help companies better understand the specifications and confidently implement those practices. Organisations that wish to promote progressive practices at workplaces can also approach TAFEP to collaborate on such efforts.
  5. Working together with tripartite partners and sector agencies, we will continue to build on this momentum to grow the community of progressive employers.