Speech at The Launch of The Fair Employment Photo Exhibition

Mr Lee Yi Shyan, Minister Of State , National Library Building

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good morning and welcome to this morning's launch of the Fair Employment Photo Exhibition.

"What does Fair Employment mean to me?" Photo Competition

2.   In July this year, the Tripartite Alliance for Fair Employment Practices or TAFEP organised the inaugural “What does Fair Employment mean to me?” Photo Competition. This is part of efforts to engage with the public and generate greater awareness of fair employment practices in Singapore. In July this year, members of the public have been encouraged to take notice of acts of fair employment happening around them, capture a shot of fair employment in action and submit the photo with a title and description to explain what fair employment means to them. It is indeed an interesting and meaningful competition.

3.   First, I would like to thank all participants for submitting their entries. It is not an easy topic or competition. You not only need to conceptualise and take the photo but also need to be able to convey its meaning effectively in words. It is nevertheless heartening to note that the public appreciates and is beginning to understand the importance of fair and merit-based employment practices. A number of the entries took into account the importance of maintaining harmony, and working well together even in a diverse workplace environment. There is a one image that humourously tries to capture the image of Singapore as a "Fine" city which outlaws discrimination. The reality is this - the biggest challenge in ensuring fair employment is changing mindsets. As one of the winning entry shows, hiring on merit involves everyone working well together, appreciating each other's differences but recognising that what is really important is what each individual can do, and not the person's age, family status, or skin colour.

4.   To allow more Singaporeans to enjoy the photos, we will be showcasing the winning and shortlisted photographs in a series of Fair Employment Photo Exhibitions around the island's libraries.

State of fair employment in Singapore

5.   As many of the submissions in the photo competition illustrated, diversity is a reality of today's employment landscape. Singapore's workforce is diverse in many aspects – ethnicity, religion, age, gender, etc. – and it will continue to be so. Just take age as an example. Many Singaporeans are fit and able to work longer. With transformation of many sectors as a way of life, individuals must adapt, upgrade and may often have jobs in different companies and sectors throughout their career. Two or three decades ago, most supervisors had staff younger than them. Now it is quite common for a supervisor to be managing staff of a much wider age range, and some of those reporting to him may even be closer to his parents' age. With increasing age diversity, being able to ensure good team performance is important not just for the company but also for the employability of all members of the team.

6.   Since TAFEP was set up in 2006, we have seen encouraging progress with greater awareness and adoption of fair employment amongst employers in Singapore. Over 1000 individual employers have already signed the Employers' Pledge of Fair Employment Practices. Employer feedback to TAFEP also indicates that more than one in two of all employers in Singapore are now aware of TAFEP. This is a good start because it shows that employers are aware of fair employment and know who to reach out to for assistance and guidance in their implementation of merit-based employment practices. TAFEP will continue with their efforts to raise awareness and facilitate the advancement of fair employment in Singapore.

7.   Employer feedback to TAFEP also indicates that seven in ten employers have implemented a set of non-discriminatory, merit-based employment practices and the vast majority (eight out of ten) also indicate that attracting and recruiting talent is the key reason for adopting fair employment practices. This bodes well for Singapore. Fair employment practices that are based on merit greatly widen the available pool of talent for organisations, allowing them to ensure that the best candidates are selected for the job. This, in turn, translates into benefits for the employer with increased business productivity and efficiency. At the same time, fair treatment of employees allows them to realise their full potential, as well as enhance working relationships.

8.   However, there is always room for improvement as we work together, hand in hand, to make Singapore one of the best places in the world to work in. I strongly encourage employers, CEOs, HR directors, and even line managers, to take a step back and review their HR processes to ensure that they are merit-based. Do not hesitate to question and challenge long-held stereotypes when hiring and selecting candidates.

9.   And where guidance and assistance is required, approach TAFEP. TAFEP provides a range of consultancy services, tools and resources, including training workshops, advisory services, and educational materials, to help organisations implement fair employment practices. Individuals who have experienced discrimination at the workplace can and should also contact TAFEP for advice and assistance.

TAFEP Exemplary Employer Award

10.   We know that there are employers who have already implemented excellent employment practices based on merit. Today, I am pleased to announce the launch of the TAFEP Exemplary Employer Award. We want to recognise exemplary employers for their fair and responsible employment practices, as well as showcase them to inspire and serve as role models for other employers.

11.   This Award is truly unique. It requires nominations from employees or unions of the organisation. Only those deserving employers with fair and responsible employment practices will be recognised.

12.   With rigorous assessment processes and active participation from all stakeholders built into the Award programme, we hope to uncover sterling examples that serve as the benchmark for fair employment practices in Singapore. Importantly, it also demonstrates that everyone plays a part in our quest for fair employment. It should be embedded in the company culture, led by the management, practised by HR and line managers, and permeated throughout all rungs of the organisation. If you think your organisation fits the bill, I encourage you to come forward and nominate your employer for the Award.

Conclusion

13.   With active participation by employees, employers and the Government, we are confident that Singapore is on the right track towards realising the vision of creating workplaces based on fairness and merit. Thank you.