The Government has urged companies to adopt HR policies that give fair consideration towards women for jobs of all levels.
Senior Minister of State for Manpower and Health Amy Khor made the call on July 3. She said that firms should work towards achieving diversity in corporate leadership. She was speaking at the International Labor Organization’s Asia-Pacific Regional Conference on women in the workforce.
She noted that companies are ought to implement policies that support career progression opportunities for women. She noted that there have been improvements, citing a Deloitte Global report that the proportion of women holding board seats in Singapore increased from 8.3% in 2013 to 9% currently. However, she said that it was below the 12% global average.
She mentioned one should not have the impression that prioritizing the development of female leaders is an affirmative action for women. Rather, it is about expanding and optimizing the limited talent pool now that Singapore facing slowing on workforce growth due to low birthrates.
She also called on the private sector to adapt workplaces to support flexible work arrangements.
A work-life resource portal will be set up by next year to give employers and employees access to tools for the implementation of work-life strategies, she said.
