Singapore’s Public Service Division said it will raise the retirement and re-employment ages of its officers by one year to 63 and 68 respectively in July 2021, benefiting more than 2,000 employees. In a statement today, the PSD said it “strongly supports” the recommendations from the Tripartite Workgroup on Older Workers, which omprises representatives from the Government, employers and unions. It will also step up efforts in various areas, as it recognises that legislative changes alone are “not sufficient” to help its officers achieve employment over a longer career, it added. For instance, to make work less physically demanding, the PSD said it will actively encourage and work with Ministries and public sector agencies to promote job redesign, such as through mechanisation.
Other plans include working with public sector agencies to develop a more diverse range of job options that include part-time work and flexible work arrangements. It will also invest more in the skills upgrading of its officers, while enhancing efforts to help its officers manage transitions as they age. These efforts will include a new foundational programme to prepare mature officers for life transitions. It will cover topics such as active ageing, health and mental well-being, and financial planning. The public service is one of the largest employers in Singapore, hiring 145,000 people.
In a related development, Channel News Asia reported that more than 50 companies have voluntarily raised the retirement or re-employment ages of their workers beyond the statutory requirements. NTUC secretary-general Ng Chee Meng said this is a “pretty decent” response, adding that workers have also been “very appreciative of these moves”. NTUC said in July about 20 unionised companies had either raised the retirement age or did not stipulate a retirement age for its workers. These companies include the Gardens by the Bay, Novotel Clarke Quay Singapore and ComfortDelGro Group.
