| |
Ethos Perspectives
The Future of Work
Comments/Analysis
The future of work will have a significant impact on all countries, including Singapore. Working arrangements and employment practices of the future, can help to increase labour force participation (especially amongst women and older workers), improve labour productivity and better realise our human capital potential, thus adding to Singapore’s economic competitiveness. It will also make Singapore an attractive place for global talent.
These can also put Singapore in a better position to cope with various social challenges. Higher employment amongst the elderly will help to enhance their retirement adequacy and also improve their social inclusion. Holistic policies that help young parents better integrate work and their family responsibilities could also help women stay in the workforce and improve fertility rates. Workers who are better able to cope with the demands and pressures of work will also be more engaged with the community, which contributes to social capital.
In recent years, Singapore has been encouraging employers to put in place work-life strategies. Our policies—and how extensive and holistic they are—will have to keep pace with global trends in human resource management, so that we can remain a competitive and attractive place to work. The government, employers and workers will need to work together to define the parameters of "socially sustainable work" in Singapore’s context. At the same time, Singapore will need to be mindful of inequalities in the future workplace—between full-time workers and non–full-time workers, between top talent who have more bargaining power for when, where and how they work and those who are simply drawn along by the vicissitudes of the evolution of work.
References
Reference 1: Webster, Juliet. "Working and living in the European knowledge society: The policy implications of developments in working life and their effects on social relations." Dublin: Department of Sociology, Trinity College, 2004.
http://www.tcd.ie/ERC/past%20symposia/infowork%20symposia%20docs/Infowork%20Knowledge.pdf
Reference 2: Chartered Management Institute. "Management futures. The world in 2018." London, UK: Chartered Management Institute, 2008.
http://www.managers.org.uk/client_files/user_files/Brook/080313%20-%20Management%20Futures%20Report%20-%20No%20Watermark.pdf
Reference 3: Taylor, Robert. "The future of work-life balance." Swindon, UK: Economic and Social Research Council, 2002: pp6-19.
http://www.esrc.ac.uk/ESRCInfoCentre/Images/fow_publication_2_tcm6-6060.pdf
Prepared by:
Soh Tze Min
Researcher, Centre for Governance and Leadership, Civil Service College
Eleanor Ng
Manager, Institute of Policy Development, Civil Service College
I I
|
|
