Reintegration of Platform Workers to Traditional Employment through Support for Job Redesign Programme
Ministry of ManpowerSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns a query by Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song on whether the Support for Job Redesign programme incentivizes flexible work arrangements to attract platform workers back to traditional employment. Senior Parliamentary Secretary Shawn Huang Wei Zhong responded that the programme focuses on business objectives and workforce effectiveness rather than specifically targeting the transition of platform workers. He noted that Workforce Singapore does not track the number of platform workers transitioning via this programme and explained that platform workers often prioritize the flexibility and control offered by their current roles. Senior Parliamentary Secretary Shawn Huang Wei Zhong highlighted that the Government provides career matching services through the Employment and Employability Institute for platform workers seeking to move into traditional employment. Additionally, support is available through Career Conversion Programmes, the Mid-career Pathway Programme, and SkillsFuture Transition Programmes to help platform workers strengthen their employability and long-term career progression.
Transcript
9 Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Minister for Manpower (a) whether the Support for Job Redesign programme is deployed to incentivise flexible work arrangements that mirror platform autonomy to attract platform workers back to traditional employment; and (b) if so, what results have been achieved through this programme.
The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Manpower (Mr Shawn Huang Wei Zhong) (for the Minister for Manpower): Mr Speaker, the Support for Job Redesign programme aims to help employers redesign jobs to drive business objectives, including accommodating Flexible Work Arrangements (FWAs), improve workforce effectiveness and help businesses tap on a broader pool of workers. The programme is not targeted at bringing platform workers back to traditional employment, as platform workers operate under different work arrangements from employees on FWAs.
Workforce Singapore (WSG) does not track the number of platform workers who transition to traditional employment through the programme.
Mr Speaker: Mr Gerald Giam.
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song (Aljunied): Sir, I thank the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for his reply. Given the impact on the long-term career progression on workers who remain in platform work longer than intended, will the Ministry consider such a target to track the number of platform workers who transition back into full-time traditional employment every year, so as to better track the success of relevant initiatives and programmes to achieve that?
And secondly, given that platform work is often perceived to offer better pay and time flexibility than equivalent traditional jobs for workers of the same education levels, how is the Ministry of Manpower working with employers to make workplaces more attractive on these two aspects to incentivise platform workers to make the transition? And what measurable results have been achieved to date?
Mr Shawn Huang Wei Zhong: I thank the Member for his supplementary questions. Platform workers may choose to do platform work for various reasons. For example, greater flexibility or control over when and how their work is being done. In fact, for those who wish to transit out of platform work, the Government does provide much resources to help them plan their careers and strengthen their employability, such as the Employment and Employability Institute's career matching services. There are also other schemes, such as the Career Conversion Programmes as well as the Mid-career Pathway Programme, SkillsFuture Transition Programmes, to improve their employability.