The First Word: Are EWA services a harpoon or a lifeline for low-wage staff?
Earned wage access (EWA) services have been gaining popularity in recent years, particularly among key low-wage sectors of the workforce and their employers. Usually offered through a third-party finance provider, these programmes give staff access to their earned wages before the traditional monthly payday. Unlike payday loans, with which these services are often compared to, […]
HR Tech Update: Using HR tech to strike the perfect balance between transparency and confidentiality
Human resources handles all kinds of sensitive employee information, and walking the line between the right amount of transparency and confidentiality in handling that information is a delicate balancing act. Transparency is a requirement, one that the workforce searches for at all levels of management. How HR displays pay transparency Employees want to know they […]
Employers urged to help employees grappling with financial woes
While several subsidies have been introduced in Budget 2024, Malaysians continue to grapple with financial matters. A recent survey revealed that an overwhelming 90% of Malaysians are deeply concerned about the relentless surge in the cost of living. Against this backdrop, the spotlight shifts to employers, with many questioning if they are willing to shoulder […]
National Wages Council recommends one-off special lump sum payment to employees
The National Wages Council (NWC) has recommended a one-off special lump sum payment to employees to help them cope with rising costs. The council also recommended a wage increase of 5.5 percent to 7.5 percent for lower-wage workers. The NWC made the recommendations in its wage guidelines for December 2023 to November 2024. The guidelines […]
Middle-income workers in Singapore ‘fastest wage growth’ in past decade
Singapore’s middle-income workers saw their salaries rise faster than other income groups between 2011 and 2021, according to a report by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS). The report showed that the nominal income of middle-income workers, defined as those in the 21st to 80th income percentiles of their age cohorts, climbed 42% over the […]
Contract employees in Thailand demand fair treatment
Contract employees in Thailand are demanding that the government treat them fairly, ending what they claim are unfair employment conditions while promoting job security. The rally, held in Bangkok last week to mark World Day for Decent Work, was joined by three other labor and civil rights groups. Labour groups are urging the government to […]
The First Word: Balancing the scales: Addressing pay discrepancies between fresh graduates and junior employees
While inflation in Singapore is gradually easing, with the core inflation rate dropping from 5.5% in January and February to 3.4% in August, the battle against rising living costs continues, especially with the government’s planned GST rate hikes. With GST having risen from 7% to 8% this year and another increase slated to 9% next […]
Studies find employees value hybrid autonomy over fully remote working
Employees today value greater autonomy over their work and schedule, compared with the idea of working at home permanently. This is one of several insights found in the latest Chief of Staff Asia research paper, on remote working. Navigating Remote and Hybrid Work Boundaries in Southeast Asia is available now for subscriber download here. This year, […]
Maybank Singapore doubles paternity leave to four weeks
Maybank Singapore has increased its paternity leave entitlement from two weeks to four for children born on or after 1 October 2023. All male employees of Maybank Singapore, regardless of their child’s nationality, are eligible if they have completed at least three months of continuous service. This move is ahead of the Singapore government’s initiative […]
Task-based, results-driven remote work is ideal for Southeast Asian households
Remote employers ought to consider the impact of Southeast Asian household cultures in measuring performance and productivity among their employees. This is one of several insights from in the latest Chief of Staff Asia research paper, on remote working. Navigating Remote and Hybrid Work Boundaries in Southeast Asia, available now, is now available for subscriber […]
