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 […]
Singapore government to set up new office to promote civic participation
The Singapore government will set up a new office to create more space for Singaporeans to work with the government and contribute to the shaping of the country’s future. The Singapore Government Partnerships Office, one of the recommendations of the Forward Singapore report, will lead national efforts to engage citizens who want to contribute by […]
The First Word: How can organisations tap into technological solutions to better protect the mental wellbeing of their employees?
Introduction Organisations in Singapore have been stepping up their efforts in prioritising their employees’ mental wellbeing over the past few years. Corporate insurance providers, such as AIA Singapore, Mercer Singapore, and Great Eastern, have shared uptake of mental wellbeing benefits by organisations for their employees has almost doubled since 2019. This uptake within organisations is […]
The Week Ahead: Mental health, staff events, HR Tech, and more
While it’s a long weekend here in Singapore, it’s still set to be a huge week of content, case studies, interviews, and research across all Chief of Staff Asia platforms from Monday November 13. On Monday, our First Word column has a contribution from Low Kiang Wei, medical director for International SOS. He’ll be […]
Singapore’s YouTrip to expand into more Southeast Asian markets
YouTrip, a Singapore-based digital payments service provider, plans to expand into more Southeast Asian markets, starting with Malaysia in a few months. The company has raised $50 million in funding and plans to “accelerate” its expansion into Indonesia, the Philippines, and Vietnam. YouTrip’s digital wallet allows individuals and businesses to top up their balance and […]
Research Preview: Expanding domains in modern MICE and staff events
Staff events and professional gatherings were heavily affected by the pandemic. Months after the declared end of the Covid-19 crisis, what are organisations in Southeast Asia doing and what should they expect? The popularity of virtual events has certainly remained, a lasting effect of the innovations and adaptations that sprouted over the past few years. […]
WHO SAYS: Quotes of the week from HR influencers and leaders
Immerse yourself in the wisdom shared by respected HR and business luminaries from across Southeast Asia as they offer their insightful views on the most urgent matters of the day. “AI is ushering in a new world of work, and the technology is already reshaping jobs, businesses, and industries.” – Feon Ang, Vice President, LinkedIn […]
Retrenchments rise in Q3, but unemployment rates remain low
Despite a resilient labour market, retrenchments in Singapore rose in the third quarter of 2023, from 3,200 to 4,100. This increase was mainly due to the wholesale trade sector, which is exposed to weaker external economic conditions. However, unemployment rates remained low, with an overall rate of 2% in September. This suggests that most retrenched […]
Moving On Up: New HR leaders at MUFG Bank, NetExpat and more
Here’s what’s new, and who’s changing roles and stepping up across the HR community in Southeast Asia. Paul Simons Chief Human Resources Officer for Asia Pacific MUFG Bank Singapore Paul Simons is the new Chief Human Resources Officer for Asia Pacific at MUFG Bank. He is based in Singapore and has over 30 years of […]
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 […]
