S’pore working to tap potential of senior workers in supporting an ageing workforce: SNEF

SINGAPORE – An ageing workforce will be a key challenge over the next decade, but “Singapore can prove to be the exception”, said Singapore National Employers Federation (SNEF) president Tan Hee Teck.

In other economies, he noted that ageing populations are often a drag on economic growth. 

Singapore has been working on ways to formulate policies that expand job opportunities for senior workers while enhancing workforce flexibility and productivity.

The upcoming Tripartite Workgroup on Senior Employment, for instance, is a timely initiative that will bring the unions, employers and Government together to work on solutions that tap the potential and wisdom of senior workers, he said in his May Day message on April 29.

The work group, which will be set up later in 2025, aims to improve the employability of seniors and increase the availability of jobs that better suit their needs. The work group will start by setting up the Alliance for Action on Empowering Multi-Stage Careers for Mature Workers, which involves engaging employers for ideas and solutions to enhance senior employment.

On the economy, Mr Tan noted that Singapore achieved robust economic growth of 4.4 per cent in 2024, an uptick from the 1.8 per cent expansion in 2023. “This growth is particularly impressive amidst global economic uncertainties,” he said.

He reiterated SNEF’s commitment in being the voice for employers, supporting them in building more progressive workplaces and ensuring workplace fairness in Singapore. He added that employers who embrace diversity and inclusion benefit from stronger talent attraction and retention.

“As employers, we must also respond to the changing profile and aspirations of our workers,” he said, citing SNEF’s role as a contributing party to the Tripartite Guidelines on Flexible Work Arrangements. With the

Tripartite Guidelines on Flexible Work Arrangement Requests

– in effect since Dec 1, 2024 – both office and non-office staff can formally submit flexi-work requests.

“Although the business community initially expressed reservations over the guidelines, we have shown that it is possible to find a balanced and practical implementation path through our collective efforts,” he said.

Mr Tan, who is also part of

the national task force

set up to help affected businesses and workers navigate the uncertainties sparked by US tariffs, urged employers to rethink their strategies to raise workers’ productivity even as the “road ahead is neither certain nor clear”.

He highlighted that more workers are also voluntarily opting for gig, freelance and micro jobs, impacting the supply of skilled labour to businesses. In response, he encouraged employers to search for global talent to complement their local workforce.

Singapore must remain open and welcoming to global talent who can help drive innovation and catalyse business growth, he added.

In his message, he also spoke about the challenges of adapting to artificial intelligence (AI) in workplaces, which have caused “discomfort and concerns among workers about being displaced”.

But as employers, the reality can be much more optimistic, he said, calling for employers and workers to embrace and invest in technology to streamline processes and improve productivity.

He added that it was through SNEF’s joint efforts with the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) and National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) that lower-wage workers have been uplifted through key initiatives such as the Progressive Wage Model.

Developing

the Workforce Fairness Legislation

– Singapore’s first workplace fairness legislation – was another joint effort with MOM and NTUC.

“Through our collective efforts, we can navigate Singapore through the turbulent waters ahead, ensuring that the path forward continues to be both pro-business and pro-worker.”