MINDSET CHANGE TOWARDS CERTAIN JOBS

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MINDSET CHANGE TOWARDS CERTAIN JOBS: 3.

Assoc. Prof. Ong Soh Khim asked the Minister for Manpower in view of the strong cultural bias and prejudice among the public, the employers and the employees towards certain groups of jobs, which job redesign cannot change, what are the efforts (a) to educate employers to change their bias to pay better salaries; (b) to educate employees not to be prejudiced so that they will take up these jobs; and (c) to change the mindset of the general public so that they will not look down upon such employees.

The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Manpower (Mr Hawazi Daipi) (for the Minister for Manpower): Sir, some job seekers find it difficult to take up existing low paying jobs because these jobs do not pay enough to support their families. Our response is to help employers redesign the jobs to increase the job worth so that the workers can be paid more. This requires companies to

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make an effort to change the way the job is done, including work processes and systems and improve working conditions and the image of the job. WDA has set aside $10 million over two years to support pilot job redesign projects by companies. WDA will be working with NTUC and the Singapore National Employers' Federation (SNEF) to promote job redesign to companies, including sharing success stories. We will also be highlighting the benefits that companies have reaped from job redesign, such as better results in recruitment and retention of local workers.

Part of the effort to redesign jobs includes enhancing the skills and professional image of workers employed in these jobs. For instance, mechanisation, the use of proper tools and better trained workers have helped to improve the public image of cleaning jobs. Apart from employers, we need the help of the media to also change the perception of job seekers and members of the public towards such jobs. We should all respect the dignity of a hard day's work, and not consider some jobs as less dignified or less worthy.

WDA and NTUC will market these jobs to jobless Singaporeans through the Distributed Careerlink Network of job centres as well as through the media. We will organise pre-placement programmes to change perceptions as well as prepare workers mentally to take up these new jobs. We are also providing adjustment and retention incentives to encourage workers to stay and get used to their new jobs.