A total of 65 companies and individuals were on Wednesday (Jul 22) recognised for their efforts in creating family-friendly work environments.
The “Best Companies for Mums” contest recognises companies and individuals for their implementation of flexible work arrangements and employee support initiatives to help staff achieve better work-life harmony.
The awardees were decided based on the nominees’ personal stories and criteria, including the extent of flexible work practices available at the company, variety of pro-family employee leave schemes, employee support schemes for mothers and infrastructural support like lactation facilities and onsite childcare.
A total of 170 nominations were received for the contest, which was organised by National Trades Union Congress Women’s Development Secretariat (NTUC WDS) in partnership with the Tripartite Alliance for Fair and Progressive Employment Practices (TAFEP).
FLEXIBLE HOURS, CHILD CARE SUPPORT
In celebration of Singapore’s 50th birthday, the contest introduced the SG50 Special Award category to recognise companies that have developed dedicated employee support schemes to support working women, beyond the statutory requirements of providing leave and staff benefits.
Five companies – Cerebos Pacific Limited, DBS Bank, KK Women’s & Children’s Hospital (KKH), Infineon Technologies Asia Pacific and SP Services – received the award for their dedication in supporting their employees, and for ensuring their policies are sustainable and progressive.
KKH implemented a compressed work week, flexible work hours and job sharing, among other measures, so that their employees could better manage their work and caregiving responsibilities. The hospital also has a centre which provides infant care and child care support for employees, as well as a lactation room for breastfeeding mothers.
KKH has more than 4,500 employees and 89 per cent of them are female. The practices have retained many female employees who may have quit due to family commitments – one of the top reasons for resignation at the hospital, said NTUC WDS.
Through the contest, NTUC WDS also hopes to identify 100 companies to champion family-friendly workplace practices. These companies will serve as examples of pro-family companies that other companies and organisations can look up to by showcasing best practices, said NTUC WDS.
news source & image credits: channelnewsasia.com
