Seriously, I wonder what the fark took them so long, to realize
these things???
All these while, decades passed, wht the fark have they been doing
or thinking???
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When providing a better chair is all it takes
NMP on how employers can help create friendlier environment for
older workers
EMPLOYERS may now be more willing to hire older workers, but much
more needs to be done to retain them such as providing better
lighting and more ergonomic chairs.
.
Nominated Member of Parliament Kalyani Mehta said: "I have known of
cases of older workers going into a job, but after a few months,
they leave because they find the environment is not
age-friendly."
.
Making the point at a recent seminar on Financing Ageing Population
in the Asean Community, the National University of Singapore
associate professor said that ageist attitudes, inter-generational
gaps and even physical surroundings might contribute to
less-than-conducive work environments.
.
For example, younger people may be impatient while older people may
need more time to finish their tasks. Or, they may have a
supervisor who does not understand the needs of such workers.
.
Some may have dependants at home and are thus unable to stay late
at the office. Others, who may have existing medical conditions and
need regular medication, may need to arrange their schedules around
this.
.
"Company policies and physical environment adjustment are very
important," she said. "They should encourage social activities to
help workers of all ages get together and chit-chat."
.
Informal bonding sessions will translate into better teamwork, she
added. But physical factors are also important.
.
"If a four-storey building has no lifts, it may be difficult for
workers to walk up and down," Assoc Prof Mehta told Today. "But
companies can tap on Government funds like the Advantage Scheme to
make modifications such as better lighting and more ergonomic
chairs."
.
The Advantage Scheme was introduced in late 2005 by the Singapore
Workforce Development Agency in partnership with the National
Trades Union Congress and the Singapore National Employers
Federation to facilitate the hiring of older workers.
.
Each company can secure grants of up to $400,000 to implement
systems and processes to recruit, retain or rehire them.
.
She also urged more employers to adopt flexible work arrangements.
Working from home is a common option in many countries and these
arrangements can translate into better productivity and
efficiency.
.
Job sharing is another option worth considering. Jobs in which
computers are used for a large part of the work lend themselves
well to this kind of work, she said.
.
To retain older workers, Assoc Prof Mehta added: "We need some
flexibility and creativity. At the end of the day, what you are
aiming for is for jobs to give people financial security and
independence."
.
Dr Rajagopal Dhar Chakraboti, a University of Calcutta expert on
ageing, suggested during the recent Asean Gerontology Course that
more ingenuity was needed to improve efforts to finance old age.
While lauding Singapore's efforts in instituting a "savings
culture" with the CPF scheme, he noted that withdrawals for housing
and other payments have meant that some people do not have
sufficient balances for retirement.
.
"As life expectancy is rising rapidly, Singaporeans are seeing it
as a problem in their old age," he said.
.
An area he thinks should be looked into is the redistribution of
resources from the richer sections of society to the economically
weaker sections. "One way could be to pay a lower rate of interest
for those with higher CPF balances and more interest for the lower
income groups," he said. ADDITIONAL REPORTING BY JASON LEE
NMP on how employers can help create friendlier environment for
older workers