Work-Life Grant: Another Example of PAP Simply Throwing Money at Problems

Time and time again, we have seen how our simple minded PAP leaders like to throw money at problems and thinking it might solve the root of the problem.

We have seen how they want to throw money Baby Bonus and Jubilee Baby Bonus to boost our falling birth rates.

We have seen how they try to give out free train rides in early mornings to reduce the train crowds.

This time, Ministry of Manpower has yet another money-throwing solution that is doomed to fail.

According to Dr Amy Khor, Ministry of Manpower will give out grants to implement flexi-work arrangements and age management practices.

Flexi-work arrangements are nothing new. Encouraging employers to hire elderly is not new as well. Even before there are grants available, we have seen how tough it is for these 2 schemes to take off.

Below are some examples I can think off, based on my personal experiences.

1) Bosses are insecure. It has been said that Singaporean bosses are very stingy on praise and are ranked the lousiest bosses in terms of people management. 

So far, I have yet to meet a boss who can feel secure enough to allow his/her subordinates to work from home. Their rationale is, "as long as you are not within my sight, you are lazing around at home"

The only flexi work arrangements are sales people where they have to go out and push sales and even then, this is a small proportion and our trains will just be as crowded as before.

2) Even if flexi-work arrangement takes off, it is strictly reserved for senior staff.

I heard from my civil servant colleagues that flexi-work arrangement is strictly reserved for senior staff who has worked in their govt bodies for more than 5 years and with a good B grading in their appraisal. That being said, it is very unlikely that this flexi-arrangement will cause a big impact as it is reserved only for the few.

I dare challenge the civil service to implement this flexi-work arrangement to junior staff.

3) Factories which need laboratory equipment and machinery and tools are strictly out of this flexi-work arrangement. You can't work from home when 70% of your work revolves around your equipment.

4) Even in office based jobs, most of us need teamwork and more than 2 people to get it done. In our current work, the finance may need to talk to marketing and purchasing at the same time to get their balance sheets done at the same time, that's why they share the same room so that they can start sharing documents around to discuss. 

How would flexi-work arrangement get it done?

5) Age Management Grant. 

Recently, Tan Chuan Jin had a Facebook chat with REACH users and some users posed this question "Why Is It So Hard for Job Seekers in their 40s to get a govt job?". Chuan Jin didn't reply and ignored this question.

There may be some truth to it. Last year, I had a trip down to IRAS as I had some tax issues to trash it out with the tax officer. The tax officer was a young fresh graduate who barely is 25 years old. When I asked her about her colleagues, she did mention that most of the people who joined IRAS are below 30 years old. 

So if this Age Management Grant can be applied to govt service, Chuan Jin will be indirectly admitting that there is age discrimination in civil service.

CJ

TRS Contributor