S’pore expands flexi-work support, firms can get up to S$7.5K for reskilling part-timers

COVID-19 has long passed, however, an increasing number of companies in Singapore continue to offer flexible work arrangements.

In a Parliament update on March 7, Minister of State for Manpower Gan Siow Huang said that the proportion of firms providing flexible work arrangements rose from 68.1% in 2023 to 72.7% in 2024.

Recognising flexible work arrangements as a key enabler for women and caregivers in managing their roles and pursuing their career aspirations, the government is strengthening support through workforce reskilling initiatives.

Ms Gan revealed enhancements to the Career Conversion Programmes (CCPs), extending support to mid-career new hires and existing employees in flexi-load roles, including part-timers, from April 1, 2025.

The CCPs currently offer salary support to employers who reskill mid-career new hires or existing employees for growth job roles across 30 sectors, including financial services, retail, built environment, and information and communications. However, the programmes have been limited to full-time roles.

With these enhancements, employers can now leverage the CCPs and access funding of up to 90% of an employee’s salary during training, capped at S$7,500 (US$5,620) per month, to reskill individuals into growth roles, including part-time positions.

Employers interested in signing up can register on the Workforce Singapore website.

Other measures for support

Previously, the government has introduced other measures, such as the Tripartite Guidelines on Flexible Work Arrangement Requests (launched in April 2024), to support those seeking flexible work arrangements.

The guidelines, which took effect on December 1, 2024, outline the process for employees to formally request such arrangements and establish the expectations for employers in considering and responding to such requests. 

When it comes to strengthening fair workplaces, Ms Gan also highlighted the Workplace Fairness Bill, which was passed earlier this year.

The legislation will provide a layer of protection against discrimination, making it unlawful for employers to make employment decisions—such as hiring, firing, and performance appraisals—based on five key characteristics, including race, age and nationality.

In addition, Manpower Minister Tan See Leng also commented on improving human resource (HR) practices in his speech yesterday (March 6). He shared that a Tripartite Workgroup on Human Capital Capability Development will be launched to raise HR standards and professionals’ capabilities.

The work group will find ways to strengthen HR practices, introduce national standards and help companies maximise the potential of their workforce and support business growth.

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