Pin-up organisations for re-employment in Singapore

Alexandra Hospital, SingHealth are theonly winners from Asia.

THEY have been the pin-up organisations for re-employment in Singapore, retaining between 80 and 90 per cent of their staff who turn 62.

But numbers alone do not make Alexandra Hospital and SingHealth progressive employers. It takes positive workplace policies such as employee benefits and opportunities for career development.

Yesterday, the health organisations measured up on these counts and more, not only in Singapore but on the world stage, when they bagged two of the 10 International Innovative Employer Awards.

The accolade, in its inaugural year, is given by the American Association of Retired Persons, a United States-based non-profit organisation representing 40 million members aged 50 and over.

Alexandra Hospital and SingHealth were two of 14 organisations here that were nominated, and ended up the only two winners from Asia, with the other eight coming from Denmark, Germany and the United Kingdom.

So, what sets the pair apart?

“Their holistic and proactive approach toward employability and ageing,” said Mr Gerard Ee, chairman of the Council for Third Age (C3A), which worked with the labour movement, the employers’ federation and the Workforce Development Agency to select the Singapore representatives.

For example, at Alexandra Hospital, where 14 per cent of staff are over 50, there are programmes such as HOP@Work to help mature workers manage their health and lifestyle better.

“We get staff over 40 to have their health checked, and if a medical condition is found, we get them on medical intervention. It’s not enough to retrain employees. If you want your staff to work into their golden years, they need to be fit,” said acting director of human resource M K Fatimah.

“Ultimately, patients benefit when staff are happy and are able to give their best.”

Meanwhile, SingHealth’s Silver Connection Movement — in place since 2006 to hire matured workers and enhance their employability through retraining, job re-design and flexi-work arrangements — certainly seems to be well received.

For instance, retired nurse Lau Gek Boon, 66, is happy in her new role as patient relations ambassador.

“Working from home allows me to look after my grandchildren as well as contribute to the health industry. My job is to ring up discharged patients, get feedback from them on how they’re doing as well as the quality of hospital service. I enjoy working and hope to continue for as long as I can,” she said.

While there is a labour shortage in the healthcare sector, it is not the main reason for re-hiring matured workers, say the organisations.

“Mature staff are an asset. They don’t just take care of patients; they give advice and because they are more experienced and older, they’re able to empathise with patients better and this is important in patient care,” said SingHealth’s group HR director Geraldine Lee.

Mdm Lau, for instance, can tap on 42 years of experience.

With re-employment legislation due to take effect in 2012, the likes of Alexandra Hospital has teamed up with the Association of Small Medium Enterprises and the Enterprise Development Centre on a programme called Prepare (Programme for Re-employment Practices: A Roadmap for Employers) to provide workshops and mentoring assistance to employers.

Next up, though, for the restructured hospital and SingHealth: A date withMr Lim Boon Heng, Minister for the Prime Minister’s Office and chairman of the Ministerial Committee on Ageing, who will present them their awards on Oct 17.

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