The process relies on AI chatbots
Resolving workplace disputes will soon be digitalised even further by 2023 with the help of conversational technology such as chatbots powered by artificial intelligence, the Ministry of Manpower announced. The update came after the shift to an online process proved helpful during Singapore’s circuit breaker period. The system purportedly enabled parties to seek advice regarding employment and salary disputes, file claims and undergo mediation, even remotely, according to the findings of the Employment Standards Report 2020.
The online process piloted by the Tripartite Alliance for Dispute Management (TADM) provided workers and company representatives an avenue to go over issues, from the safety and comfort of their own home or workplace. “Employees and employers no longer have to juggle their schedules to attend physical mediation sessions. Instead, parties are offered a range of digital communication tools such as emails, WhatsApp Business messages, and online conferencing platforms to discuss and settle their disputes,” the report said.
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The process also gave mediators a chance to examine documents prior to mediation in a bid to expedite the sessions more effectively. “In 2020, TADM mediated an average of about 600 cases per month via the [Online Dispute Resolution] process,” the report said, adding that the next updates will see the process going digital from start to finish.
“In the next phases of development, TADM will focus on enhancing the usability of the system to cater to different users’ profile, and also improving the users’ access to relevant case information and tools to enable both the employee and employer to make informed decisions on the claim,” the report said.
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“TADM will also explore the use of artificial intelligence and scenario-based conversations to guide parties in the decision-making. The ODR will be the first end-to-end online platform for employment dispute resolution and will be seamlessly integrated with the ECT’s claims filing system when fully developed in 2023.”
Last year, most claims took only two months to resolve – “a testament to the efficacy of mediation in upholding Singapore’s labour relations,” said Dr. Koh Poh Koon, senior minister of state for health and manpower.
