With grants of up to $480,000 available, many companies are creating easier, safer and smarter jobs for older workers
In July 2016, Singapore’s Ministry of Manpower enhanced the WorkPro scheme to encourage companies to have age-friendly workplaces The original WorkPro was introduced in 2013 and sought to strengthen the core of the Singaporean workforce.
The grants is up to $480,000 for companies that would implement age management practices, who would redesign workplaces to create easier, safer and smarter jobs for older workers, and implement flexible work arrangements for all workers.
Aerospace Component Engineering Services (Aces) is one such company. It has redesigned some jobs to benefit their older employees, especially those with rich experience in the industry and who could still perform well discounting the usual signs of aging – aches and pains, poorer eye-hand coordination and weaker eyesight.
73-year-old Mohsin Khan, for instance, now still works on aircraft hydraulic components and embosses serial numbers on metal plates, which are in turn used for identification of aircraft components.
Aces general manager, Brian Hunter, says they took about three months to redesign Mr Mohsin’s job to help him engrave better through bigger fonts on a computer screen. The company, which has 47 employees, has at least 10 workers older than 50.
“It has helped improve productivity,” Hunter said.
Under the enhanced WorkPro, job redesign projects can be funded up to 80% or up to $20,000 per worker aged 50 and above, whichever is lower.
According to the MOM, more than 200 companies have used the grant, benefiting almost 4,000 older workers.
