Budget 2024 debate: Raj Joshua Thomas on work culture and uplifting PWM workers
The culture of work in many countries, including in Singapore, is changing, said NMP Raj Joshua Thomas in Parliament on Monday (Feb 26). While Mr Thomas welcomes some trends such as flexible working hours and working from home, he urged caution for other trends and suggestions, such as a very short work week and the right to disconnect from work. He said Singapore should be careful in adopting some of these trends and warned that they may have severe consequences on the productivity and competitiveness of the workforce. Mr Thomas also highlighted the plight of those who work hard but are not living as well as they should - many of whom are working in Progressive Wage Model (PWM) sectors such as cleaning, retail, F&B, security and waste management. He called on the Government and tripartite partners to go further in helping them earn more money and respect.
The culture of work in many countries, including in Singapore, is changing, said NMP Raj Joshua Thomas in Parliament on Monday (Feb 26). While Mr Thomas welcomes some trends such as flexible working hours and working from home, he urged caution for other trends and suggestions, such as a very short work week and the right to disconnect from work. He said Singapore should be careful in adopting some of these trends and warned that they may have severe consequences on the productivity and competitiveness of the workforce. Mr Thomas also highlighted the plight of those who work hard but are not living as well as they should - many of whom are working in Progressive Wage Model (PWM) sectors such as cleaning, retail, F&B, security and waste management. He called on the Government and tripartite partners to go further in helping them earn more money and respect.
