In this edition of the Singapore Labour Research Digest, we explore how workers with caregiving responsibilities, especially women can be better supported, in sustaining and developing their careers through Flexible Work Arrangements (FWAs).

The National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) conducted the Survey on Economic Sentiments ahead of Budget 2025 to understand the concerns and aspirations of the local workforce. With responses from 2,088 Singapore residents, the survey provides valuable insights into key areas affecting workers today.

In this edition of the Singapore Labour Research Digest, we explore how tripartite collaboration turned a workforce crisis into a showcase of resilience and adaptability, and how NTUC’s SMART Strategy Model serves as a blueprint for building a future-ready workforce.

In this edition of the Singapore Labour Research Digest, we identify the different types of Flexible Work Arrangements (FWAs), principles to achieve win-win benefits for employers and employees, and recommendations for implementing FWAs.

In this edition of the Singapore Labour Research Digest, we showcase the recently launched NTUC Labour Alliance co-LaB (LAB) at the 5th Labour Research Conference held in September 2024. We also highlight findings from our research in professionalising the skilled trades, showcasing learnings from overseas, youth perceptions, and suggesting strategies to establish a strong local core of skilled tradespeople in Singapore.

In this edition of the Singapore Labour Research Digest, we uncover how challenges could impact the opportunities available for workers in the manufacturing sector. We also suggest how workers can navigate the opportunities and risks by securing the necessary skills to create strategic advantages in the sector.

In this edition of the Singapore Labour Research Digest, we explore the impact of automation on Singapore and identify key strategies to mitigate the impact of an ageing population and slowing workforce growth.

The workplace in Singapore has evolved and work arrangements have shifted away from the traditional on-site, fixed-time, and fixed-workload structure. Over the years, NTUC has championed flexibility at work as a means of improving welfare for employees as well as supporting individuals with caregiving responsibilities. This Briefing Paper seeks to provide insights and case studies into how Flexible Work Arrangements (FWAs) can be implemented in a way that is a win-win for both companies and employees through three behaviourally informed recommendations.

Discover insights from the National Trades Union Congress' recent survey on economic sentiments among Singapore's resident workforce, conducted in anticipation of the Singapore Budget 2024. Gain valuable perspectives from 2,000 respondents surveyed between December 2023 and January 2024.

Experienced and highly skilled essential tradespeople; including plumbers, electricians, air-conditioning and mechanical ventilation mechanics; often grapple with the issue of low wages and a negative association that their jobs are depicted as 'dirty, dangerous and demeaning’. These challenges, coupled with low fertility rates and an ageing population, hinder the recruitment of younger local workers to fill the gaps left by retiring tradespeople. This study seeks to provide insights into professionalising skilled essential trades and establishing a strong local core of skilled tradespeople in Singapore.