The Little Ones @ Work programme, an initiative of the NTUC Women’s Development Secretariat, was launched on Friday.
Thru the initiative, some 400 children had a chance to peek into their parents’ working world at DBS Bank’s head office .The children participated in fun and games in the morning, and later accompanied their parents to their work stations to spend they day with them at their desks.
THE Little Ones @ Work programme encourages companies to allow employees to take their children to work at least once a year. So far it has attracted 23 companies from both the public and private sectors and about 1,200 children and their parents.
Apart from DBS, the companies participating include Bank of America, City Gas, Keppel Logistics, Ericsson Telecommunications, City Gas, Kraft Asia and Central CDC.
Work-Life Balance in Singapore
This initiative is just one of the growing examples of how Singapore employers are making making significant progress in the area of work-life integration. According to a MOM report (Conditions of Employment) released in late 2008, 7.4% of companies in the private sector are offering flexible work arrangements to their employees, as compared to only 5.1% in 2006.
The report also revealed that many employers are also offering benefits above the statutory requirements. About 8 out of 10 employers provided for compassionate leave, while 7 out of 10 provided for marriage leave. 50% of companies also allowed fathers to take time off their jobs to spend time with their newborn babies.